Overview
- At New York’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine, hundreds attended the Feast of St. Francis service, with a smaller lineup of hired barnyard and exotic animals after complaints from advocates.
- Cathedral officials said remaining procession animals came from All Tame Animals with permits, while clergy offered individual blessings on the lawn and welcomed photos or memories of pets that could not attend.
- In Mumbai, pets were blessed across multiple parishes, including Our Lady of Health in Kalbadevi where Father Joseph D’Souza blessed Goa, the late Ratan Tata’s beloved dog, and a Bandra service included a goat rescued from a slaughterhouse.
- Auckland’s St Matthew‑in‑the‑City drew more than 100 people with dogs, ducklings, donkeys and a lizard, and this year’s event raised funds for the Donkey and Mule Protection Trust.
- Similar blessings were reported from San Francisco, Chicago‑area parishes and a Guam Catholic school, where clergy used prayers and holy water as participants emphasized pets’ place in family and faith.