St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma will host a Blessing of the Animals ceremony from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11 for the public and Franciscan Health System employees.

This special ceremony will promote compassion for all animals and offer pet owners the opportunity to reflect upon the positive impact that their cats, dogs and other critters have on their emotional and physical well-being. Blessing of the Animals is an annual autumn ceremony conducted by Catholic communities in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi and his love for all creatures.

This ceremony will take place in the parking lot of Northwest Medical Plaza, 1812 South J St., directly across from the ambulance entrance to St. Joseph Medical Center. In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held on the bottom floor of the parking garage at the nearby St. Joseph Outpatient Center.

Also, representatives of the Pierce County Humane Society and Franciscan’s Pet Partner program will attend the ceremony to talk about local opportunities to help animals. At the event:

·        Companion animals of all shapes and sizes are welcome.

·        Dogs must be leashed.

·        Cats and other small animals should be brought inside a cage or pet carrier.

·        To protect and respect the hospital’s campus and all creatures, animals must be secured at all times and pet owners must use pooper scoopers to clean up after their critters.

·        Animals will not be allowed inside the hospital.

Additionally, the Volunteer Services Department at St. Joseph Medical Center will collect donations of money, dog and cat food, as well as pet toys, Oct. 11-24 to benefit the Humane Society.

St. Joseph Medical Center, founded in 1891 by the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, is the flagship hospital of the Franciscan Health System.