That day is World Animal Day, a day dedicated to honoring, blessing, and protecting animals all over the world. World Animal Day was founded at an ecologist's convention in Florence, Italy in 1931 as a way of highlighting the plight of endangered species. October 4th was chosen as World Animal Day because it is also the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, a Catholic Church holiday which is often celebrated with an annual "blessing of the pets". Since then, it has grown to encompass all kinds of animal life and has been widely celebrated around the world. Churches and synagogues in many faiths traditions have adopted "Pet Blessing Day" or "World Animal Day" in increasing numbers every year.
The Interfaith Association of Animal Chaplains prepares for World Animal Day by referring its members and visitors to the official World Animal Day website. The site provides ideas and resources to individuals, families, community groups and congregations everywhere. People can post their pledge for volunteering at a World Animal Day event. In addition to blessing pets, volunteers will work at animal shelters, zoos, rescues, and other nonprofit organizations. Dogs will be walked, cats will be brushed, horses will be groomed, and fish will benefit from freshly cleaned tanks. Donations will be given to animal welfare agencies, and pets will be adopted. School children will collect pet food to be donated to charities, and bake sales and car washes will be held as fundraising events. Veterinary clinics will hold free spay and neuter days, or may offer to vaccinate pets at no charge. All over the world, on the very same day, the well-being of animals will be on the minds of millions of people.
Interfaith Chaplain Nancy Cronk feels a day honoring animals is very important at a time when the headlines speak of animal cruelty such as athlete Michael Vick's alleged ties to illegal dog fighting. Animal Chaplains would like everyone to know that every major faith endorses the responsible stewardship of the earth and all of its creatures. "Deliberate harming of animals is in direct opposition to teachings in all of the major world faiths. Caring for animals is our global spiritual responsibility. If we can teach this ethic to all of our children, animal abuse and suffering will someday become a distant memory."
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How Will You Honor World Animal Day?
Send your plans for World Animal Day 2008 to animalclergy@aol.com. Please put "World Animal Day Plans" in the subject line.
World Animal Day Events reported in 2007:
- From Chaplain Gail Leavitt: Heaven’s Gates Ministries and Highlands Hammock State Park held "World Animal Day / Animal Blessing Day" at Highlands Hammock State Park, in Highlands Country, FL. For info. on future events, call Chaplain Gail at 402-8238 or email her at gail@animalministries.org.
- Rev. Renee Karen worked for a rescue organization and made that day a funding for the animals as well as a blessing day.
- Minister Lynn Turner was at Special Pals - a No Kill Animal Shelter in Houston, Texas doing a Pet Blessing on Sunday, October 7, 2007 at 3830 Greenhouse Road, Houston, Texas 77084. Special Pals is a non-profit organization. Donations are always appreciated.
- Rev. David L. James "the pet rev", held 2 blessings of animals. The first one was on Sept 9th at Hartsdale Pet Cemetery. He wore a Franciscan robe and sandals and carried a 4 foot high carved wooden statue of St. Francis. The event was in conjunction with the Shelter Pet Alliance, which invited a number of shelters to bring their animals for adoption. He blessed about 100 pets that day. On Sept 16th, he also blessed the animals at Brewster New York Presbyterian Church.
- I performed private, individual animal blessings on Wednesday, October 3rd, 2007 (the day before the official World Animal Day) at "For the love of Pete," a very nice gift store for pets in Richmond, VA. Donations were offered to help a local animal rescue group. "What an honor to do this work!" Rev. Phyllis Ann Min, paws4celebration@aol.com
- The Unity Christ Center in Suwanee, GA held its an annual pet blessing, where all animals and their human companions were invited. Rev. Allison Mann, Unity Christ Center, 3474 South Scales Rd, Suwanee, GA 30024, 770-495-0881, www.UnityChristCenter.org
From internet guests:
- I spread information of World Animal Day as I continued to care for my own family of rescued animals. ~ Leneah
What are you doing in 2008 for World Animal Day?
Please note: This site, Animal Chaplains.com, and the Interfaith Association of Animal Chaplains is not affiliated in any way with the "Pet Chaplain" or any other trademarked name.
