Blue Cross of India has organized blessings for the animals in the houses of worship of many different faiths in Chennai, India (please see below). If you are in Chennai, please attend one of these gatherings. You can bring your dog on a leash to many of these events.
On a radically different sort of note, ACRES of Singapore is encouraging everyone to attend a lively bowl-smashing event! First you donate $2 for the soup bowl, then you smash it! Not as nonsensical as it sounds, it’s to protest the fact that up to 100 million sharks end up as shark fin soup—not a pleasant way to go! And just because sharks aren’t very cuddly doesn’t mean they’re not sentient beings just like everybody else.
SPCA Selangor in Malaysia will be holding an event that focuses on people renewing their pledges to help animals, including taking time to remember the plight of animals all over the earth and to recall the memories of animals that have touched our lives.
In Australia, near Melbourne, Edgar’s Mission Farm Sanctuary will be celebrating World Animal Day with a delicious vegan barbecue!
In taking time this Sunday to focus on animals the world over, let’s remember not just our beloved pets. But also those less-thought-of kinds of creatures, all of whom lead their own lives, with their own joys and sorrows—the creatures of the seas, the bats that live in caves, the cows and chickens, who are all too often thought of as dinner, rather than as animals. There are the birds in the skies and the little creatures like rats, mice, squirrels and rabbits, who see themselves as real animals too, not as pests. There are also all the animals who find themselves in laboratories whenever a cure is being sought for some human disease. May we see every creature as a being with his or her own life and value, to be safeguarded from harm.
In Chennai, India, the following are confirmed for World day for Animal celebrations:
1. Prayer for the animals at Ganesha Temple, C P Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation, 1 Eldams Road, Chennai 600 018 at 8 am on October 4.
2. Prayer at the Ganesha (Karpavinayagar) at the Blue Cross of India, 72 Velachery Road, Guindy, Chennai 600 032 at 11 am on October 4.
Prayer by Shri Bhogilal of Sri Ganesha Mandal, Kasi Chetty Lane, Sowcarpet.
3. Mass in English at Santhome Cathedral, Santhome, Chennai 600 004 at 12 noon. Service will be for approximately 50 minutes. Pets and their guardians will be accomodated on the front pews. No cats or birds in cages permitted. Restricted to dogs on leashes.
For all the above, dogs on leash are welcome. Please try and ensure that the companion animal will be able to stay through the Mass.
In addition to the above, Karuna International President, Shri Dulichand Jain, has agreed to have special functions in as many schools as possible on October 1, 2009 (since October 2, 3 and 4 are holidays).
The Vijay Shanthi Shuruswarji Jain Bhakta Mandal in Chintadripet will have a special prayer for all living beings on Friday October 2 at 3 pm.
Several other Jain temples will also be having prayers for animals on that date and on Sunday.
Animals will probably not be allowed at any of the Jain temples, but the two Ganesha temples will be happy to have them. We are yet to hear from the mosque at Vysarpadi.
What you can do:
In Malaysia, click here
In Singapore, click here
In India, click here
In Australia, click here
Photo: © Odelia Cohen | Dreamstime.com