Animal Blessings in Orthodoxy?

[Jetavan]

In the Latin Church, 4 October is the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals and ecology. Some parishes bless the animals on or near this day:

At Franciscan churches, a friar with brown robe and white cord often welcomes each animal with a special prayer. As the prayer is offered, the pet is gently sprinkled with holy water. Believe it or not, most pets receive this sacramental spritz with dignity, though I must admit I have seen some cats flatten their ears a bit.

Do Orthodox have a saint who might be considered a patron saint of ecology, and do the Orthodox have any doctrinal or traditional hesitation to blessing animals?

[LizaSymonenko]

We have everything blessed!  Ourselves, our homes, our cars and yes, our animals.

This usually occurs when the priest visits someone's house after Theophany with holy water.  He will bless the home and the people living in it, and then can wonder outside to the barns, the pastures, the fields, etc.

All of nature is created, loved and blessed by God.

[Shanghaiski]

The Holy Martyr Mamas, Sept. 2

Prayers are read for animals on that day. And they can be blessed at any time. Cats, of course, may object to the liberal application of holy water.

[katherineofdixie]

St. Modestos, Dec. 16

I know several churches that have a pet blessing on this day. They make a big day of it, with animal adoptions and welfare organizations etc.

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