Any Complete prayers below are, in accordance with my own Faith, taken from Eastern Orthodox Christian sources, except where otherwise noted.
While there is some discussion and debate in Orthodox Circles regarding whether blessing of pets and Companion Animals is proper, there are multiple blessings for bees alone in the great book of needs, and we must remember that the greatest rule of our faith is love for all of God’s creatures. (for more on the Blessings for Bees, check out this retired priest’s blog: https://frted.wordpress.com/2013/07/08/the-blessing-of-the-bees/ )
Attributed to Saint Basil the Great, two prayers:
1. The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof.
O God, enlarge within us the sense of fellowship with all living things, our brothers the animals to whom Thou gavest the earth as their home in common with us.
We remember with shame that in the past we have exercised the high dominion of man with ruthless cruelty so that the voice of the earth, which should have gone up to Thee in song has been a groan of travail.
May we realize that they live not for us alone, but for themselves and for Thee and that they love the sweetness of life even as we, and serve Thee better in their place than we in ours.
2. For those, O Lord, the humble beasts, that bear with us the burden and heat of day, and offer their guileless lives for the well-being of mankind; and for the wild creatures, whom Thou hast made wise, strong, and beautiful, we supplicate for them Thy great tenderness of heart, for Thou hast promised to save both man and beast, and great is Thy loving kindness, O Master, Saviour of the world.
A PRAYER FOR SICK ANIMALS
From the book “Prayerbook of the Early Christians” (Amazon link):
Lord Jesus Christ, our God, you are strong and majestic, and carry in your hand the power of life and death. You alone are the salvation of both humans and beasts. Hear us graciously who call upon you in this time of need, for we bow down before you with humility and in sorrow of heart. In your time on earth you were sheltered by ox and donkey, you rode into Jerusalem on a young foal, and told your disciples that the birds of the air were protected by your Father’s holy providence. Look down now upon this sick creature that has been brought low because of its infirmities. By the power of your life-giving blessing, heal it and calm its sickness. Drive away from it all that is evil and restore it to health. We ask your mercy through the prayers of your Most Holy Mother, the Ever-Virgin Mary, by the power of your holy cross . . .
+ Make the sign of the cross over the sick animal, and gently lay your hands upon it if possible. +
through the prayers of your saints who through the ages have delighted in mediating your grace of healing to the church: saints Cosmas and Damian, Cyrus and John, Panteleimon and all your saints.
For you are the Giver of our Life, and you are the salvation of both humans and beasts, and to you we ascribe glory:
+ to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer at the death of companion animals
(this and the next few prayers are taken from this site which is under the patronage of Metropolitan Kallistos Ware)
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3)
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Holy God, everything that has breath praises You both in this world and the next. In Your all-encompassing mercy, O God, we now commit the life of this our beloved friend and companion (name) to eternal fellowship with You.
Create within us a spirit of gratitude for the life of (name) Give rest, O God, to (name) who lived among us and gave us freely of (his/her) love.
Holy Father, Your Son Jesus Christ taught us that not one sparrow is forgotten in Your sight; We ask therefore for You to provide a place of green pasture where (his/her) praises will be heard in Your presence and where (he/she) shall be free from suffering and pain.
God our Creator, hear our prayer:
Glory to You, O Christ our God, the origin and destiny of all living things;
Glory to You, O Christ our God, Who bears the wounds of all suffering;
Glory to You, O Christ our God, Who transforms suffering into joy.
You are the God who creates and the God who reconciles and redeems all creation.
Glory to You, O Christ our God and Saviour of the Universe: in Christ shall all be made alive.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3)
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayer of St. Tryphon
(for the excorcism of Nuisance animals from the demons which cause them to cause nuisance: )
Most-glorious Martyr of Christ, and soldier of the heavenly King, Tryphon most-blessed, namesake of the eternal sustenance, who bravely confessed Christ upon the earth, and for this ever receives unfading blessedness in the Heavens, and with boldness stands before the throne of the three-sun Godhead. Your martyrical greatness we take refuge in after God, all of us sinners and your unworthy servants, and we entreat your sympathetic and Christ-imitating philanthropy, that, having compassion upon us who are in danger and trouble, you may drive far from our fields and gardens and vineyards, all reptiles, and locusts, and caterpillars, and various species of insects and beasts, the diseases of fruit and leaves and roots of trees, and all vegetables and seeds and legumes of ours. For to you was granted this special and unique grace, O great champion, by our Savior Jesus Christ. Not only while still living, through your God-pleasing life, but more so now after your death through martyrdom and through blood, confessed Him and persevered for the faith.
