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Viewpoint from Revd Canon Nick Garrard 11/07/2025
 Revd Canon Nick Garrard
Nick is Rector of the Rockland Benefice in the Bramerton Group (Bramerton, Rockland St Mary with Hellington, Surlingham, Claxton, Carleton St Peter and Kirby Bedon with Whitlingham) and Bishop’s Officer for Christian Spirituality through the Creative Arts
It feels like a long time since we’ve owned a dog. Rufus, our much-loved labrador/springer cross breed, died in 2021. Since then, we’ve looked after our daughter’s greyhound ‘grand dog’; we’ve sponsored a guide dog puppy who was very cute but a bit too frisky for the job in hand, but we haven’t stepped back into dog ownership. Yet
 Animals are undoubtedly important to humans. We drive past livestock in fields, watch birds congregate at feeders or spend time with our pets. Through them, children learn to look after and care for another living creature, and unless the pet happens to be a tortoise, its shorter life cycle may also teach what it means to experience feelings of loss. I have met many people who’ve told me, ‘I’ll never have another dog’ because of the pain of bereavement was so great. Our animal companions share much of our lives, help us to remain healthy (according to scientific research) and are good at listening to our problems and keeping confidences. When they go, we miss them
One of my predecessors in a Norwich parish once found himself in a small flat on the edge of the city centre, conducting a funeral for a budgie. What am I doing here? He asked himself. I think I know. Its lady owner lived alone with her budgie and had very few friends. Whether it understood this or not, the budgie was her friend, and being a person of faith, she wanted its passing to be marked with prayer. Respect for God’s creation goes deep within the Bible.
There is a long and complex history to Christian attitudes towards the non-human parts of creation, recognising that life is a precious gift, to be celebrated at its beginning and mourned at its ending. That is why we have blessing of animals’ services. Occasionally children have asked me, and I suspect some adults would also like to know this as well: ‘Will I see my dog in heaven?’ On one hand, we can’t claim to know the answer, but knowing God’s love for his creation, I would say, ‘Why not?’ I haven’t yet taken a budgie funeral and I don’t if I ever would, but am always happy to offer prayer for animals and those who care for them. And one day, maybe buy another dog…
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