Bringing pets into mass

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BartholomewB said:
Once at a Sunday morning Mass I saw a dog walk in from the street. He sat down in one of the aisles, near the back, stayed there quietly all through Mass and then walked out again. When my wife mentioned it to the priest, he told her it happens quite often. Always the same dog, and only ever during Mass. He never comes into the church at any other time of day.
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I wish CAF had less debate and more posts about little miracles like this.
 
One of my students currently has a dog that is designated as a seizure dog and I wouldn’t think they would allow the dog if it wasn’t certified. They have turned down therapy dogs for autistic students before, citing that they weren’t certified, so I don’t know why they would allow the seizure dog if it wasn’t somehow “official”, or at least diagnosed by a doctor. The dog makes a whining sound when it thinks a seizure is going to happen and puts its paws on his legs and the student is supposed to sit down right away and get into a safe position. The dog doesn’t come to my room, since it’s used by the whole school and allergies are an issue, but I’m told it has a lot of “false positives”.
 
I know nothing about support sloths, but how is a support animal defined. Could anyone just declare their dog or cat or perhaps sloth a support animal?
 
My concern would be of the unruly animals. What of the future potential cases in this Church where the mauling and face tearing and maiming of toddlers happens?. Oh yes, there will be the occasional ones, as now we enter the realm of probability. What of the barkers? Is the priest to wait for the animal to finish? What of the rush to the alter of an animal that just happens to get loose?. Imagine at communion. Now we are to worry about needle teeth chomping at our ankles?.

Toddlers can walk the aisles in our parish while they learn the formalities and what is expected of them, and bless their little hearts for it. They have the angels in delight. When this child runs by, will a Labrador sit obediently in the middle aisle when this to him, “threat to master” or “wanna play” person passes him?

I wonder what is suddenly wanting in Church policy today that carried it for 2000 years, and is now no longer adequate for this time?. They didn’t have physically challenged people and cherished pets for 2000 years? Methinks it is that we are simply being sold a bill of goods by this modern imminent age. Sometimes a straight approach is required, and it was applied in this case.

The only way I can explain this perceived void is that charity must have played more a part in the lives of the congregation of the past. At our EF there isn’t a moment that one of us would not promptly assist someone in need. People needing assistance can ask for someone to share a pew in the case of specific needs. We have a couple of different style portable walkers and wheelchairs for emergencies available if need be. We are surely blessed by our Girl Guides of our Parish who never hesitate to step in to help.
 
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His_helpmeet said:
All seeing eye dogs are service animals, but not all service animals are seeing eye dogs. People can have service animals for a variety of reasons, including other physical disabilities and even seizure disorders. I
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Indeed I did omit those, but I certainly agree. I’m epileptic myself, fortunately everything is under control for the most part on that front, but I certainly could see the need for one.
 
In general I do not believe animals belong in Mass. (In reading my previous post I think I was not clear about that.)

Like I said, I think exceptions should be made for true service dogs: those for the blind, the deaf, etc. Service animals will be wearing a harness (usually a specific color) to alert those who see it that the dog is working and that they should not try to interact with it. The people who have such dogs are usually very respectful of the needs of others and won’t unnecessarily take the animal to places where it might be a problem.

I think so called “comfort animals” are better left at home. People who truly have debilitating anxiety problems are excused from Mass.
 
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I agree and there are parishioners who have animal allergies that must be considered!
 
The issue of certification is how its done, how legit it is and who is doing it. The false positives are a good indication the training is not so robust.
If you compare it with drug or cadaver or money or any of those detection dogs. Dog scientists are working on a lot of these medical areas. We know for example, that the urine of a cancer patient smells different and dogs pick it up due to its chemical makeup. But that is still quite cutting edge science. Dogs are well known for continually worrying at their owner’s cancerous spots long before the spots are diagnosed. I can put a dog on the end of HPLC equipment that detects the suspect chemicals down to very minute levels, the machine might get a reading, it might not, but the dog will get the samples right that are positive for cancer compounds, (whatever they are)
Its an interesting area. I had a friend doing a PhD in this area. There are a few unis in Melbourne working on these areas.

What is this dog’s job? To alert to a seizure , or to comfort and support the person seizing? What does the certification claim.
Dogs cannot be diagnosed by doctors to be certified seizure dogs, I am little confused about your statement.
 
This year our pet blessing was right after the Saturday anticipated Mass at which I was scheduled to be the lector. I wanted to bring my cat to get blessed, so I was asking around where I could keep it during Mass, such as the rectory. I was waiting to see if I would be allowed to keep it in the sacristy during Mass (obviously in the carrier), but fortunately I was able to go to a blessing earlier that afternoon at another parish.
 
