Dog Wedding Breaks Record

Another mass pet wedding took place and I thought you might want to see this clip.

Blessing of the Horses Canceled 1st Time in 79 Years!

One of the California traditions has been the Blessing of the Horses at the Santa Inez Mission and I wrote about the event in Blessing of the Animals.

I just read that for the first time in 79 years, the Rancheros Visitadores’ traditional ride to the Santa Ines Mission for the blessing of the riders has been canceled.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

Rancheros official John Balch said that a new owner of one of the properties that the riders need to cross has refused permission, though he hopes the ride can be resumed next year.

“We depend on the graciousness and generosity of the Valley landowners,” Balch said. “We greatly value those good relationships. However, this year the ride to the Mission and the parade had to be canceled.”

The group of hundreds of riders is still planning to camp from May 1 through May 8 at the Janeway property owned by the Visitadores, he said, but there will be no public parade. Last year, that included herding cattle up Alisal Road on the way to the mission.

Wow, what a blow to those who look forward to the event every year. If you'd like to read more commentary, view pictures or video of the Rancheros Vistadores click here.

Blessing of the Animals at Olvera Street

Just a quick note to remind you that the Blessing of the Animals with Cardinal Roger Mahony and the Olvera Street Merchants is just around the corner.

Unfortunately, I won't be attending this year but highly recommend the event and have enjoyed meeting many of you in person over the past few years.

You can see some prior photos or take a look at this slide show.

Before and after the animal procession through Olvera Plaza (just before the animal blessing) you can enjoy entertainment, exhibitors, pony rides and a petting zoo.

Olvera Street was the inspiration for my book, Blessing of the Animals: A Guide to Prayers & Ceremonies Celebrations Pets & Other Creatures

Bring your pets and shade. The Blessing of the Animals will take place at El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, 125 Paseo de la Plaza, L.A. Sat., noon-5 p.m. Free. (213) 625-7074.

Blessing on the Mount Video

I thought you might like to watch this pet blessing video I found from Seattle. Click here for Blessing on the Mount.

October the Ulti-Mutt Pet Party Month

October is filled with pet celebrations that include pet blessings, barktoberfest, and howl-o-ween. As more and more pet parents celebrate with their pets, it is also a time to take precaution for pet safety during the festivities.

Diana L Guerrero said, “More than 63% of American households contain pets. Today those furry family members are included in a variety of celebrations. Many go to church in early October when a large number of pet blessings take place. Fall festivities also include bark-toberfest and end with Halloween. It is the ulti-mutt pet party month.”

Guerrero is a pet ceremony specialist and the author of BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS: A GUIDE TO PRAYERS & CEREMONIES TO CELEBRATE PETS & OTHER CREATURES (ISBN 1402729677). The book is a pet lifestyle guide that includes a glimpse into contemporary pet ceremony trends and explores the history of pet blessings and other events.

Pet blessings occur throughout the year but escalate during early October during the celebrations of the Catholic Feast Day of St Francis and World Animal Day. Here in the United States blessings take place from San Francisco to New York.

Popular blessing of the animals events take place at St Boniface in California, Duke Cathedral in North Carolina, the National Cathedral in Washington DC, and the Cathedral of St John the Divine in New York.

During her work on BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS, Guerrero discovered that pet blessings and other contemporary ceremonies have become mainstream staples of the metro pet crowd.

“Although there were a few early trend setters, the momentum really began in the 1990s and people keep adding more creative ceremonies.”

Barktoberfest is a real party scene but since beer isn’t good for pets most savvy pet owners buy pet friendly Bowser Beer or Happy Tail Ale. In response to the pet party trend many new specialty pet products and costumes are launched every year.

Howl-o-ween is a time when many people dress their pets up to celebrate. A 2007 survey by Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI) revealed that close to 46% of pet owners costumed their pets. Another 22% planned to wear coordinating costumes to match those of their pets while only 32% refused to wardrobe their dog or cat.

However, Halloween is also a dangerous time for pets. Most animal shelters won’t adopt out black pets during the few weeks before the holiday to avoid risk of ritual sacrifice.

