INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — On Saturday morning, pet owners gathered by the dozens with their dogs and cats for a special blessing delivered by Father Rodriguez and Father Murbarger at the Humane Society in Vero Beach.
As dogs and cats filed through to be prayed over, they received colored bandannas with the words “I’m Blessed” stamped on them. Many pets wore the bandannas with pride as they spent their morning socializing with other dogs and cats, and strutting around the Humane Society’s facilities.
“God offers people unconditional love,” said Father Rodriguez during his message. He added, “God uses animals to show us a glimmer of God’s unconditional love toward us.”
Rodriguez said that one of the purposes God created animals in the beginning was for companionship, and as companions, pets continually show their human friends faithful and unwavering love and loyalty.
“When [Father Rodriguez] delivered that message, that animals are a reflection of God’s love, I totally understood that,” said Kathie Jaskolski.
Jaskolski and her husband, Wojciech, were in attendance at the pet blessing with their 2-year-old terrier mix, Coco.
“Coco just has all the love in the universe in her,” Kathie Jaskolski said.
Andrea Steele, of Vero Beach, had planned to bring her two golden retrievers to receive a pet blessing, but one of the dogs fell ill on the morning of the event. Her 4-year-old golden retriever Happy stood reverently as she was blessed.
“I don’t have children, but these dogs are my family,” Steele said. “I’m was happy for Happy, that she was still able to be blessed, but I’m sad and concerned for my other dog who is at the doctor.”
Like the Jaskolski’s, Steele showed nothing but love, compassion, and concern for her pets, as did the rest of the pet owners who sacrificed their Saturday morning in order to have their pet blessed, and let them stretch their legs in the Humane Society’s backyard.
Rodriguez reminded the pet owners that, while there were many pets who are doted over and well taken care of, there are many more who are neglected, abused and alone. He reminded those in attendance to be thankful for facilities like the Humane Society that can show “unconditional love to animals who were not loved unconditionally” by someone else.
After blessing house pets one by one, Rodriguez and Murbarger turned their attention to each animal at the Humane Society, praying those in need of a home would find a safe and warm home. They also blessed the Humane Society’s barn animals including pigs and horses, as well as three of the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office K-9 dogs.
The Sheriff’s K-9 unit was also presented with an “animal protection” award at the beginning of the ceremony.
Billy and Rosie, two horses who arrived at the Humane Society last week severely underweight and under cared for, received a special blessing from the ministers. Though the horses still have a long road to health ahead of them, Human Society staff has hope they will make a full recovery.
“My daughters have such hearts for animals, and they would save every one of them in the world if they could,” said Kathy Rodriguez, Father Rodriguez’s wife.
In suffering animal cases like Billy and Rosie, Kathy Rodriguez said she has a hard time finding an explanation to give to her animal loving daughters.
“We live in a broken world, and that’s all I can say,” she said.
For more than 150 Indian River County pets, Saturday’s blessing was just another day to feel loved and appreciated.