Susan Thornton Lara has been a pet sitter for the past four years.

Her German shepherd, Milachek, Mila for short, inspired the Penn Hills woman to change her career path during the pandemic. The pup was diagnosed with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, leading Thornton Lara’s family to take extra measures to keep her comfortable.

Regularly making her food 20 minutes before she ate and sprinkling the dish with enzymes to help Mila digest it was worth every bit of extra time Thornton Lara and her family got with the dog.

“Others don’t understand what you’ll do for your pets,” said Thornton Lara, 57.

The experience led the former Allegheny County assessor to start Peace of Mind Pet Sitting. The business cares for pets exactly how their owners would want.

Earlier this year, Thornton Lara’s family grieved Mila’s passing, and she also lost some of her older clients.

Those losses sparked an idea to host a remembrance for deceased pets.

“I thought this was a good way for us to come together — whoever lost a pet — to remember and celebrate their lives,” Thornton Lara said.

She wanted to host it at Penn Forest Natural Burial Park.

During talks with the venue, Penn Forest put Thornton Lara in contact with the Rev. Patricia Brown of Spiritworks. The pair ended up collaborating to host a dual remembrance and blessing service for animals.

“It was Patricia’s idea to add the blessing of the pets for the people who still have pets,” Thornton Lara said. “It worked out perfectly.”

Brown of Wilkinsburg helps Penn Forest with burials and works in bereavement, which is how she was notified about the remembrance. She and Thornton Lara decided on the October date in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of the environment, animals and birds.

“The blessing has two purposes,” Brown said.

The first is to honor and recognize the pets that bring value and love to their owners’ lives. The second is to help owners who are grieving the loss of a pet.

From 2 to 4 p.m. Oct. 6, the community is encouraged to bring their pets or photos of their deceased pets to Penn Forest Natural Burial Park for a blessing and remembrance ceremony.

During the blessing, veterinarians, dog walkers, groomers, shelters and sanctuaries will be recognized for their work with animals. Brown said there will be multiple blessings. One will be offered for animal caretakers, one will be for cats, the next will be for dogs, another will be for all animals that are pets, and the last will be for farm animals in honor of the farm animals at Penn Forest.

During the remembrance, there will be small, heart-shaped stones given out to people who have lost pets, Thornton Lara said. People also will be asked to write their deceased pets’ names on rice paper. The papers will be put on a remembrance wall. The paper will dissolve over time.

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