Pets flood NYC church for annual ‘blessing’ event, honoring dogs, turtles, parakeets and more

Hell hath no furry.

Hundreds of New Yorkers toted their fluffy, winged and scaled family members to St. John the Divine in Manhattan Sunday morning for a special benediction at the Episcopal church’s annual Blessing of the Animals.

The decades-old event – which celebrates the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of the environment and ecology – began with its infamous Procession of the Animals featuring a camel, horse, cow, snake, birds and a mini-pony before pets in attendance were blessed by clergy on the Cathedral lawn.

“I think people get so excited that their pets are welcome in this space and that they’re blessed,” cathedral programming executive director Laura Bosley told The Post. 

“We have people sometimes whose pets can’t come with them because they’ll be ill or maybe they’ve recently passed, and they will bring photographs and our clergy will bless that memory.”

Recent years have seen a tarantula, butterflies, a sloth and a chicken named Lady Gaga as among the blessed pets, she said, alongside this year’s turtle, rabbit, guinea pig and slew of cats and dogs. 

“Pets are a lot of people’s children,” Bosley added, “and to have us be so open and respectful of that, I think people respond to very strongly.”

The procession of barnyard and exotic animals – which included the first-ever cathedral appearance of a baby Zebu – was reduced to just a handful of creatures this year due to complaints from animal advocates, Bosley said.

The remaining animals, all provided by animal talent agency All Tame Animals, all have individual permits and are used to the limelight, the spokesperson assured.

“Exploiting animals for entertainment teaches parishioners all the wrong messages about responsible animal guardianship,” John Di Leonardo of Humane Long Island told The Post, adding he is urging the church to “honor the patron saint of animals next year” by committing to stop hiring animals for entertainment.”

“We try to use animals that are a little more used to being in a large room, in a large space with a lot of people,” Bosley refuted. “The day is about celebrating all God’s creatures … but we have been very respectful of the animal advocates’ position.”

Hundreds of Big Apple faithful lined up outside the 110th Street cathedral event – which filled up in minutes – and waited for hours for their pets’ benediction after the ceremony.

Sisters Julissa and Jumirna Alcober brought their beloved parakeets, Rio and Lemon, to continue a streak of good health.

“Rio was sick a couple months ago,” Julissa, 31, said, “but he’s healed really nicely – he’s much better so I think that was my motivation behind [attending]. Like, let’s him blessed, he went through a lot.”

“Our last bird spent 16 years with us,” Jumirna, 29, added. “We wanted to honor his legacy too.”

East Harlem resident Dawn Wells brought her 20-month-old beagle Chloe to the blessing because the church for the “cultural experience,” she said.

“It’s a cultural institution,” Wells, 45, said, adding she’s been waiting for well over a decade since attending nearby Columbia University and learning about the quirky tradition to attend the event.

Harlem resident Mei W., a three-year attendee, said she brought her 11-month-old Aussie Shepard mix Lola Fern to the event because “this one has the devil in her.”

“She tears up all my slippers and flip flops and chews them up,” Mei, 65, said.

“The Episcopalian priests are lovely — and they say their names, it’s very intentional,” she added.

“I feel like they’re really being blessed.”