Living in the Netherlands, it’s common for people to bring their dogs to restaurants. Many establishments even have their own cat walking around inside (mice.)

But I’ve never seen anyone bring their dog to mass.
 
No, individual dogs aren’t diagnosed, but the doctor can write a diagnosis of a seizure condition and add in that the patient would benefit from being able to having their seizure dog with them at school. That’s usually what is required for getting a certain provision in an IEP or 504, which are the legal documents requiring schools to make accommodations for students with disabilities. My understanding is that the dog’s job is to warn the student of an impending seizure, so the student can get into a safe position. This student has been known to have many seizures on a daily basis, but some aren’t that severe, so it’s hard to say if the dog is giving a “false positive” or is detecting a seizure that won’t happen for a while. However, if the dog is giving the student a sign that a seizure is coming, the student is supposed to sit on the floor in the “reading corner” of his classroom, where he would not fall down or hurt himself if a large seizure were to hit him.
 
I’ve only every seen service animals at Mass, and then only rarely. I have no problem with service animals cuz, well who would? But everyone just bringing their pets is silly IMHO.
 
People should read his life by St. Bonaventure, this would help them to know the real Poverello.
 
franklin said:
Are parishioners/guests allowed to bring pets (namely dogs) into mass?
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If you go way back to the first couple of centuries . . . Christians were quite poor, and couldn’t risk leaving their meager livestock unattended.

A barrier was put up to keep them out of the Holy Place.

Over time, this would become the altar rail in the west, and the Iconostasis in the East.

Yes, but . . . I attended a Franciscan parish in Iowa in graduate school. It had an annual outdoor Mass.

Now, being outdoors, and given St. Francis’ penchant for preaching to animals, wasn’t singing “Taste and See” during mosquito season a bit much??? 🤔😱😜
Start said:
Where did he get the skull?
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My guess is the top of the spine, but I’m not a physician . . .

hawk
 
people bringing dogs (and other animals) everywhere is becoming more and more of an issue. We have been having to address it in my 12 step community as well. It’s becoming more and more common for folks to get their pet a vest and declare it an emotional support animal though the animal has zero training and the person may or may not have a dr’s note saying they need an emotional support animal.

Untrained pets in a room of strangers does not always lead to a positive experience. More than one at a time can lead to outright mayhem.

Service animals are an entirely different issue, as they historically have been trained to behave appropriately and serve a clear need, but lately I am hearing people say they are training their own service animal because it costs too much to get a professionally trained one. I am talking about people with no animal training experience converting a pet into an official service animal on their own. They say it’s legal and no one can stop them and it’s against the law to even question them about it, and the animal requires no certificate or identification.

There are already stores I won’t shop in because the number of untrained pets lurching around (and leaving messes on the floor). That’s my free choice and there are other stores I can shop at or I can shop online. Mass isn’t optional. I think people should do their best to be honest about whether they just like having their pet with them (or the attention they get when they have their pet with them) or if it serves a real need, because there are issues that can cause problems for others.

Basically think of the greater good and remember we are part of a community and to consider the needs of the larger community over our immediate comfort, then make the decision based on that.

In 12 step we call that our group conscious and we read at every meeting that our recovery depends on unity and caring for one another. I think that applies to church as well. We support the individual by doing what’s best for everyone and practicing charity and unity, not by putting our own DESIRES first. Is the presence of the animal serving a need or a desire?
 
I don’t think pets should be at Mass but I also don’t think the Holy Communion line is the place to confront someone about it.
 
I know of at least one priest who had a dog that went to daily Mass. The dog would sit quietly at the back or behind one of the choir stalls and appear after Mass had finished. No one had any problem with it.
I’ve also seen dogs at Mass in Italy. No big deal; 100% of the time better behaved than most of the children present!
 
There is too much unknown information here to accurately reply. Perhaps the woman and her friend were out for a stroll and made a spur of the moment decision to attend Mass. We don’t know if their attendance was planned, if the woman had all her faculties (rational thinking), etc. As for arriving late, it’s not for you to be concerned. It’s odd, but so are many things.
 
Don’t think that’s the attitude we’re supposed to have when at Mass. Pets belong at home. Some people are allergic, too … not that I’d mind bringing my dogs to Church, but my one dog likes to bite people so he wouldn’t be able to share in the sacrificial attitude of Mass. It’s inappropriate. We’re supposed to be stewards of animals, but they are what they are - animals.

Take them shopping instead to one of those big pet stores. That’s always fun. Get them a cart to push and let them put their own toys into it so you know what they want for Christmas.
 
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