Laurel Hunt Books

I’ve written before about a very moving Blessing of the Animals service that Alex and I participated in. Now, Calvary Church in Danvers, Massachusetts has started Perfect Paws Pet Ministry, a half-hour service for people and their dogs on the third Sunday of each month. The service includes Communion,blessings, and dog biscuits for the dogs at the end of the service. The service also includes prayers for animals who are ill, and for those who are deceased. (more…)

I have a friend who is struggling with the loss of her beloved dog. She wants to adopt another dog, but she is afraid that it’s too soon, that she is being disloyal or dishonoring to the dog she lost.  A veterinarian I know said once, “I encourage my clients to adopt again as soon as possible. The love has to go somewhere.” How true! The following  reflection echos the same sentiment. It is by Kent C. Greenough, from the wonderful book Animal Blessings: Prayers and Poems Celebrating Our Pets, edited by June Cotner (reprinted by permission). (more…)

If you are looking for a lovely holiday gift for the animal lovers on your list, I recommend Animal Blessings: Prayers and Poems Celebrating Our Pets by June Cotner (HarperCollins, 2000). I discovered Ms. Cotner’s lovely series of books with her more recently published Dog Blessings. Animal Blessings includes  writings about all types of animals, from dogs, cats, and horses to wildlife including birds, deer, dolphins, and other wild creatures. (more…)

This past Sunday, Alex and I participated in a Blessing of the Animals service at my church. It was a joyful and moving moment as each pet approached the altar to receive the minister’s blessing. The procession included golden retrievers, border collies, an English Shepherd, a westie in a jaunty orange bandanna, a PBGV, and of course Alex the Welsh Springer. A hamster and a cat also received the blessing.

A Border Collie receives the minister's blessing

The animals seemed to sense that this was a special moment, and all were quiet and well-behaved as the minister made the sign of the cross on each forehead. After all the animals had been blessed,  a woman come forward with a photo of her pet. She joined hands with the minister, and they bowed their heads in prayer, perhaps for a beloved pet who had passed on, or was too infirm to attend. I left filled with thankfulness for the blessings that pets bestow on us each day of their lives.

A few years ago, my veterinarian began taking a digital photo of each patient. The photo became part of the pet’s record, printing out on the bills and progress reports during our all-too-frequent vet visits during Emily’s last years. Emily was camera-shy, and the photo is a bit blurry as Emily turned her head away. As a final thoughtful gesture after Emily died, the vet mailed me a laminated keepsake of Emily’s photo, along with a comforting poem.

Emily's pet memorial from her caring vet

The poem, authored by Gayl Jokiel, reads as follows: (more…)

Following the loss of Byron in 2007, I began a morning ritual to connect with his spirit. Standing on my back porch, I could see the Dog Star Sirius in the early morning sky. I would take a few moments in the quiet of the dawn to look up at the star and remember him. I had a strong feeling he was watching over me, and this simple ritual was comforting.

Byron, age 14

As if he was answering me back, I began to notice star motifs appearing everywhere. Digging around in a cupboard in the garage, I pulled out an extra dog dish to take to the cabin. It was a handmade pottery dish, with a star motif. I had completely forgotten I had this dish. The circle seemed complete when little Alex was born with a small white mark on his back like a shooting star. I still look up at the stars, and think of all my beloved dogs. Browsing through my dog poetry collection, I came across this poem. (more…)

Following the loss of Marmaduke and Molly, I embarked on a project to compile poems and tributes to dogs that had died. I found them in out of print books and out of the way places. Most of the tributes that were ultimately published in Angel Pawprints; Reflections on Loving and Losing a Canine Companion were written in the early 1900s, although I included a few contemporary poems as well. Through this project I became a collector of antiquarian dog books, vintage photos of dogs, and quotes about dogs. I never tire of reading about dogs and the countless ways in which they enrich our lives. Thus, I was delighted to find this treasure, a new book called Dog Blessings; Poems, Prose, and Prayers Celebrating Our Relationship with Dogs, edited by June Cotner. (more…)

My neighborhood has a small pond, which has become home to pairs of wild ducks and Canada geese. Every spring, I delight in watching as baby ducklings and goslings appear. I see them swimming in perfect formation behind their parents, or poking around on the grassy banks, or resting at the pond’s edge. The parents hover by protectively, ready to herd the babies into the safety of the water as we walk by. Alex loves to stop and watch the geese, but he keeps his distance. (more…)