By Adam Hammer

People love their pets.

Some people buy their pets toys and treats or dress them up in four-legged clothes. There are also pet owners, such as the crowd that gathered at St. Theodore Catholic Church Wednesday afternoon, who have their pets blessed in the tradition that is said to have been started by St. Francis of Assisi.

&8220;This blessing shows all of us that pets are important to us and are our companions,&8221;

Father James Berning of St. Theodore Catholic Church said.

Amber McCornack brought her Shih Tzu, Shima, to the blessing. She said she and her family usually pray to St. Francis when a pet dies.

&8220;I think dogs are a blessing to our family,&8221; she said. &8220;Dogs teach us how to live in the now.&8221;

The blessing wasn&8217;t all about cats and dogs. Annie Ladwig, a fifth-grade student at St. Theodore Catholic School, had her parents bring in their six-day-old registered organic Ayrshire calf

Jeffrey in the back of their SUV. Jordan Friend had her grandmother bring her chinchilla, Stitch, and others even brought fish in plastic containers.