Animal-Lovers, Celebrities and Animal Welfare Organizations Across the Globe Unite TODAY to #ShineALight…
RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif. , Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Today, animal-lovers across the world are invited to take part in the 13th annual Remember Me Thursday® (RMT) global movement. The social media driven campaign, honored on the fourth Thursday in September, asks pet-lovers, celebrities and animal rescue groups to create an unstoppable, integrated voice for homeless pets. Social media postings using @RememberMeThursday and #ShineALight, as well as candle lighting ceremonies, proclamations, and even flag raisings, serve to remind the world that orphan animals need our help. Helen Woodward Animal Center hopes the public will join the movement TODAY – Remember Me Thursday®, September 25th – to #ShineALight on the importance of pet adoption.
RMT was established in 2013 by Helen Woodward Animal Center President and CEO Mike Arms. Moved by the staggering statistics that over a million homeless pets lose their lives each year in the U.S., Arms put out a call to rescue organizations in an attempt to create a social media global awareness campaign.
Now in its thirteenth year, RMT is honored across the globe by hundreds of thousands of individuals and more than 1,000 separate animal welfare organizations, throughout more than 140 countries worldwide, spreading the message on social media. Each individual taking part in the campaign can spread the message in their own way by posting about a rescue pet on social media. The enormous swell of celebrity support has resulted in the topic trending each year on both Facebook and Twitter.
This year, actor and animal-activist Dylan Walsh signed on as the newest Remember Me Thursday® Celebrity Luminary. Dylan Walsh is a prolific actor with an illustrious resume of television and movie credits. His most notable role comes as Dr. Sean McNamara on FX’s hit show Nip/Tuck (2003–2010). Most recently he has portrayed the Mayor of New York on Blue Bloods, sparring opposite Tom Selleck’s New York City Police Commissioner, a role he wrapped in 2024. Up until the show’s end in 2023 he also played General Sam Lane, father of Lois Lane, in Superman & Lois. Walsh is also no stranger to being a star on the silver screen, with film credits including The Stepfather, Congo, Secretariat, and The Lake House.
“In our current world I see too many shelter pets left alone and abandoned, all of them deserving of a loving family and forever homes,” said Walsh. “I am proud to have my name linked to Remember Me Thursday. Any organization whose mission is helping animals is something everyone should be behind. There are so many animals in horrific situations. To take in dogs, and cats, that have been through the worse and love them till they are adopted into loving, forever homes – this is support my family will always be behind. Thank you for the opportunity to represent and speak for this great cause.”
Beyond his work on screen, Walsh is no stranger to supporting animal welfare. In 2019 Walsh partnered with San Diego-based rescue The Animal Pad to promote dog adoptions, generating dozens of applications within an hour through a single post. His love of animals is deeply personal. He and wife Leslie adopted their beloved dog Ash, a 12-week-old street puppy, from New Jersey-based rescue Dogs and Cats of Antigua. Walsh has another dog, Riley, who is currently on a courageous journey battling cancer.
Walsh joins an impressive list of celebrity supporters also aligning themselves with RMT. Notable personalities, professional athletes, pet behaviorists and social media pet stars have signed on as “luminaries,” committing to share their thoughts on pet adoption in videos and via their social media accounts throughout the campaign. Nearly 100 influential luminaries have joined the cause. Past and present supporters include: Alicia Silverstone, Alison Sweeney, Amanda Balionis, Andie MacDowell (2023 Official Spokesperson), Bo Derek, Carrie Ann Inaba (2015 Official Spokesperson), Christian Siriano, Daymond John, Diane Keaton, David Backes (Anaheim Ducks), Dyan Cannon, George Lopez, Jill Rappaport, Katherine Heigl (2014 Official Spokesperson), Kevin Frazier, Kristin Chenoweth (2017 Official Spokesperson), Lou Wegner, Mark Buehrle (World Series Champion), Rainey Qualley (2023 Official Spokesperson), Rick Springfield, Ryan Newman (NASCAR), SDSU Mens Basketball Team, Trisha Yearwood, Tony Kornheiser, Trevor William Hoffman, Wynonna Judd (2018 Official Spokesperson), Xander Schauffele, and many more.
Today, Thursday, September 25th, the public is invited to join the movement by tweeting, tagging, posting and sharing a story of the beauty, and life-saving significance, an adopted pet has made, alongside @RememberMeThursday and #ShineALight.
For more information on Remember Me Thursday® and a full list of participating celebrities and animal welfare organizations, go to www.remembermethursday.org.
About Remember Me Thursday®
Animal lovers and organizations across the globe unite on the fourth Thursday in September to light a candle in remembrance of the millions of homeless pets who lost their lives without the benefit of a loving home and to shine a light via social media on the millions of orphan pets still waiting for their forever homes. The Remember Me Thursday® global awareness campaign is championed by Mike Arms, President of Helen Woodward Animal Center, and creator of both the International Pet Adoptathon and successful Home 4 the Holidays program which, in partnership with national animal organizations, has placed over 22 million pets in homes since 1999. For more information, please visit www.remembermethursday.org.
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SOURCE Helen Woodward Animal Center
