Boise, Celebrate April 23 As ...

BOISE, ID — As we approach the weekend, Friday has dogs, silence and cherry cheesecake to celebrate.

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National Cherry Cheesecake Day - April 23rd recognizes the food holiday National Cherry Cheesecake Day. Cookbooks and bakers offer a large variety of recipes for cherry cheesecake. Some cherry cheesecake recipes call for the cherries to be mixed into the batter and others place the cherries on top.

National Lost Dogs Awareness Day - Each year on April 23rd, National Lost Dog Awareness Day increases awareness concerning missing dogs and celebrates reunions.

Through networks of shelters, veterinaries, social media, and other media sources, many lost canines and families reunite. The day is an opportunity to learn more about prevention and networking. There are also steps to take to prevent your family pet from going missing. Some of these preventative steps also help return Fido to you if he does go missing.

Preventative steps to take:

• Keep your dog secure. Whether on a leash or in a fenced yard, your dog is less likely to wander if it is secured.
• Training is valuable. Dogs who have been trained by a professional are less likely to go missing. Most importantly, they learn recall commands. Formal obedience training also offers owners valuable information that can lead to a better relationship between pet and owner.
• Always supervise your animal. Dogs, especially expensive purebreds, can be stolen even from a fenced yard.
• Tags and microchipping help with the recovery of a missing animal. These steps must be completed when you first receive your new family member. While tags are an inexpensive way to protect your pet, dogs can slip a collar. Many pet adoption sites will hold microchipping events for a fraction of the cost. The price is coming down all the time, too. It is essential to keep the information on the microchip or tag up to date also. It is only as useful as the information listed on the chip in helping recover your pet.
• Spaying and neutering reduce your pet’s likelihood of wandering off in search of a mate. Additionally, it eliminates the chances of unwanted offspring should your dog wander off unexpectedly.
• Keep records up to date on your animals. That includes photos, vaccinations, and those valuable tags and microchips, too.

Taking action if your pet goes missing:

• Contact your local shelters and vets. Please provide them with current information regarding your dog, including a color photograph.
• Walk your neighborhood. Let your neighbors know as you search. Enlist their help, too.
• Post notices in neighborhood grocery stores, gas stations, and coffee shops. Go to social media and post your pet’s info in local community forums.
• Check advertising websites. If your dog was stolen, you might recognize the description from the ad. Contact the police if you think your dog was stolen.

Lost Dogs Illinois and Lost Dogs Wisconsin directors Susan Taney and Kathy Pobloskie created National Lost Dog Awareness Day in 2014 to increase awareness and help prevent animals from going missing. They also promote celebrating reunions.

National Picnic Day - On April 23rd, National Picnic Day encourages everyone to pack up their lunch and take it outdoors.

From the French for piquenique, picnic means a meal eaten outdoors.

Celebrate this day by having a picnic of your own. Pack up a cooler or basket with a few of your favorite items. Make sure to include a beverage or two. Be sure to keep perishable items on ice so no one gets sick. Visit a favorite park or recreation area. Lay the blanket out in the sun or shade (whichever you prefer) and enjoy the day with a meal under the sky. Bring a Frisbee or a ball to toss around, too.

National Take A Chance Day - Every year on April 23rd, National Take a Chance Day encourages us to break out of our comfort zone.

National Day Of Silence Day - National Day of Silence in April each year is a student-led movement to protest bullying and harassment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students and those who support them. The Day of Silence brings awareness and illustrates to the schools and the colleges how intimidation, name-calling, and general bullying have a silencing effect. Participating students take a day-long vow of silence.

As part of a class assignment on non-violent protests, the University of Virginia students organized the first Day of Silence in 1996. Since then, the National Day of Silence has been observed each year in April. Students are encouraged to gain permission from their school before organizing an event.

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