Pets fill pews for howl-a-long Christmas carol service

By George Mathias

A church hosted a carol service with a twist – with pets lining the pews for a sing-a-long.

The service - called Carols for the animals - was held at St. Botolph without Bishopsgate church in Bishopsgate, London, on December 11.

More than one hundred people attended the service alongside at least 25 pooches - dressed in festive neckerchiefs, Christmas jumpers and antlers.

The service was held in support of the charity International Animal Rescue - which helps to save and protect animals around the world from suffering.

Attendees brought their four-legged friends along to help raise funds for the organization.

St Botolph's is an animal-friendly church and Freddie, the Rector's black Labrador, is often present to help welcome visitors – and howl along to hymns.

The church holds the only annual animal blessing service in London with all animals and their human companions welcome.

The service was attended by Downton Abbey actor Peter Egan, a patron of International Animal Rescue, while musical ensemble The Massive Violins provided music for the carols.

IAR President Alan Knight said: "We're driven by a simple yet powerful goal - to rescue, rehabilitate, and protect animals in need while creating lasting change for wildlife and their habitats.

"Over the years, I've witnessed the incredible resilience of the animals we've saved - from dancing bears in India to critically endangered orangutans in Indonesia, from orphaned howler monkeys in Costa Rica to caged bears in Armenia."