Pet Blessings and Animal Blessings
From Many Faiths
for Animals and Their Caregivers
- Please see our book list for a number of wonderful books full of Animal Blessings.
- This is a cooperative site. Any blessings you can send us to be posted are appreciated! Please send them to animalclergy@aol.com.
Interfaith Blessings
Blessed are You, Holy Source of Creation,
Maker of all living creatures.
On the fifth and sixth days of creation,
You called forth fish in the sea,
birds in the air and animals on the land.
You inspired us to call all animals brothers and sisters,
and to be responsible stewards for their care.
We ask You to bless these animals
By the power of Your love, and
enable them to live fully in praise to Your Name.
May we always praise You
for the beauty of your works.
Blessed are You, Lord our God,
Source of Creation and Peace!
Amen.
(This is a multi-faith adaptation of the popular Catholic blessing.)
Animal Blessing
Dear God, Creator of Companions, we ask You to bless each and every animal that is present with us today. We ask that each companion animal be given a long life, good health and a happy home. May they always be protected from harm.
We pray that all humans come to fully understand that these pets and all the animals on this earth have a right to safety, health, kindness and respect. May these animals be respected and appreciated for their unconditional love and friendship that they show us.
We pray for all those animals who are without a loving home, who are sick, mistreated or who need special care. Every animal deserves a loving caretaker and every caregiver deserves a loving pet. Also, at this time, bless our cherished pets who has left this world but not our hearts. Surely they are resting with You, O Lord.
Thank you, God, for creating such magnificent creatures to share our lives. They are beautiful and delight our hearts.
Thank you, God, for blessing our little friends today and every day -- help us to remember to celebrate their life daily with loving thoughts and acts of kindness. Thank you for the gift of love. Amen.
Pet Blessing (2004)
We pray to God, our Creator, to bless our pets with Your radiate light and love. May our animal friends have good health, happy lives and always be protected and safe.
We ask for better understanding as we learn from our animal friends’ wisdom, their innocence, their loyalty and particularly their seeming ability to not judge human beings unkindly.
Thank you for the pleasures, playfulness and sometimes the surprising humor our pets display.
Thank you for their companionship and friendship especially for those lonely hours we may have experienced.
Thank you for our companions’ natural ability to teach us to be aware of the present moment.
Thank you for the pure beauty of every animal - their form, color, texture, motion is all a work of art, and may we appreciate Your creation of this masterpiece.
Bless all animals in harm’s way, heal the sick, protect those who are lost, and guide them to safety.
Thank you for the gift of love. Amen
Personal Pet Blessing
“________________________”
(pet’s name)
We love you,
We bless you,
We appreciate you,
and
We behold the loving Spirit
Within you.
May you be blessed with
A long life, good health and a happy home.
We acknowledge your presence
As a blessing in our lives.
Thank you, God, for Your sweet blessing for
“____________________”
(pet’s name)
_____________
(date)
“All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.”
Respect for Animals
~ Michael Buckley
God, loving Creator of all life,
Help us treat with compassion
The living creatures entrusted to our care.
May they never be subjected to
cruelty and neglect,
May the dominion you gave us over them
Be a partnership of mutual service
So through them,
We come to a greater love
And appreciation of your
Glorious Creation.
Memorial Poem
"Paw Prints In The Sand"
With my pal gone
My side is bare
Just looking down
She is not there.
A heavy heart,
A saddened soul
A weight of passage
Tears untold.
Now all alone
I feel the space
Where oft my friend
Would lick my face.
Yet life goes on.
God’s outstretched hand
Sends hope through paw prints
In the sand.
One Spiritual Family
Animals, like the human animal, are living, breathing, feeling, loving, soul-filled children of God.
We are all in this together.
We all get tired, we all get wet in the rain.
We all experience loneliness, we all experience pain.
We all thirst for water, and we all thirst for love.
We are all Children of God, Who's Angels watch over us from high up above.
We all breathe, we all play, we all feel.
We all get hungry and we all appreciate a satisfying meal.
We are all born, and we all deserve to live life.
Nobody should be left behind, or be subjected to a dissecter's deadly knife.
We all die, and we are all born into everlasting love and life in Heaven.... in paradise.
Where, as one spiritual family, we all share love, and we all get treated nice.
In Heaven, we all gather together, one species, one race, one religion, and all of us have lots of fun.
In Heaven, we all realize, that we all are really ONE.
We are all one.
One life.
One Soul.
One Spiritual Family
Prayer for Animals
Hear our humble prayer, O God, for our friends the animals,
especially for animals who are suffering;
for animals that are overworked, underfed and cruelly treated;
for all wistful creatures in captivity that beat their wings against bars;
for any that are hunted or lost or deserted or frightened or hungry;
for all that must be put death.
