Animal chaplains

Animal chaplains

Animal chaplains provide a wide array of services to the community, including pet loss grief support, animal memorial services, praying for animals who are sick or injured, comforting bereaved family members, holding hands with pet owners during surgery or animal euthanasia at a veterinary clinic or animal hospital, and performing animal blessing ceremonies. Many animal chaplains have pets of their own, and express compassion for the difficult times pet owners may face.

In addition to animal loss grief counseling and bereavement support, interfaith Animal chaplains may also deliver guest sermons on the bond between animals and humans, offer spiritual education and guidance regarding the responsibilities of human beings toward the other creatures of the Earth, visit nursing homes and hospitals, provide animal-assisted therapy, and lead religious services where companion animals are welcome. Still others run animal sheltersFact|date=February 2008, animal rescue organizationsFact|date=February 2008, or other non-profit organizations which benefit people and animals.

Independent animal chaplains may have their own ministries and advertise on the Internet, or they may be ordained clergy working in churches. Animal Chaplains may provide their services free of charge, in exchange for donations, or on a fee-for-service basis. Currently there are no legal standards for the training, licensure and practice of animal chaplains. Some training programs do exist through private companies and non-profit groups, and through mentoring by experienced animal chaplains. One paraprofessional animal chaplain is working to persuade veterinary schools to offer animal chaplain certification programs.

Other professional titles for animal chaplains include veterinary chaplains, pet ministers, and animal clergy.

See also

*Rainbow Bridge
*Andrew Linzey
*Christian vegetarianism
*Vegetarianism and religion
*Veterinary Medicine

External links

* [http://www.AnimalClergy.com Association of Interfaith Animal Chaplains]
* [http://www.aplb.org/ Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement]
* [http://www.al.com/birminghamnews/stories/index.ssf?/base/news/1183625184253670.xml&coll=2 "Animal Chaplain Prays, Anoints, Gives Last Rites", The Birmingham News, Thursday, July 05, 2007, Greg Garrison, News staff writer ]
* [http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/10/061006-pet-church_2.html "Pets Gaining Recognition in Places of Worship", by MaryAnn Mott, National Geographic News, October 06, 2006]
* [http://www.animalclergy.com/pressreleases.html "Animal Chaplains Fill A Growing Need", The Pagosa Daily Post, Pagosa Springs, CO, March 21, 2007]
* [http://news.bigg.net/n51614-Unique_Website_Offers_Help_for_Grieving_Pet_Owners.html "Unique Website Offers Help for Grieving Pet Owners", News.Bigg.Net, Tuesday, Apr 10 2007, 10:34am]
* [http://insights.uca.org.au/ministryprofiles/a-z/0703-animal-hospital-chaplain.htm "Ministry Profile: World's First Animal Chaplain Cares for the Underdog.", Insights Magazine, April 09, 2007]
* [http://www.professionalchaplains.org/APC/education-details.aspx?ei=1063&t=TEAR+Cen... Association of Professional Chaplains website, Animal Chaplaincy description]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Animal rights — advocates propose that animals be viewed as persons, not property.[1] Description Animals are members of the moral community …   Wikipedia

  • Animal welfare — refers to the viewpoint that it is morally acceptable for humans to use nonhuman animals for food, in animal research, as clothing, and in entertainment, so long as unnecessary suffering is avoided. The position is contrasted with the animal… …   Wikipedia

  • Animal loss — Human hand and cat paw The death of a pet or an animal to which one has become emotionally bonded can be an intense loss,[1] comparable with the death of a human loved one, or even greater depending on the individual. The death can be felt more… …   Wikipedia

  • Animal euthanasia — This article is about mercy killing of non human animals. For compassionate death in humans, see Euthanasia. Part of a series on Euthanasia …   Wikipedia

  • List of animal welfare groups — Animal welfare groups argue for greater protection for non human animals, particularly those used by human beings in laboratories or in entertainment, as well as domestic animals such as those used for food, labour, or as companions (pets).… …   Wikipedia

  • World Animal Day — is celebrated each year on 4 October. On this day, animal life in all its forms is celebrated, and special events are planned on locations all over the globe. 4 October was originally chosen for World Animal Day because it is the feast day of… …   Wikipedia

  • Ethics of eating meat — Various types of meats In many societies, controversy and debate have arisen over the ethics of eating animals. Ethical objections are generally divided into opposition to the act of killing in general, and opposition to certain agricultural… …   Wikipedia

  • Pet — This article is about animals kept for companionship. For PET used as an acronym, see PET. For PETS used as an acronym, see PETS. For the British comedy Television series, see Pets (TV series). For the microcomputer produced by Commodore Business …   Wikipedia

  • Andrew Linzey — is an Anglican priest, theologian, writer and Christian vegetarian.He is a member of the Faculty of Theology in the University of Oxford, and holds the world’s first academic post in Ethics, Theology and Animal Welfare the Bede Jarret Senior… …   Wikipedia

  • Christian vegetarianism — is a minority Christian belief based on effecting the compassionate teachings of Jesus, the twelve apostles and the early church to all living beings through vegetarianism or, ideally, veganism. Alternatively, Christians may be vegetarian for… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”