BANGOR – The city is going to the dogs, though not in a bad way.

During the City Council’s Aug. 8 meeting at City Hall, Council Chairman Frank Farrington proclaimed the week of Aug. 15-20 as Dog Week and Aug. 20 as Dog Day.

The proclamation, which notes that there are more than 1,775 dogs registered in Bangor, encourages responsible care and custody of dogs, supports the state Legislature’s efforts to strengthen animal abuse laws, and recognizes the Bangor Humane Society’s role as a guardian of lost and endangered dogs and other animals since 1869.

The document also urges dog owners to join the city, downtown merchants and dog-related service organizations in supporting efforts to improve the treatment of dogs and make sure all know and abide by the principles of responsible dog ownership.

“Dogs are known as man’s best friend. Let us all work together to ensure that man is dog’s best friend,” the proclamation concluded.

Dog Day, a joint production of the city and the Downtown Center Corp., will offer opportunities for dog-related socializing, shopping and education, according to Sally Bates, a city development officer and liaison to Bangor Center.

A large sign designed by the J Group, a Bangor marketing firm that Bangor Center Corp. uses, was put up in West Market Square to promote the event.

The term dog days of summer, a period known for hot, muggy weather, comes from ancient times, when the night skies were clear and groups of people in different parts of the world drew images in the night skies by connecting the dots of stars. The brightest star in the constellation Canis Major (which means, roughly, big dog) is Sirius, which also happens to be the brightest star in the night sky and in summer, rises and sets with the sun. Sirius also is known as the Dog Star.

For this year’s Dog Days, “there’s really no out-of-pocket costs,” Bates said. “It was just a matter of communicating with the downtown retailers and coming up with a few add-ons.”

“It started with a conversation a few months ago with Epic Sports [owner Brad Ryder] about how much people like dogs, and then Brad came up with the idea of having a retail sale on pet products for Dog Day,” she said.

“I thought that that was really great, but that it would be more interesting if more people were involved,” Bates said, adding, “It seemed like everybody we approached wanted to get involved.”

On Dog Day, downtown retailers will hold special sales, retail events and activities relating to dogs, ranging from putting out water bowls and dog biscuits to face painting, a dog beauty parlor and specials on hot dog lunches and homemade devil dogs to dog blessings at the Friars Bakehouse.

In addition, law enforcement dogs will show the public what they can do in West Market Square, and the Bangor Humane Society and rescue leagues for greyhounds and border collies will be on hand with educational material.

Cat fanciers need not worry that they are being overlooked.

“Lest cat lovers feel that they are being ignored, I would, for the record, like to say that we have every intention of finding an opportunity to give them what they’re in for,” likely during the spring kitten season, she said.

Lippincott Books on Central Street and the law offices of Perry O’Brian on Columbia Street are among the downtown places with resident felines.