DOGS of all shapes and sizes were the special guests at a Christmas carol event held in Dublin this week.
Christ Church Cathedral has held its annual Peata Carol Service, which celebrates the work of the local Peata Pet Therapy Service.
Marian Keating with her dog Millicent, who was blessed by Dean Dermot Dunne during the serviceFounded in 1996, the organisation provides a dog visiting scheme where volunteers bring their therapy dogs to caring institutions across the city.
The service took place at Christ Church Cathedral, in DublinThis week those dogs were invited into church to enjoy the carol service held in their honour which was led by the Girl’s Choir.
“Hark! the Herald Angels Sing and Away in a Manger were among the festive favourites enjoyed by dogs of all sizes at the annual carol service, which celebrates the joy pets bring and in particular the gifts that therapy dogs bring to patients and staff they visit in caring institutions,” the United Diocese of Dublin and Glendalough confirmed.
Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, was filled with joyful barking and the uplifting voices of the girl choristers for the annual Peata Therapy Dog Carol ServiceDean Dermot Dunne led the service, during which he paid tribute to the care provided by Peata volunteers throughout the year.
He also thanked the Girl’s Choir for stepping up to perform at the event, with just four weeks to prepare.
The event is held annually in Dublin“We want to build up the Girls’ Choir, they add to the life of the cathedral ,but they also receive the gift of sight reading music,” he said.
Later in the service, Peata chairman Ian Sutton thanked the Dean and cathedral staff for the charity’s invitation to the carol service and the choir for their contribution.
He said that Peata volunteers and their dogs gave up their time each week to visit care institutions. “
Ciara Holaughey pictured with her dog Toby, aged 4“There is no doubt that all the dogs that visit bring such joy to the patients and staff at the units we visit,” he said.
“We all know that feeling of satisfaction afterwards,” he added, before revealing that in 2023 the organisation had added 60 new volunteers and their dogs to their visiting teams.
