Pet Owners Seek Blessings for Creatures Large and Small

Mary Anne Peters figured that Ollie was overdue for a blessing.

A yellow cockatiel, Ollie was a recent gift from a customer to Peters' roommate. But the bird was in tough shape, missing all of the feathers on the top of his head and chest.

So Peters placed the bird and cage in her car, along with her boxer, and headed to her church Oct. 2 to have both bird and dog blessed in what has become an annual Blessing of the Animals at , 5049 Bell Shoals Rd., Valrico.

"He's a great bird," Peters said. "He loves Thomas' English muffins. But he looks a bit pitiful with all the missing feathers."

The church annually conducts the day of blessing in honor of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the saint who loved animals and is represented in paintings and statues with a bird on his shoulder and a lamb at his feet.

St. Stephen Deacon Rick Zeitler dutifully used the aspergillum to sprinkle holy water on the bird and then offered Peters a few words of advice on bird care.

Zeitler proceeded to bless dozens of other animals Sunday as residents gathered with their pets around the St. Francis statue at the church.

Included in the menagerie was a gecko, a couple of guinea pigs and dogs of all sizes and breeds.

Lisa Marstelles brought along her dog Gracie and a homeless mother and her two kittens who needed both a blessing and a good home.

"Actually, we were hoping there would be an animal lover here who would take them," Marstelles said. "They're the sweetest kittens."

Jeanne Rupp was on hand with Nugget, a golden retriever who was found walking down a highway in Sebring. Nugget has undergone training and is now a certified therapy dog who visits patients at Southbay Hospital.

At the pet blessing, she was surprised to meet another golden retriever owner with a therapy dog, Valerie Richards, who takes her dog to Randall Middle School to help kids who are having difficulties.

"It's a type of therapy I'd heard about and always wanted to do," said Rupp, who exchanged phone numbers with Richards. "Now I know how to get involved."

After each pet was blessed, the church distributed St. Francis medals to be placed on the pets' collars to protect them throughout the year.

"Of course, Ollie doesn't have a collar," Peters said. "So I'll hang his medal on his cage."