Pets now have a place on Mexico’s Day of the Dead—and many families mark October 27 as their night. The idea isn’t ancient, but it resonates with older beliefs about dogs guiding souls to the underworld. So, when should you set the altar for a pet? When do dogs and cats “arrive,” and when is it time to lift the candles and clear the marigolds? We break down what’s custom, what’s new, and what most people actually do at home, providing sources and context to support our findings.

Day of the Dead for pets

The core of the tradition is steady: in Mexico, families honor the dead with home altars and cemetery visits every November 1 and 2. November 1 is for children; November 2 is for adults. Those dates are recognized across official channels and cultural guides.

What’s new is the growing practice of dedicating a night to animals who shared our lives. In recent years, October 27 has emerged as the day to remember pets. National and international coverage now treats it as part of the season, and even Mexico’s anthropology institute has shared how to dress a pet altar. The practice isn’t pre-Hispanic; it spread in the late 2010s, yet it has stuck because it fits the emotional truth of modern households.

If you follow the pet date, have your ofrenda ready by the afternoon or evening of October 27. That’s when many families say their dogs and cats “visit,” just as children are welcomed on November 1 and adults on November 2. Several media explain that many homes now keep the altar up continuously from late October through November 2, so there’s no sense of choosing one date over another—pets are woven into the whole span.

As for what goes on a pet altar, most people combine classic ofrenda elements—marigold, candles, water, copal or incense—with intimate details: a photo, a collar, a favorite toy, a bowl with kibble or treats. The form matters less than the intent. The altar is a welcome: light, scent, and memory guiding a companion back home, even if just for a night. (You’ll see similar guidance in official culture explainers for human ofrendas, which families increasingly adapt for animals.)

When they arrive and when they go

So, when do dogs and cats “arrive” at the altar? If you observe the pet night, you set early on October 27 and receive them after dark. Suppose you fold pets into the traditional calendar. In that case, the most common practice is to welcome them along with the little ones on November 1, given how people talk about the purity of children and animals. Either way, the point is presence, not paperwork. Households choose the moment that feels true.

And when do they “leave”? Most guidance says families take down the altar on November 3, after the human cycle of November 1–2 is complete. Some neighborhoods share the food at that point; others leave the altar up a day or two longer. Think of November 3 as the gentle close of the season. El País+1

The affection for animals on these nights also echoes older ideas. In Mexica cosmology, the journey after death led to Mictlán, the underworld, and a dog—often imagined as the hairless xoloitzcuintli—helped the soul cross the river. University researchers and archaeology journals document that belief across sources; it’s why dog figures still appear on altars and in cemeteries. The modern pet night isn’t ancient, but its symbolism is legible in an ancient language.

If you want to celebrate Day of the Dead with your pets, choose October 27 and be ready by evening. If your family rhythm fits better with November 1 or 2, follow that path. Keep the altar through the night of November 2, and close the season on November 3. The ritual works because it’s personal—and because love, like candlelight, travels far.