Green Tree church hosting animal adoption event
Anyone looking for a new furry friend may find the latest member of their family at Unity Presbyterian Church in Green Tree next weekend.
The church’s Creatures of the Creator (COTC) Pet Ministry and the Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh (HARP) will host “Animal Adoption Saturday” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 1. The church is located at 1146 Greentree Road, near its intersection with Potomac Avenue.
HARP will bring animals to the church, including cats, dogs and rabbits. Adoption fees range from $10 to $385. Attendees will be able to take home cats and other small animals right from the event. Dogs cannot be taken home that day.
Carolyn Kozlowski, chairperson of COTC, said they started the ministry last year.
“It grew out of a single event that we were having at the church called the Blessing of the Animals. We had about four of those events. People really started to like what we did with the event,” Kozlowski said.
The Blessing of the Animals is commonly associated with St. Francis of Assisi, who Catholics celebrate each year on Oct. 4, though members of other faiths also take the opportunity to bless their pets.
“St. Francis of Assisi was really the focal point for a lot of Blessing of the Animal events at other churches. For us, it was more to celebrate the sacred nature of God’s creatures and to just celebrate them and advocate for their care and well-being,” Kozlowski said.
According to Kozlowski, Karen Claassen, the church’s senior pastor, will be present to greet people and provide prayers to those adopting an animal.
The adoption event will be free to the public.
Beyond helping animals find homes, COTC also collects donations at the church for local rescue organizations year-round. Those organizations are 412 Animal Rescue and the Great Pyrenees Club of Western Pa.
On Nov. 5, Unity Presbyterian Church will hold a pet remembrance service beginning at 11 a.m. Those who wish to attend are asked to register by Nov. 1 by emailing jfranceschina@unitypresbyterianchurch.org. Those attending are also asked to provide pictures of their pets.