We entreat for them all Thy mercy and pity,
and for those who deal with them we ask a heart of compassion
and gentle hands and kindly words.
Make us, ourselves, to be true friends to animals,
and so to share the blessings of the merciful.
~ Albert Schweitzer
“Hear our humble prayer, o God, for our friends the animals who are suffering; for any that are hunted or lost or deserted or frightened or hungry…. We entreat for them all Thy mercy and pity, and for those who deal with them we ask a heart of compassion and gentle hands and kindly words. Make us, ourselves, to be true friends to animals and so to share the blessings of the merciful.”
~ Albert Schweitzer
Oh Circle of Life, protector of all animals, keep our beloved pets safe and sound". ~ Delta Society Prayer
For Our Furry Friends
Ten thousand blessings to all of our furry friends who are in need of prayers. May they be comfortable, healthy, and blessed with joy and companionship. May their eyes shine brightly and may they know that they are loved.
~ Beliefnet member sneezingdakini
From Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky
Love all of God’s creation, love the whole, and love each grain of sand. Love every leaf, every ray of God’s light. Love animals, love plants, love every kind of thing. If you love every kind of thing, then everywhere God’s mystery will reveal itself to you. Once this has been revealed to you, you will begin to understand it ever more deeply with each passing day. And finally you will be able to love the whole world with an all-encompassing universal love.
Love the animals: God has given them the rudiments of thought and joy untroubled. Do not trouble it, don’t harass them, don’t deprive them of their happiness, don’t work against God’s intent. Man, do not pride yourself on superiority to the animals; they are without sin, and you, with your greatness, defile the earth by your appearance on it.........'The Karamazov Brothers'
A Prayer After the Loss of a Pet
Dear God,
My pet was so special. The death of this beautiful animal has left me empty and depressed. Please help me bridge this paralyzing time with the memories of the joy we shared. Let me alwas focus on the delight my pet brought to my life. Animals are such a wonderful part of the world you created, and the loss of this one will be with me always. I may, in time, share my life with a new pet, but the memories of this one will never be replaced. Amen
~ Sister Helen
Prayer From a Homeless Pet
A Cat's Prayer
Dear God, please send me somebody who'll care! I'm so tired of running and sick with despair. My body is aching and filled with such pain; And dear God I pray, as I run in the rain that someone will love me and give me a home, a warm cozy bed, and food of my own. My last owner left me alone in the yard...I watched as they moved, and God that was hard. So I waited a while, then went on my way to rummage in garbage and live as a stray. But now, God, I'm so tired and hungry and cold; and I'm so afraid that I'll never grow old. They've chased me with sticks and hit me with straps while I run in the streets just looking for scraps! I'm not really bad, God, please help if you can, for I have become just a "Victim of Man!" I'm wormy, dear God, and I'm ridden with fleas; and all that I want is an owner to please! If you find one for me, God, I'll try to be good. I won't scratch the carpet; I'll do as I should. I'll love them, play with them, and try to obey. I will be so grateful if they let me stay! I don't think I'll make it too long on my own, 'cause I'm getting weak and I'm so alone. Each night as I sleep in the bushes I cry, 'cause I'm so afraid, God, that I'm gonna die. I've got so much love and devotion to give, that I should be given a new chance to live! So dear God, please hear me, please answer me, please answer my prayer, and send me somebody who will REALLY care.
~ Author Unknown
Reading to Honor Animal Volunteers and Rescue Workeers
"RESCUE ANGELS"
~ Author Unknown
Tail tucked between your legs,
Confusion in your eyes-
I know it's hard to understand
That someone heard your cries.
When loneliness is all you know
And pain is all you feel
And no one can be trusted,
And hunger's all too real...
That's the time the Lord sees you
And let's you know He's there.
That's when He sends his messengers,
The hearts that love and care.
Yes, rescuers are angels.
You cannot see their wings.
They keep them neatly folded
As they do their caring things.
The medicine to make you well,
Good food to make you strong,
And finally to help you learn
That hugs are never wrong.
The perfect place then must be found
The home where you can live,
Secure and safe and happy
With joy to get and give.
When you reach your Forever Home,
Your place to feel whole,
The Angels smile and off they go,
To save another soul.
Buddhist
“May all beings everywhere plagued with sufferings of body and mind quickly be freed from their pain. May those frightened cease to be afraid, and may those bound be free. May the powerless find power, and may people befriend all life. May those of all species who find themselves lost, the young, the aged, the unprotected, be guarded by beneficent celestials, and may they swiftly attain Buddhahood.”
