US church offers Holy Communion to pets

A church in Connecticut is giving Holy Communion to pets and offering them special worship services.

St Francis Episcopal Church in Stamford says it is part of a new monthly initiative.

The Wall Street Journal reports some clergy are welcoming animals into the flock because of a fall in church attendance numbers.

Some have created pet-friendly worship services, while others have started making house calls for sick animals.

Some priests even accompany pet owners to the vet when the animal is being put to sleep, and others are officiating at pet funerals.

But not all worshippers at St Francis are happy about the presence of the animals. One longtime parishioner sent an email to the church saying his son-in-law suffered an allergy attack because of the animals.

The parishioner also said allowing dogs at the after-church coffee hour could lead to children being bitten.