COEUR d'ALENE - Bubba shivered in his owner's arms Saturday morning as he waited for a blessing from Father Roger LaChance.

"You're not going to like me," LaChance said to the timid canine. "I'm going to bless you with holy water."

The gray and white toy poodle remained fairly calm as Katie Flood of Post Falls lovingly held him close. Then the spritz of holy water sent a jolt of surprise through his little body.

"I believe God created all creatures," Flood said. "I believe that he takes care of them, like he takes care of us, and obviously it's true, he's 15 and acts like a pup. I'm a Catholic and I have a very strong faith."

The Kootenai Humane Society's 16th annual Blessing of the Animals took place in the north parking lot of the Humane Society Thrift Shop, where 40 dogs, two goats and one cat received blessings.

The blessings LaChance read from Genesis 1:20-1:28 refer to God creating and blessing Earth's creatures. The annual October ceremony commemorates the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the Roman Catholic Church's patron saint of animals and the environment.

Bonnie Niles-Bush of Coeur d'Alene brought her three-legged, 11-year-old husky-shepherd mix, Waldo, and her Labs Kia, 14, and Squirrel, 3, to be blessed.

"They just play such a big role in my life," Niles-Bush said. "They're like family. You pray for family, and you just want the same kind of blessing for your pets."

She said she hopes to have her canine companions in her life for several more years, especially Kia, who is getting to be older.

"I've been blessed to have her 14 years and I hope to be blessed with more years with her, however short they might be, however few they might be," she said. "So I thought, I do need to have her blessed, just for her."

Sylvester the cat and his human, Tammy Sankey of Coeur d'Alene, attended the blessing for their first time. The 10-year-old, black-and-white American short-haired feline, attached to a leash, rolled on the ground and nuzzled his head into Sankey's legs as she spoke.

"We've been through a lot together and he's always been right there for me," she said. "He's a great guy."

Sankey said she saw an advertisement for the blessing on a bulletin board at Hastings and thought it was appropriate for Sylvester.

"He's been a God's gift to us," she said. "We've had our challenges when he was younger, but he's just a lot different guy now."

Event organizer and KHS volunteer Kathy Goodwin of Coeur d'Alene has been active with coordinating the blessing for three years.

"It means so much to the people and to the animals as well," Goodwin said. "We have a great passion for animals and their welfare. Animals are family for a lot of people. Today, we're blessing the animals, but they bless us each and every day with their loyalty and their unconditional love."