What does God say about taking care of our animals? Proverbs 12:10 says, “The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel. Kindness to animals is godly. In fact, caring for them is part of our purpose.”

A Time to Think… (this is National Hug Your Dog Day!)
“Like our four-legged friends, we are devoted followers of God, our beloved owner. When we dishonor animals, we go against our God-ordained responsibility to care for them.” -Phyllis Schomaker, freelance writer and longtime contributor to Franciscan Media

A Time to Act…
Dogs are mentioned more than a dozen times in the Bible. St. Francis of Assisi talked to the animals and even tamed a wolf because he believed they were creatures of God, like us.

And of course dog is God spelled backwards and that’s not a coincidence. God made dogs for us as companions and helpers, and for the immeasurable pleasure and happiness they give us. Perhaps it’s a stretch to think that dogs were also meant to teach us about God’s love, but it’s true. Humans don’t have unconditional love, but dogs do and so do horses. So, with all that dogs mean to us, is that too much to consider? Go hug your furry friend today; and if you don’t have one, maybe your neighbor will let you hug their dog. It is said that a hug from a dog is like God’s arm around you!

A Time to Pray… 
O Lord, on this national “hug your dog day” we need to remember that every creature you have created should be loved and taken care of. We are so gifted with our dogs who love us even when we are not very loveable…just like you, O Lord. Despite our ornery-selves, you love us anyway. Thank you for our pets, especially our dogs who are part of your name and we know there is a good reason for that! AMEN.