
LOIS KINDLE PHOTO
The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the St. Andrew Presbyterian Church Pet Memorial Garden officially opens the site to the public. The garden is open 24/7, 365 days a year.
St. Andrew opens Pet Memorial Garden for community use
By LOIS KINDLE

Carolyn Krauss, of Kings Point, seen here with her 10-year-old Norwich terrier, Jack, was thoroughly impressed with the Pet Memorial Garden, calling it a “wonderful gift to the community.”
St. Andrew Presbyterian Church is known throughout the community for its love of pets. The Rev. Mark Salmon, its pastor, introduced annual pet blessings when he came to the church from north Texas seven years ago.

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St. Andrew’s Pet Memorial Garden has a large gazebo for residents to sit and reminisce about their deceased pets. Statues of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, are placed here and throughout the site.
On Aug. 18, he and his congregation took things a step further by celebrating the opening of a memorial garden for pets dedicated for use by area residents. The event was preceded by a special pet blessing attended by an estimated crowd of 100 owners and pets.
“In ministry, you go where the pain is,” Salmon said. “We recognize how important pets are to people, and that losing one is like losing a member of the family, a best friend,” Salmon said. “We saw this memorial garden as a way to comfort them at a time when they are deeply hurting. It’s a gift to the community.”
The 30 foot by 64 foot, pleasantly shaded site on the church property wasn’t being used, and it’s now a free repository for the ashes of deceased, beloved pets. Available to Sun City Center residents and those in surrounding communities, church membership isn’t required.
The Pet Memorial Garden is open 24/7, 365 days a year. Appointments for the dispersal or burial of ashes is not required, and folks can visit at any time. Containers and markers are not permitted. A free certificate showing the resting place of any pet’s ashes is available from the church office, if desired, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The garden site is nicely landscaped and maintained by the church and includes a meditation gazebo. Statues of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, are placed throughout. It’s a lovely, peaceful place for pets to lay in rest and for their owners to reminisce.
Monetary donations to help with its upkeep or pet food donations for the Mary Petro Food Pantry are greatly appreciated, but not required.
“This a wonderful gift to the community,” said Kings Point resident Carolyn Krauss, owner of Jack, a 10-year-old Norwich terrier. “You have such a sense of peace just being here.”
Krauss, a nonmember of the church, said she currently has the ashes of three dogs and a cat in her garage for lack of a suitable place to lay them to rest. Now she’s considering taking them to St. Andrew’s Pet Memorial Garden, she said.
St. Andrew Presbyterian Church and its Pet Memorial Garden is at 1239 W. Del Webb Blvd., Sun City Center. For more information, call 813-634-1252.

Kings Point resident Beverly Murphy watches her rescued schnauzer/poodle mix, Lily, 4, as the Rev. Mark Salmon asks for God’s blessing.

Pet Blessing attendees begin lining up at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church to have their dogs, cats and even a sugar glider prayed over Aug. 18 during a special pet blessing event, held for the first time inside the church hall.

Pastor Mark Salmon, of St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, pets Cam McGary’s 3-year-old Maltese, Callie, during a special pet blessing event held prior to the opening of the new Pet Memorial Garden.

St. Andrew Presbyterian Church Pastor Mark Salmon says a few words before cutting the ribbon to open the community’s Pet Memorial Garden last Saturday.