by Elizabeth Casper
There is nothing in life that gives me greater joy than hearing about an abused or abandoned pet finding a new home, and finally receiving the love that it so richly deserves. Advocating pet rescue, fostering, and providing education to people on what it takes to be a good pet owner is a passion of mine. One important part of being a successful, and loving pet owner is taking care of our loyal companions when they fall ill.
Our four-legged fur friends can get the same diseases as humans; heart murmurs, colitis, respiratory issues, cancer, and many more. As a Temple minister, I feel it is important to bring awareness to the area of pet healing, and what we as a community can do as a whole. Animals have much to teach us about kindness, compassion, and living in harmony with nature. It is our responsibility to return the favor in kind.
Upon those convictions the Temple has allowed us to start the Pet Healing Ministry. Our first project will be to have a monthly healing circle for all pets in need, from within our community and beyond. Pet parents can submit their pets’ names via the Temple website to have their pets included in the monthly healing ritual; see the Pet Healing List at the bottom of the Healing Ministry page or go directly to the submission form. Names will have to be re-submitted every month for those who have long-term health issues. Anyone who would like to participate, may do so remotely on the evening of the ritual. The healing ritual will be posted on the Temple website for anyone to download. The time of the ritual will posted, all times will be based on East Coast time.
In addition to the healing ritual, the Pet Ministry will be sharing information on how to be the best pet parent you can be. In many cases, some illnesses can be prevented, caught early, treated and/or cured. Due diligence on the part of the owner is crucial when a pet falls ill. Our pets can not speak, and they depend on us to watch for signs; like changes in their normal behavior, lack of energy, loss of appetite, just to list a few. There are many ways to treat our pet’s illnesses now, the traditional western veterinarian is no longer the only solution, there are are holistic veterinarians, acupuncture, and aromatherapy for pets. Knowing what options are available is vital to finding the best care for your pet.
In other areas of pet care, there are the issues of spaying and neutering, the facts and myths of puppy mills, leashing your pets, traveling with pets, how to keep your pets safe in extreme weather, coats for dogs, fashion or necessity? The topics are practically endless, and hopefully with input from our community we will never have a shortage of topics to write about.
If you are interested in volunteering for the pet ministry, email [email protected], or the Contact Us page of our website.