Yes, we confess that through our sins, we have been delivered up to these such sorrows, and we have fallen under God’s anger, but you O brave Champion, only desiring your martyrical boldness is needed; we believe that easily you extinguish the ban against us by God and transform our faintheartedness into good-heartedness. Therefore, because of our sins, we have no boldness to stand before your champion-like glory, and immediately have you make intercession, therefore we place your blood, which you O all-famed one shed for Christ as our intercessor instead, and the martyrical struggles which you endured in your most-suffering body. Look down, therefore, O most-compassionate Martyr, upon these, for you confessed Christ and received the unfading crown of martyrdom, and hearken to the prayer from your humble supplicants, and deliver from the present dangers of reptiles and locusts and beasts and various vermin, of those that ruin the fruits of our fields and vineyards and gardens. For we are in danger by them of starvation and death and being left utterly desolate, if it were not for your compassions speedily granted to all of us, that through your ready protection, driving away the coming danger, we may ceaselessly and necessarily magnify your name, our saviour and benefactor and helper whom we ascribe after God, and through you we glorify the common Master, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is glorified on earth and in Heaven. To Whom belongs all glory, honour and worship, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The Prayer of St. Mamas
Behold, I, the sinner and lowest one Mamas, dwelling in the mountains, and through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ milked deer and made cheese, distributing to the poor, and walking through the mountains and caves until my death. There when I was passing through, approached John and Philotheos, who entreated me saying: “The wrath of the devil has fallen upon our flocks and herdsmen and are dying terribly. We pray you, O Saint of God, pray for them, that they might be healed from every evil, in memory of the age to come, and to the glory of God.” I then said to them: “My spiritual brothers, I am a sinner, and God does not listen to sinners.” But they persisted in entreating me. Hearkening, then, to their prayers, I pray to the Lord, saying:
I call upon You, our Lord Jesus Christ, the true God, Who descended from the Father’s bosom, and was incarnate of the Holy Theotokos, and Ever-virgin Mary, willingly enduring the Cross and death, and rose on the third day, granting life to the race of mortals. Hearken to me the sinner, and your unworthy servant Mamas, and all those whose spirits are spent and who are in great trouble, who call upon Your name. O Lord our God, remember the name of Your servant Mamas and do not allow their flocks or the herds of their animals to be afflicted by diabolical influence or any other sickness.
Yes, O Lord our God, Who made the heaven and the earth, and Whose Word grants all things towards salvation to our people, do not neglect this my prayer, from Your humble and lowest servant; but hearken to me, O Lord Who loves mankind, and this my prayer when read, whether at a flock, or oxen, or mules. Do not let sickness or other temptation come close to these animals, that being always guarded by You, we might offer up glory and worship to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
“BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS” PRAYER
O Lord Jesus Christ our God, compassionate and all-good, Who fashioned in wisdom both the invisible and the visible creation; Who pour your mercies upon everything that has been made by You; Who, in Your loving providence, provide for all Your creatures, from the first to the last; hear my prayer and drive away and banish every injury and illness from all these cattle (or pets, sheep, horses or other animals), which are being used for the livelihood of your servants), [name(s)]. Yes,Lord, look down from Your holy dwelling place and bless all these animals, as you blessed the flocks of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and of all Your faithful servants. Multiply them, grant them health, strength and productivity; render them robust and successful in the various services which they render so that their owners, having derived abundant benefits from them, may engage in all good works which are pleasing to You, and may glorify on earth Your Holy Name, of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Blessing for Animal Welfare Staff and Sanctuaries
Blessed is our God, always now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and God saw that everything He made was very good.
Almighty God we come together to thank you for the beauty and glory of your creation; to acknowledge our responsibility to animals and for our use of the created world.
Let us pray with the whole Church for all those who struggle against the abuse of animals and for the strengthening of compassion in our hearts. Give those who work in this sanctuary the strength to continue to rescue and care for your creatures abused by others.
We also pray for the animals in this shelter who were abandoned and abused; neglected and ill-treated.
Holy God, your mercies are all over the earth, bless the creatures in this sanctuary and those that care for them and help us delight in the works of your hands.
