A Prayer To Welcome A New Pet

A Prayer to Welcome a New Pet

O Maker of heaven and earth,

Thank You for the good gift

Of a new pet in our home.

You are the God who makes

The dragonfly

And the goldfish,

The calico kitten

And the wrinkled bulldog.

You call them by name,

The creatures You’ve made—

The fish of the sea

And the birds of the sky.

And just as You let us

Name all Your creatures,

We get to name this little companion

That we welcome into our family.

We marvel at Your creation,

The creatures that reflect

The wonder and whimsy

Of You.

In the caring for this creature,

May we catch glimpses of Your love

In new ways.

Help our children to grow

As they nurture this new family member.

As we care for [pet’s name],

Help us to be gentle.

Help us to love

And to receive love in return.

Thank You for furry companions

And for the scaly friends in their tanks.

Thank You for the laughs

And for another living thing to share our lives with.

Thank You for their cuddles

And for their quirky charm.

Thank You for animals

And for giving us the chance to care for them.

May we be delighted by the ways they fill a spot

We didn’t even know existed

In our human hearts.

May this pet be well cared for.

Ignite in our children a sense of responsibility

And duty to their fellow creatures.

We thank You for the opportunity

To care for [pet’s name].

May it find warmth

In the little hands and hearts

That are eager to welcome it into our family.

Watch over us as we make memories

And marvel at our children,

Who never stop surprising us

In how they learn to love in new ways,

In how they learn to love

Outside of themselves.

In the melody of a bird chirping,

In a dog barking,

We recognize the privilege of caring for a pet

When many of our brothers and sisters

Live with so much want.

May our pet remind us to be generous

With our hands

And with our hearts.

Amen.

Genesis 1:20-25; Isaiah 11:6-9

PRAYER TO PRAY WITH CHILDREN

O God, You have made all animals—

Dogs and cats, birds and snakes,

Bunnies and fish—You made them all!

Thank You for [pet’s name].

Help us show love and make a special space

In our hearts and our home for our new pet.

Help us show care.

We know that we can love

Because You first loved us.

Amen.

1 John 4:19