Animal chaplains

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Animal chaplains provide a wide array of services to the community, including pet loss grief support, animal memorial services, praying for animals who are sick or injured, comforting bereaved family members, holding hands with pet owners during surgery or animal euthanasia at a veterinary clinic or animal hospital, and performing animal blessing ceremonies. Many animal chaplains have pets of their own, and express compassion for the difficult times pet owners may face.

In addition to animal loss grief counseling and bereavement support, interfaith Animal chaplains may also deliver guest sermons on the bond between animals and humans, offer spiritual education and guidance regarding the responsibilities of human beings toward the other creatures of the Earth, visit nursing homes and hospitals, provide animal-assisted therapy, and lead religious services where companion animals are welcome. Still others run animal shelters^{[citation needed]}, animal rescue organizations^{[citation needed]}, or other non-profit organizations which benefit people and animals.

Independent animal chaplains may have their own ministries and advertise on the Internet, or they may be ordained clergy working in churches. Animal Chaplains may provide their services free of charge, in exchange for donations, or on a fee-for-service basis. Currently there are no legal standards for the training, licensure and practice of animal chaplains. Some training programs do exist through private companies and non-profit groups, and through mentoring by experienced animal chaplains. One paraprofessional animal chaplain is working to persuade veterinary schools to offer animal chaplain certification programs.

Other professional titles for animal chaplains include veterinary chaplains, pet ministers, and animal clergy.