PRAYERFUL PET—Sally Carpenter of Moorpark holds Snuggles, her black cat, for Fr. Steven J. Dean to bless as Kristin Wahlstrom carries holy water on Sunday morning during the Blessing of the Animals at St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church in Simi Valley. Although most of the animals

RANDY THOMSON

Acorn Newspapers attending were dogs, some of whom were howling a bit during the singing, there were also lizards, a few fish, a cockatoo and a desert tortoise named Anchovie. The vicar blessed them all.