—Buddhist Prayer for Peace
Catholic/Episcopal/Anglican
Franciscan Pet Blessing
Blessed are you, Lord God,.
We ask you to bless these animals.
By the power of your love,
enable them to live
according
to your plan.
Amen
Bless All Creation
Creator God, make us kind in our relationships with all your creatures and all creation.
For A Sick or Injured Animal
Heavenly Father,
you created all things for your glory
and made us stewards of this creature.
If it is your will, restore it to health and strength.
Blessed are you, Lord God,
and holy is your name for ever and ever. Amen.
Prayer For Animals
God Our Heavenly Father, You created the world to serve humanity's needs and to lead them to You. By our own fault we have lost the beautiful relationship which we once had with all your creation. Help us to see that by restoring our relationship with You we will also restore it with all Your creation. Give us the grace to see all animals as gifts from You and to treat them with respect for they are Your creation. We pray for all animals who are suffering as a result of our neglect. May the order You originally established be once again restored to the whole world through the intercession of the Glorious Virgin Mary, the prayers of St. Francis and the merits of Your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ Who lives and reigns with You now and forever. Amen.
~ St. Francis of Assisi
Blessing for a Sick Pet
Loving God,
Lord of all life,
Let your face shine
Upon our sick pet.
Show us your healing love.
Franciscan Pet Blessing
Blessed are you, Lord God, maker of all living creatures. You inspired St. Francis to call all animals his brothers and sisters.
We ask you to bless this animal. By the power of your love, enable it to live according to your plan. Amen.
Pet Blessing
Blessed are you, God of All Creation. We praise you with grateful hearts, for you brought forth birds of the air, fish in the sea and animals on land. Help us to care for the earth and all living things as St. Francis did.
Praise and bless my Lord,
and give him thanks,
and serve him with
great humility.
—St. Francis of Assisi, Canticle to Brother Sun
Prayer of St. Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy Peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning, that we are pardoned.
And it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
St. Francis of Assisi
Blessed are you, Lord God,
maker of all living creatures.
On the fifth and sixth days of creation,
you called forth fish in the sea,
birds in the air and animals on the land.
You inspired St. Francis to call all animals
his brothers and sisters.
We ask you to bless this animal.
By the power of your love,
enable it to live according to your plan.
May we always praise you
for all your beauty in creation.
Blessed are you, Lord our God, in all your creatures! Amen.
(Author unknown)
Blessing for a Deceased Pet
We remember the laughter and joy which this pet has given us. Help us to share kindness and care with all living things.
Prayer for Human Responsibility:
~ Dom Ambose Agius OSB, MA
O Lord God, our heavenly Father, Who hast bidden us be merciful, as Thou art merciful, and without Whom not a sparrow falls to the ground; continue, we pray Thee, to lead by Thy Spirit, Thy Church into all the Truth as to Thy will for our fellow creatures, the animals, and teach us more and more to deal with them in all ways as Thou wouldst have us do. If in anything we are offending against them, and so against Thee, through the hardening force of custom, or through want of thought and of diligent study of Thy Word, make this, too, clear to us, and for our souls’ health, convict us of these our sins of ignorance. Purge the life of society of all cruelty that may lurk in the quest of our food, in the pride of dress, in the excitement of sport, and in the pursuit of lknoweldge and in circuses and menageries, and that resulting from our own selfishness or neglect, since animals are often more loyal to us than we to them.
And particularly we pray Thee for those engaged in the blessed work of healing, that they may not stain the Christ-likeness of their devotion by callousness towards any of Thy creatures, but may be led by Thy Holy Spirit into all knowledge needful for their art by ways that shall not add to the groaning and travailing of Thy creation, or grieve Thy fatherly heart; through Him Who is Light from Light, and Love from Love, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
(Author Unknown)
Prayer of Cardinal Newman to St Philip Neri
Philip, my glorious Advocate, teach me to look at all I see around me after thy pattern, as creatures of God.
Let me never forget that the same God who made me, made the whole world and all animals that are in it.
Give me the grace to love all God’s works for God’s sake, and all men fore the sake of my Lord and saviour who has redeemed me on the Cross.
Prayer for the Animals
Heavenly Father, our human ties with our friends of other species is a wonderful and special gift from You. We now ask You to grant our special animal companions your Fatherly care and healing power to take away any suffering they have. Give us, their human friends, new understanding of our responsibilities to these creatures of yours.
They have trust in us as we have trust in You; We are on this earth together to give one another friendship, affection, and caring. Take our heartfelt prayers and fill Your ill or suffering animals with healing Light and strength to overcome whatever weakness of body they have.
