St. Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals and of the environment. He called the sun his brother and the moon his sister, preached to the birds, and, according to tradition, tamed the fierce wolf of Gubbio. On or near his feast day, October 4, many parishes hold a blessing of animals, when families bring their dogs, cats and other pets to be blessed.
Below: the patron saints of animals and of particular animals, the blessing of animals, prayers for your pet and for a pet that has died, and what the Church teaches about animals.
Patron saints of animals
| Animals | Patron saint | Feast day |
|---|---|---|
| All animals and the environment | St. Francis of Assisi | October 4 |
| Domestic animals and livestock | St. Anthony the Abbot | January 17 |
| Dogs | St. Roch | August 16 |
| Cats | St. Gertrude of Nivelles (by popular devotion) | March 17 |
| Horses | St. Eligius; St. Martin of Tours | December 1; November 11 |
| Cattle and dairy animals | St. Brigid of Kildare | February 1 |
| Bees and beekeepers | St. Ambrose | December 7 |
| Birds | St. Francis of Assisi | October 4 |
| Fish and fishermen | St. Andrew; St. Peter | November 30; June 29 |
| Ecology and creation | St. Francis of Assisi; St. Kateri Tekakwitha | October 4; July 14 |
St. Francis and the animals
Francis of Assisi (1181/82–1226) saw every creature as a gift of the Creator. His early biographers tell how he preached to a flock of birds, who stayed to listen until he blessed them; how he freed animals caught in traps; and how, at Gubbio, he made peace between the townspeople and a wolf that had been terrorizing them. His Canticle of the Creatures praises God for “Brother Sun” and “Sister Moon.” In 1979 Pope St. John Paul II named him patron of ecology, and Pope Francis took his name and his canticle as the title of the encyclical Laudato Si’ (2015).
St. Roch, the patron of dogs, was a fourteenth-century pilgrim who caught the plague while nursing the sick; a dog brought him bread each day until he recovered. St. Anthony the Abbot, the father of monks, is pictured with a pig and is honored on January 17 with the blessing of farm animals in Spain, Italy and Latin America.
The blessing of animals
Many parishes bless animals on or near October 4. The priest prays that the animals may be kept in health and that those who care for them may be good stewards of creation, and sprinkles them with holy water. Bring your pet on a leash or in a carrier, or a photo of an animal that cannot come.
A prayer for your pet
Written for this page:
Lord God, Creator of every living thing,
thank you for (name), who brings us so much joy and companionship.
Keep him (her) healthy and safe,
and help us to care for him (her) with kindness and patience.
Through the prayers of St. Francis, teach us to love all your creatures
and to praise you for the beauty of your creation. Amen.
A prayer when a pet dies
Written for this page:
Lord, you know how much we loved (name).
Thank you for the years of companionship, loyalty and joy.
Comfort us in our sadness,
and help us to remember with gratitude the gift you gave us.
St. Francis, friend of all creatures, pray for us. Amen.
What does the Church teach about animals?
The Catechism teaches that animals are God’s creatures, surrounded by his providential care, and that “by their mere existence they bless him and give him glory” (Catechism 2416). It is “contrary to human dignity to cause animals to suffer or die needlessly” (Catechism 2418); at the same time, animals may be used for food, clothing and work within reasonable limits. Love for pets is good, though we should not give them the affection due only to persons.
Whether we will see our pets in heaven is not defined by the Church. Scripture speaks of a “new heaven and a new earth” (Apocalypse 21:1) in which all creation will be renewed, and many Christians hope that God’s goodness will not forget the creatures we loved.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the patron saint of animals?
St. Francis of Assisi, whose feast is October 4.
Who is the patron saint of dogs?
St. Roch (August 16), whom a dog fed while he was sick with the plague.
Who is the patron saint of cats?
There is no official patron, but by popular devotion St. Gertrude of Nivelles (March 17), whose emblem is mice, is invoked for cats.
When is the blessing of animals?
Usually on or near October 4, the feast of St. Francis. Some places bless animals on January 17, the feast of St. Anthony the Abbot.
More patron saints
- Catholic prayers for pets
- Feast of St. Francis (October 4) and the blessing of animals
- Catholic blessings
- Prayer to St. Roch for dogs
- St. Martin de Porres prayer for animals
- Unusual patron saints
- Prayer of St. Francis
- Patron saints: the complete list
- Patron saints of sports and hobbies
- Saint of the day
- Epiphany house blessing
Texts and sources
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2415–2418.
- Thomas of Celano, First Life of St. Francis; Little Flowers of St. Francis (the wolf of Gubbio); John Paul II, Inter Sanctos (1979); Francis, Laudato Si’ (2015).
- The prayers were written for this page.