Guerrero’s Ten Pet Party Safety Tips:

• Make sure party pets are wearing current identification.
• Keep animals confined on Halloween. Seclude them safely in a room away from the door and distractions.
• Walk pets before dark to avoid any altercations with costumed characters.
• Store and dispense candy so that it is not accessible to pets. Many treats are toxic and even lethal to pets.
• Avoid the liability that comes from dressing up your pet and sending the critter out trick-or-treating with kids.
• Don't dress up pets unless they love it. If you do dress them up make sure the costume isn't annoying or unsafe.
• Avoid restriction of movement, vision, hearing or the ability to breathe or vocalize. Costumes should not contain small dangling accessories that could be consumed or cause choking.
• Restrict your pet's access to decorations. Jack o'lanterns with candles are obvious fire hazards, but cats can also get tangled in streamers. Pets can also become ill from eating holiday decor.
• House animals indoors just before and during Halloween. This protects pets from pranksters who tease, injure, steal, or kill animals.
• Keep pets away from costumed ghouls and goblins. Halloween bites are not uncommon. Even friendly animals may bite due to stress, fear, or protective aggression.
  

Guerrero includes additional hints and tips for pet parties and pet safety in BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS: A GUIDE TO PRAYERS & CEREMONIES CELEBRATING PETS & OTHER CREATURES (ISBN 1402729677).

Free previews are available online at http://www.blessingoftheanimals.com. The book is available at booksellers in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom or online at amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com.

# # #

Blessing of the Animals (ISBN 1402729677)
http://www.blessingoftheanimals.com

ABOUT: BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS is an animal lover’s collection of anecdotes, prayers, and ceremonies for pets and an exploration of animal blessing traditions. The book is a mix of historical fact, fun, quirky descriptions, heartfelt sentiments, and novel ceremonies. Readers will discover contemporary celebrations such as meow mixers, pet mitzvahs, and pet nuptials and learn about the pet party craze, beastly beauty pageants, and the real party animals who show up at yappy hours and seasonal galas.

Review copies of BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS: A GUIDE TO PRAYERS & CEREMONIES CELEBRATING PETS AND OTHER CREATURES (ISBN 1402729677) are available to reviewers and journalists. Contact Krista Margies at Sterling Publishing (212) 532-7160 or email: publicity.sterlingpub.com

Blessing of the Animals Peaks in October

I've been busy over at http://www.arkanimals.com but wanted to make sure I got you some of the notices regarding pet blessings. Here are a few:

• Pet Blessings at Boni High Street and Eastwood (Oct. 4 & 5) - The Philippine Animal Welfare Society is mounting a series of PET BLESSINGS to celebrate the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals. It will kick-off in the morning of October 4 with a private affair at the PAWS ...

• Pet blessings - Times West Virginian - Published: September 28, 2008 12:40 am Pet blessings Local events to thank your pets … and animal welfare workers … just for being there. Read more of this article click here –> Yahoo! News Search Results for animal shelters.

• pet blessings - Did you see Ark Lady's comment a couple of days ago, pointing us to her site? Maybe not, so I will now. She's at Blessing of the Animals.com, where you can learn all about her book of the same name. Did you know they're having "bark ...

• Pet Blessings - Fr. Tim Gareau and Fr. Michael Stalla have reserved an evening to bless pets. The event will take place at 6:30 pm on Oct. 2 on the front lawn of St. Raphael Church, located at 525 Dover Center Road...

• PET BLESSINGS AT ST. BARNABAS - VILLAS Sunday, October 5, 2008, 2 ... - Honey Bunny On Sunday October 5th, St. Barnabas by the Bay Episcopal Church in Villas, will celebrate The Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of all animals, with a blessing of animals at a 2:00 pm service in the yard at ...

• internet pet blessings - I'm very pleased to have found the link I bring you today: God, Bless the Animals The site belongs to an internet prayer ministry that wishes to enhance the well-being of all creatures that share our Earth, which means there's lots of ...

Pet Funerals Taxed in Japan

Saying a final goodbye to pets at a funeral is a special moment for owners, but the monks involved must still cough up money in taxes, Japan's top court ruled Friday. Read more on pet funeral taxes.