( Here mention the names of the animals needing prayer )
Your goodness is turned upon every living thing and Your grace flows to all Your creatures. Grant to our special animal companions long and healthy lives. Give them good relationships with and if You see fit to take them from us, help us to understand that they are not gone from us, but only drawing closer to You. Grant our petitions through the intercession of good St. Francis of Assisi, who honored You through all Your creatures.
(Author Unknown)
St. Francis Day
We are all creatures of one family. We are all brothers and sisters.
from St. Francis in San Francisco
Liturgy for the loss of a pet or other animal
The following five blessings are from "At the Loss of a Pet or other Animal: A Service of Grieving and Thanksgiving" by The Reverend Robert E. Stiefel, Ph.D., © Copyright 2004-2006 by The Diocese of New Hampshire, The Episcopal Church (Used with permission).
At the Burial of a Household Pet
0 God, you created all that is, and you love all that you have made: we come to you this day in grief and with thanksgiving. We grieve the death of our beloved N., who has been our companion on the way, and we thank you for the gift of his presence among us as an effective sign of the richness of your creation and of the generosity of your love; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
At the Disappearance of a Household Pet
All knowing God, the birds of the air, the fish of the sea, and all the animals of the earth are yours: be with our beloved N., who has disappeared from our view and from our care. Protect and defend this your creature from all harm in this world, and in the world to come preserve her in the heart of your love; for the sake of your Son our Lord, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
At the Burial of a Farm Animal
Most gracious, good Lord, we are the people of your pasture and the sheep of your hand: We thank you for placing us among the beasts of the field and allowing us to care for them and to receive from them food and clothing to meet our necessities. We grieve this day the death of N., and we return to you a creature of your own making, one who served as an effective sign of the generosity of your love for us; through Jesus Christ our Good Shepherd, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
At the Burial of a Wild Animal
Almighty God, who made the beasts of the wild to move in beauty and show forth the glory of your Name: we grieve the death of this creature, in whose living and dying the power of your Spirit was made manifest. We stand in grief and awe, and we reverence the loss of that which was ours never to claim but only to behold with joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
When appropriate:
Most merciful God, comfort NN. in their grief. Surround them with your love, that they may not be overwhelmed by their loss, but have confidence in your goodness; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
Celtic
Horses of Healing
Good health gallops full speed,
Like a pony colt of Connemara
Slow even the mighty Clydesdale.
Sickness is the bridle of halting.
Christ, rider of donkeys
And tender of wounded sheep,
Lead us to green pastures
of
Healing
--- Celtic Prayer
The Earth of God
O God, at the very center
From whom all being ripples forth,
Bring us to the circled cross.
There to be saved.
There to be healed.
There to be enlivened.
For without Christ Divine, at the crux,
The center does not hold.
Without reverence all around,
The Great Circle is broken
Without recycling and reviving-
The great circle is broken-
The web does not hold.
The whales sing sad songs.
The bear, fewer woods to roam.
Rainforests, torched and trampled.
Rivers choked and clogged.
Ask the Ancient Ones.
Be they kinfolk, clan, tribe, nation
They will tell you.
The trees do sing!
The rocks do speak!
The soil gives birth!
God's breath fills the Earth!
We live on the Earths Circle.
Christs Halo - the moon, sun, stars, and planets.
To heal the Great Circle is to recircle.
To heal is to forgive and mend.
This day, and every day,
Let me heal my circle,
Blessing and reverencing all around.
I walk with beauty before me.
I walk with beauty beneath me.
I walk with beauty behind me.
I walk with beauty above me.
I walk with beauty all in and around me.
Your Earth, our home, is so beautiful, O God.
~ William John Fitzgerald, from A Contemporary Celtic Prayer Book
Christian (Nondenominational)
A Blessing for Animals
Blessed are You, Lord God, for all living creatures You have made.
You keep them in Your care and not one of them is lost without You knowing.
They glorify You, each in its own way, and speak to us of Your beauty and love.
Bless then and keep them from harm. They unquestionably accept their place in the rythm of Your creation.
May we respect them and cherish them for they are Your gift to us; through them may we come to know You better and praise You, their Creator.
Blessed be the love and joy that they bring to us.
Amen.
Prayer for sick or injured animals.
Christ you healed those who were at a distance
or even touched your garment.
Today, we bring before you
All those we hold dear who are in need of
Your saving word and your healing touch.
Please deal with them gently and restore them,
If you will, to full health of mind, body and spirit.
Amen.
