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Animal chaplains

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Animal chaplains community

Community

The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...

, including pet loss grief support, animal memorial service

Funeral

A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from interment itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor...

s, praying for animals who are sick or injured, comforting bereaved family members, holding hands with pet owners during surgery or animal euthanasia

Animal euthanasia

Animal euthanasia is the act of putting to death painlessly or allowing to die, as by withholding extreme medical measures, an animal suffering from an incurable, especially a painful, disease or condition. Euthanasia methods are designed to cause minimal pain and distress...

at a veterinary clinic or animal hospital, and performing animal blessing ceremonies. Many animal chaplains have pets of their own, and express compassion for the difficult times pet owners may face.

In addition to animal loss

Animal loss

The death of a pet or an animal to which one has become emotionally bonded can be an intense loss, comparable with the death of a human loved one, or even greater depending on the individual. The death can be felt more intensely when the owner has made a decision to end the pet’s life through ...

grief counseling and bereavement support, interfaith

Interfaith

The term interfaith dialogue refers to cooperative, constructive and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions and/or spiritual or humanistic beliefs, at both the individual and institutional levels...

Animal chaplains may also deliver guest sermons on the bond between animals and humans, offer spiritual education \regarding the responsibilities of human beings toward the other creatures of the Earth

Earth

Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...

, visit nursing homes and hospitals, provide animal-assisted therapy

Animal-Assisted Therapy

Animal-assisted therapy is a relatively new field of study, although the human-animal bond has existed for thousands of years. AAT is a type of therapy that involves animals as a form of treatment. The goal of AAT is to improve a patient’s social, emotional, or cognitive functioning...

, and lead religious services where companion animals are welcome. Still others run animal shelters, animal rescue

Animal rescue

Animal rescue can refer to:* Animal Rescue TV series* Animal sanctuary* Animal welfare* Rescue groups for pets* Pet Rescue * RSPCA Animal Rescue TV series* Wildlife rescue* Wildlife rehabilitation...

organizations, or other non-profit organizations which benefit people and animals.

Independent animal chaplains may have their own ministries

Christian ministry

In Christianity, ministry is an activity carried out by Christians to express or spread their faith. 2003's Encyclopedia of Christianity defines it as "carrying forth Christ's mission in the world", indicating that it is "conferred on each Christian in baptism." It is performed by all Christians...

and advertise on the Internet

Internet

The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...

, or they may be ordained clergy

Clergy

Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....

working in churches. Animal Chaplains may provide their services free of charge, in exchange for donations, or on a fee-for-service

Fee-for-service

Fee-for-service is a payment model where services are unbundled and paid for separately. In health care, it gives an incentive for physicians to provide more treatments because payment is dependent on the quantity of care, rather than quality of care...

basis. Currently there are no legal standards for the training, licensure

Licensure

Licensure refers to the granting of a license, which gives a "permission to practice." Such licenses are usually issued in order to regulate some activity that is deemed to be dangerous or a threat to the person or the public or which involves a high level of specialized skill...

and practice of animal chaplains. Some training programs do exist through private companies and non-profit groups, and through mentoring by experienced animal chaplains. One paraprofessional

Paraprofessional

Paraprofessional is a job title given to persons in various occupational fields, such as education, healthcare, engineering and law, who are trained to assist professionals but are not themselves licensed at a professional level...

animal chaplain is working to persuade veterinary schools to offer animal chaplain certification programs.

Other professional

Professional

A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...

titles for animal chaplains include veterinary chaplains, pet ministers, and animal clergy.

Animal chaplains

See also

External links