World Day for Animals: October 4th

 (The little lady who has grown old with me, Miss Minga.  I've had her since she was a wee one, and she was 19 in July.  Doing well.  A touch of arthritis, just like me.  We are quite a pair.  Bless you, Minga, for being a part of my life for so many years.)

World Animal Day is celebrated each year on October 4.  The day is entirely dedicated to the animals.  On this day,  animal life in all its forms is celebrated, and special events are planned on locations all over the globe. This day was originally chosen for World Animal Day because it is the feast day of Francis of Assisi, a nature lover and patron saint of animals and the environment.  He is best known today for his relationship with animals.

World Animal day was first launched in 1931 by  a group of ecologists who, while attending a convention in Florence, Italy, conceived the notion of putting a new face on what the Catholic Church had celebrated for seven centuries as the Feast of St. Francis. They would embrace it as World Animal Day, as a way of highlighting the plight of endangered animals all over the world.

Many churches throughout the world observe the Sunday closest to October 4th with a Blessing for the Animals and invite parishioners, neighbors, and the public to bring their pets for a special blessing.  The blessings for the animals are organized in the synagogues, churches, and even in the parks.  Rescue shelters for the animals hold open days and the fundraising events, the group of the wildlife arranges the information displays, and schools undertake the project work which is related to the animals and the group of the friends, co- workers or the individuals contributes to the charities of the animals or promise to sponsor shelter to the animals. 

The bond between person and pet is like no other relationship, because the communication between fellow creatures is at its most basic. 

On his morning rounds the Master
Goes to learn how all things fare;
Searches pasture after pasture,
Sheep and cattle eyes with care;
And, for silence or for talk,
He hath comrades in his walk;
Four dogs, each pair of different breed,
Distinguished two for scent, and two for speed.

See a hare before him started!
--Off they fly in earnest chase;
Every dog is eager-hearted,
All the four are in the race:
And the hare whom they pursue,
Knows from instinct what to do;
Her hope is near: no turn she makes;
But, like an arrow, to the river takes.

Deep the river was, and crusted
Thinly by a one night's frost;
But the nimble Hare hath trusted
To the ice, and safely crost;
She hath crost, and without heed
All are following at full speed,
When, lo! the ice, so thinly spread,
Breaks--and the greyhound, DART, is overhead!

Better fate have PRINCE and SWALLOW--
See them cleaving to the sport!
MUSIC has no heart to follow,
Little MUSIC, she stops short.
She hath neither wish nor heart,
Hers is now another part:
A loving creature she, and brave!
And fondly strives her struggling friend to save.

From the brink her paws she stretches,
Very hands as you would say!
And afflicting moans she fetches,
As he breaks the ice away.
For herself she hath no fears,--
Him alone she sees and hears,--
Makes efforts with complainings; nor gives o'er
Until her fellow sinks to re-appear no more.

William Wordsworth