Barks and growls replaced hymns and prayers at The Unfinished Church on Sunday as Bermuda’s pet owners brought their animals to be blessed.

Reverends Canon W. David Raths and John Stow carried out a short service to a congregation made up of about 15 dogs and their owners. Following a rendition of a Bermuda version of All Things Bright and Beautiful, Rev Stow highlighted the similarity between the relationship man has with God to that of the relationship that pets have with their owners.

“The dogs here would all agree that they have such undue respect for us but if there were any cats they would be shaking their heads because they know that they are the boss of course.

“How we express this dominion over the animals depends — do we exploit and dominate or do we nurture and protect?

That is the choice because everything that we humans do has an impact on the animal kingdom for better or for worse, not just on animals like pets and livestock, but also on wild animals whose habitat either we are rapidly destroying or patiently conserving.

“You are setting the best possible example of what kind of stewardship God means us to have over the animals. Your rabbits, dogs, ponies, cats and parrots, they may all belong to that particular species, but they belong to your family now.

“That special relationship that we have with our pets and other animals is parallel with God’s special relationship with us, for God feeds us, he comforts us, as you do your pets, he heals us, he instructs us, he encourages us and yes, he forgives us as you forgive your pets.”