Dothan pets receive blessing

One at a time Maggie, Bella, Sugar and Gabby received a blessing. But they weren’t the only ones who received kinds words of endearment Sunday.

Several pastors prayed for more than two dozen dogs and cats at the First United Methodist Church on West Main Street in Dothan. Alan Dixon and his girlfriend, Tiffany Britt, brought their dogs Maggie and Bella, who they said had helped them get through some tough times in their lives.

“Our dogs aren’t sick,” Britt said. “I think it was a good way to give back to them. We don’t have kids yet, so these are our children.”

Britt said Bella, a mixed breed Pekingese, terrier, Chihuahua and chow, helped her through a lonely period when she moved to the area and had not made friends yet
. “She was a great deal of comfort to me until I made friends, and still is” Britt said. “She kind of helped ease some of the loneliness.”

Britt, who attended the animal blessing for the first time, said her parents also brought their dog, Sugar, to be blessed. Ann McDowell, who coordinated the church’s fourth animal blessing Sunday, said the event had previously drawn a variety of animals from goats, snakes and ferrets to horses and goldfish.

“These animals will make a lot of noise, but it’s amazing how we’ve never had a bite or fight,” McDowell said.

McDowell called the blessing an outreach ministry for the church, which included a praise song, a prayer in unison and individual prayers for each animal. McDowell’s dog Lucy passed away in 1986, but she brought several black lab puppies to the blessing Sunday.

“I think people need assurance God loves us, and God loves the pets that make our lives joyful,” McDowell said. “I know the first thing I want to do when I get to heaven is see my grandmother, but the second thing I want to do is see my dog.”

Last year Emma Glover’s cat, Bud, received prayer at the Episcopal church, but Sunday she brought Gabby to receive her blessing. Emma Glover received Gabby, a mixed breed border collie from the humane society, for her 7th birthday in February.

“We’re of a Christian faith, and she’s been a blessing to our family,” said Emma’s mother, Caroline Glover. “We wanted her to be blessed.”