Furry friends of all sizes are invited to the Celebration of the Pets this Saturday, July 25, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Agricultural Hall in West Tisbury.
The main event is the blessing of the pets at 2 p.m., with Rev. Cathlin Baker, Rev. Bill Eddy and Rabbi Caryn Broitman presiding.
The celebration is hosted by the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard and will include hayrides from Chilmark the ox and Clifford the Big Red Dog, a demonstration from dog trainer Jeremy Jones, and a sniffer dog demonstration by Karen Ogden.
It will end with a small parade of the animals and their owners around the Agricultural Hall grounds.
The annual blessing of the pets was started by Greg Orcutt in 2009 at Sunset Lake in Oak Bluffs. It transitioned to the Agricultural Hall three years ago.
Lisa Dawley has been the manager of the animal shelter since it was founded in 2009. She said she always enjoys seeing the assortment of creatures who show up for the blessing.
“I just love that people take the time to come out and get their animals blessed,” she said.
“Any animal is welcome,” Ms. Dawley added. “We’ve had guinea pigs, frogs, lizards, sheep and horses, as well as all the cats and dogs.”
Ms. Dawley said the celebration is a good opportunity to bring everybody together.
“We’re looking forward to it. It’s our thank you to the community for all their support.”
This article appears in July 24, 2026.