Upcoming Events

• On 3/22 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., we will have a dog adoption with Home at Last at our Parish House MacColl Auditorium.

• On 4/24 from 6 - 7 p.m., we will be hosting a Foster 101 and provide dinner and homework club and activities for children. This is for anyone who is interested in fostering cats or dogs but doesn’t know where to begin, or might need support or may only be able to foster for a a short period of time.

• On 10/5, we will be hosting a traditional blessing of the animals but we will also have a larger animal fair where we will host veterinarians providing advice, dog trainers providing advice, an agility display from Y2K9, crafts for kids (making cat toys), etc.

Pray with, and for, your companion animal. Starting the fall of 2025, join us outside for prayer for yourself and your companion animal. We are looking to do this during the week, providing dinner and activities (including homework club) for the whole family. Stay tuned.

Expand foster network, diverting animals from shelters. St. Thomas’ Church Whitemarsh has teamed up with Home At Last and Stray Cat Blues to host adoption events regularly and to help both organizations broaden their foster networks. Fostering cuts down on euthanasia in shelters by freeing up space. It also lets dogs show their true selves, helping find them the right home.[1]

Fostering can be easy for you, and also be short-term. Some animals need 24 hours of care, some longer. Some are puppies or kittens, some are seniors that just want a place to nap. For people who need short-term care for their animals (e.g. hospital stays, family emergencies) we can be a resource.

Provide (day) respite for shelter animals, increasing likelihood of adoption. Many shelters are in need of volunteers who will give a shelter dog a daylong or several hour respite. You can bring the dog here for a walk around our 42-acre campus or take him/her to work to just hang out. It has been proven that dogs greatly benefit from time away from the shelter, are more likely to be adopted (especially if you post a pic of your new furry friend on social media) and the person who “adopts” the dog for a day is happier. It is a win-win! We can help with this process of securing an animal for the day and be there with you if you have never done this before.

Alleviate financial stress for pet caretakers. Through partnerships, we can direct people to receive low-cost or free food and medical supplies and treatment (spay/neuter). By reducing financial stress, we hope to keep animals with their caretakers.

Provide pastoral care to shelter workers and veterinarians. The church works with two animal chaplains, dedicated to supporting these critical workers through compassion fatigue, grief, anxiety -  and finding and celebrating joy. 

God created and celebrates all animals. If you have an idea for another animal species, contact us.

[1] https://www.whypetcare.com/dog-foster-care/