~ Author Unknown
Dear Father, hear and bless
Thy beasts and singing birds;
And guard with tenderness
Small things that have no words.
~ Author unknown.
Prayer for Sick Animals
Heavenly Father,
you created all things for your glory
and made us stewards of this creature.
If it is your will, restore it to health and strength.
Blessed are you, Lord God,
and holy is your name for ever and ever. Amen
Heavenly Father, Creator of all things, thank you for having entrusted us with a loyal pet.
Thank you for letting him teach us unselfish love.
Thank you for the memories that we can recall to brighten our days for the rest of our lives.
Finally, in gratitude, we return our pet to you.
Heavenly Father... We know that not even a sparrow falls without your knowledge, so we know that you are here with us today.
Although this beloved companion animal will be missed very much, we give thanks to you for allowing us to have so many wonderful years with her. Thank you for this and for all thy blessing, Lord.
Lord Almighty God, this animal brought sunshine to us and was a vital part of our lives.
His passing has created a void in our hearts that cannot be filled.
We do not question the will of God, but ask Him to be merciful in our loss.
Our Heavenly Father, we know that Thy love is so great that not even a sparrow falls without your knowledge.
We feel that it is with understanding that you look down on a scene like this today,when that which was so much loved is gone.
As this pet was unto her caretakers, ever loyal, ever faithful, may we, as we leave this place of solitude (burial) resolve that to our Master Christ, we too find strength to be more loyal
and faithful. Give us strength, for we ask it in the Master's name.
Jewish
Blessed is the one who spoke
and the world came into being
Blessed is the one who maintains creation
Blessed is the One who has compassion on the Earth
Blessed is the One who has compassion on the creatures.
(From Morning Prayers)
Blessed are You, Holy Source,
Maker of all living creatures.
On the fifth and sixth days of creation,
You called forth fish in the sea,
birds in the air and animals on the land.
You inspired us to call all animals brothers and sisters.
We ask You to bless these animals
By the power of Your love,
enable them to live fully in praise to Your Name
May we always praise You
for all Your beauty in creation.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, in all your creatures! Amen.
(adapted from Catholic prayer for Blessing Animals)
When I walk through thy woods,
may my right foot and my left foot
be harmless to the little creatures
that move in its grasses; as it is said
by the mouth of thy prophet,
they shall not hurt nor destroy
in all my holy mountain.
~ Rabbi Moshe Hakotun
Native American
WE ARE ALL GOD’S CREATURES
Grandfather Great Spirit,
All over the world,
The faces of living things are alike.
With tenderness, they have come up out of the ground.
Look upon your children that they may face the winds
And walk the good road to the day of quiet.
Grandfather Great Spirit,
Fill us with the Light.
Give us the strength to understand and the eyes to see.
Teach us to walk the soft earth as relatives
To all that live.
~Sioux Prayer
THE WILD THINGS
Oh Great Spirit I am praying
That these words fly like the arrow
To the hearts of those who listen
To the pleas that I am making,
May these words awaken humans
To Your love for all my kinship,
For we all are Spirit’s children,
We are family through Earth Mother
We are each Creator’s sibling,
Some with feathers, some with scales,
Some with tails that wag in pleasure,
Some with warnings “Keep Away!”
Some with fur, some with colors,
Some with short lives, some with sweet song,
Some are swimmers, some are crawlers,
We are all Great Mystery living.
We make prayers to You in our tongue,
When we bark and howl by moonlight,
We believe Your words of wisdom,
When we swim upstream in season,
We have heard Your voice within us,
Saying fly south for the winter,
Through the rocks and leaves and strong winds,
We can feel Earth Mother living.
We believe the way You made us
Was Your way to show we’re special,
None are greater, none are lesser,
Just a spirit with Your blessing,
Now Earth Mother bears the scars
Of a mother losing children,
From the lodge within my heart space,
Hear these prayers for the wild things.
~ Boe Many Knives Glasschild
Tribal Member of the Great Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
A NATIVE AMERICAN POEM FOR THE GRIEVING
Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn's rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there, I did not die...
-Anonymous
Spiritual Humanist
Wish for All of Creation
~ by Animal Chaplain Nancy Cronk
We stand in wonder
of the beauty of creation.
The birds in the air,
the fish in the sea,
the insects we might not see,
and our friends, the animals.
We thank them for the beauty they add to our lives,
and the gifts they provide to us daily.
We offer them our love
and protection.
We wish them a peaceful existence,
and a life free from suffering.
We commit our lives to the responsible stewardship
of these great creatures
and the Earth we have inherited.
May our works be noble,
and our hearts be ever-mindful of these gifts.
Amen.
