Pet Baptisms: A New Trend?

You’ve perhaps heard about the annual Blessing of the Animals–this happens in various cities around the country–where pet owners can bring their animal to a local church where the priest leads a ceremony and blesses each animal with Holy Water. In New York, The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine hosts the Blessing of the Animals on St. Francis Day, in October. Hundreds of people gather from around the city to bring their  pets–from fish, to birds, to dogs and all other animals you can imagine–to be blessed, while many others join in to witness the festivities.

But for some pet parents, they are seeking out more than a group blessing and hosting their own pet baptism/confirmation ceremonies. Being the animal lovers we are here at eco18.com and knowing what a part they play in the health and conservation of the planet, we were quite intrigued to learn about the extra step pet owners are going to to include their pets in family and religious traditions–down to their own baptism.

New York resident Trinette Faint, dog mom to one of our previously featured Pet of the Month, Avery, recently hosted a pet baptism/confirmation. Complete with a confirmation gown and God Parents to particpate, she and a close group of friends gathered at a neighborhood church in uptown Manhattan this spring to formally confirm Avery.

Trinette isn’t the only person who has come up with this idea. A quick Google search will lead to people asking questions on the topic in various forums, YouTube videos pet baptisms and you can even buy a kit to help prepare for the day, complete with a certificate.

While most would agree you don’t have to save your pets soul, we can appreciate anyone who goes the extra step to take care of their animals.