Blessed before you O God, are those who struggle for peace and harmony in your creation. Strengthen their endeavours by the power of your Holy Spirit and may the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be upon them.
O Creator and author of all things, giver of all spiritual graces and bestower of eternal salvation, send down your Holy Spirit with a blessing from upon high for this animal sanctuary that, fortified by the might of your heavenly protection, it may fulfil its promises to the animals of [Cyprus] and all who make use of it.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord, we in turn, send You our praises and love, both now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen
St. Modestos’ Prayer for Animals
Lord Jesus Christ my God, Who are merciful and All-good, Who in wisdom created every visible and invisible creature, Who pours out His compassions upon all that He created, Who through Your all-good Providence foresees and troubles over for all Your creatures: bodiless, physical, rational, irrational, soul-bearing, soulless, from the first to the last. For nothing is not foreseen by You, neither is anything abandoned by You, the Creator and Foreseer of all. For You are He Who opens His hand and fills all living things with goodness. You are He Who makes grass to grow for the cattle, and green herb for the service of men. You are He Who once, through the herd of Israel, preserved them from above from the fatal wound of the first-born of the Egyptians. You are He Who, through the compassion of Your Incarnation, deposed he who had the might of death: that is, the devil, and by Your death, You put death to death. You are He Who, through myself, Your unworthy servant, puts to death the serpent, that Your spring of water might not be corrupted. Those that drink from it, both the living and the dead, through Your life-giving power, You resurrect. And if a demon draws near to it, and prepares to make itself apparent, seize it, that it might never dare to approach the place in which, I the sinner, call upon Your name. To You, therefore, I pray, O All-good Master and Creator of all, and I entreat You, the cause of all life, hearken to this my entreaty, and drive away every fatal sickness and danger from the oxen, horses, donkeys, mules, sheep, goats, bees, and any other animals in true need to the life of Your servants who call upon You, the giver of every good, and of my name.
And grant, O Lord, to all those who celebrate my name, and with faith hasten to my relics, permanent peace, multiplication of animals, uncorrupted wheat, wine and oil, and above all, remission of sins, health of bodies, and eternal salvation of souls. Yes, O Lord Jesus Christ, for the descendants from Your very loins, grant compassion on the suffering animals, whose herd is being afflicted by the sickle of death. And not having any word besides bleating and bitter and random noises, in Your mercy, take away their passion and suffering. For if You even call rational beings to this sympathy: “A righteous man has compassion upon his animals,” as is written, how much more do You show compassion on these, Who are their Creator and Foreseer? For You, O compassionate, preserved the animals in the Ark, as Your goodness and compassions won out. That by the wellness and multiplication of the oxen, and the remaining four-legged animals, the earth might be worked, and fruit might be harvested, and Your servants who call upon my name might be preserved without any corruption and partake of their very harvest. And that these, having all things that are necessary, might be increased in every good work, and glorify You, Who grants every good thing. And grant me also, Your servant and most-fervent entreater, the honour of Your all-governing Kingdom, for to You belong all glory, honour and worship, with Your beginning-less Father, and Your All-Holy and good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
And from another source, an abbreviated version of the Above:
Prayer of Saint Modestus of Jerusalem for Animals
O Lord Jesus Christ our God, compassionate and all-good, Who fashioned in wisdom both the invisible and visible creation, Who pour your Mercies upon everything that has been made by you; Who, in Your loving providence, provide for all Your creatures, from the first to the last; hear my prayer and drive away and banish every injury and illness from all these animals which are being enjoyed by your servants. {names of all the animals being blessed}
Yes Lord, look down from Your holy swelling place and bless all these animals, as you blessed the flock of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and of all Your faithful servants. Multiply them, grant them health, strength and productivity; render them robust and successful in the various services which they render so that their owners, having derived abundant benefits from them, may engage in all good works which are pleasing to You, and may glorify on earth Your Holy Name, of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
And lastly, to any and all grieving the loss of a dog, I wish to refer to the opinion of Father Stephen Freeman, in the below post, that all dogs do in fact go to heaven, according to Orthodox Theology. So focus on your own salvation in the hopes to be united in eternity with your beloved dogs, they lived a life of prayer as mortal Icons for your sake.
https://blogs.ancientfaith.com/glory2godforallthings/2012/05/02/all-dogs-go-to-heaven/