Pet Remembrance Service offered at First Congregational Church

Pets give us unconditional love and years of joy; they’re often regarded family members. So, when we lose them, the grief we experience can be as powerful as it is with the loss of any other family member; in some cases, more so. Because of that, pet memorial services have become popular in recent years. They give us a chance to celebrate the life of a beloved pet and grieve their loss. They also provide an opportunity to start coping with the loss and moving toward healing. 

The Animal Ministries group at First Congregational Church in Oshkosh is hosting a citywide Pet Remembrance Service.  At this special service we’ll share memories, we’ll laugh, we’ll cry; but most importantly, we’ll acknowledge our loss and pay tribute to these cherished members of our families. If you – or someone you know – has recently lost a pet, or simply would like to honor a pet who has passed some time ago, please join or invite them to join us. 

This Pet Remembrance Service will be held from 10 to 11 am on Saturday, June 24 in the FCC Sanctuary. If you wish, you may bring a picture, collar or favorite toy of your beloved departed pet or pets to be blessed during the service, and you’ll have an opportunity to share a few words about those you have lost, if you so choose. Those attending will also receive a special memento to take home to remember the service by. While the service is free and open to the public, a freewill donation will be taken.

If you have any questions regarding this service, or would like information on becoming a member of the FCC Animal Ministries Group (you needn't attend First Congregational to be a member), please call Cheryl Hentz, facilitator at 920.209.PETS (920-209-7387). We hope to see you at 10 am on Saturday, June 24 to celebrate and honor the life of your dearly departed pets. First Congregational Church is located at 137 Algoma Blvd., one block west of Main St., near downtown Oshkosh. 

Adopt a Pet; Save a Life

May is National Pet Month and May 5-7 is National Pet Adoption Weekend. This is a perfect time to make an addition to you family. But before doing so, make sure you have done due diligence to determine what is the most appropriate pet for your home and family. If you are a crazy, busy family, always on the go, or away from home a lot, then perhaps a pet that requires less care and attention is the way to go. Fish and certain birds could fall into this category. If you have more time, a dog or cat might male the perfect addition. Only you know what your schedule is like and the amount of time you have to give. So do your research and consult your local humane society for the best pet for you.

If you are adopting a four-legged pet, especially a dog or cat, PLEASE do not get a pet from a pet store, puppy mill, or even a backyard breeder. Rescue and adopt a pet from your local humane society or an actual dog or cat rescue group. There are professional breeders out there who do a could job and thoroughly vet prospective adopters to make sure their dogs and cats are going to responsible, loving homes. But others are only irresponsibly adding to an already-burgeoning pet overpopulation. So save a life and help control the pet population by adopting from a shelter or rescue group.And never get or giveaway an animal on Craig's List or some other similar means. the horror stories about what either has happened to that animal, or what could happen are too numerous to mention.

Again, if you want more information about responsible pet adoption and being a responsible pet owner, consult with your local humane society, or the Humane Society of the United States at www.hsus.org.

One of the best ways to experience unconditional love is through pet ownership!

NC hotel creates unique dog adoption program

Guests at most hotels are welcomed by a smiling face. But there is one hotel in Asheville, North Carolina, where they are also welcomed by a wagging tail and a lick to the face. It's all part of a unique adoption program being used there to save shelter dogs from euthanasia, by finding them loving fur-ever homes. Read more at this link. http://news.yahoo.com/hotel-hopes-guests-head-home-rescue-dog-154114130.html

Jane Velez-Mitchell, Keynote Speaker, 2014 American Equine Summit (Video...

This is a 30-minute keynote address that anyone who loves or has compassion for animals of ANY kind should watch. It may change your thinking about many things we're doing as a nation, using YOUR tax dollars.

Dog helps save owner's life

Here is another story that just goes to show how amazing our four-legged furry companion animals are.

Today is World Spay Day!

Today marks the 20th World Spay Day, an annual campaign of The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International that shines a spotlight on spay/neuter as a way to save the lives of companion animals, community (feral and stray) cats, and street dogs who might otherwise be put down in a shelter or killed on the street. Getting your pet spayed or neutered can reduce the number of homeless pets killed, improve your pet's health, reduce some undesirable behaviors, and save on the costs of pet care. Maybe you already knew that, but many people don't know about the benefits of spay/neuter. Visit this link for more information on how to celebrate the day, and why it is important.

http://action.humanesociety.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=82221.0&dlv_id=83501

Why I'm boycotting the Olympics

Let me just rant for a bit here, okay? Anyone who knows me knows I am an animal lover and animal welfare advocate. So my rant shouldn't surprise anyone. Here the government of the city of Sochi, Russia is hiring a company to "exterminate" strays roaming around because they don't want the appearance of strays or the concerns strays might present with the Olympics about to unfold. By the way, there is a petition circulating here http://www.thepetitionsite.com/972/019/713/2000-street-dogs-and-cats-will-be-killed-for-the-olympic-games-in-sochi-in-2014/ for people to sign to try stopping this, and it will be forwarded to president Vladimir Putin. This action is one of the most appalling and abhorrent things I've seen in some time. If the Russian government is so concerned about its image, I would think it would have some of the more important things in order for the games and those there to participate in and cover the event.

I am talking about hotels that aren't finished and rooms that aren't ready to go; brown water that comes out of the faucets; toilets where you're unable to flush toilet paper down and instead have to put the used paper in a stand-alone receptacle; manholes on the sidewalks that don't all have covers on them; and so on. The Russian powers that be have had 5 years and spent between $51 and $53 million dollars on this event and with all this yet to do and the news reports and tweets going out all over the place from people experiencing these conditions, they're instead worried about rounding up and killing stray dogs and cats. RIDICULOUS and HIGHLY SHAMEFUL!!

No disrespect to the athletes who have trained so hard for this moment, but with all this going on, coupled with Russia's well-publicized stance on human rights, gay rights, animal rights, and environmental issues, I will be boycotting the games and encourage others to do the same, especially if you care about these issues.