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The AOL pop-up news was pretty grim. Disconsolate after the death of their beloved dog, an elderly couple in southern India took their own lives.

According to the Reuters news service whch reported the deaths, the 67-year-old retired soldier and his 63-year-old wife were found dead in their home in a suburb of Hyderabad a few weeks ago. Police said the childless couple held a burial ceremony for their dog who they had for 13 years and hosted a feast for friends before quietly taking their own lives when the party was over. They left a suicide note describing their grief over the loss of their pet dog.

This is just the kind of thing the Rev. David L. James, a member of The Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement, would like to avoid. It's one of the reasons he has chosen to provide pastoral care for pets and their owners for over 25 years. "Thoughtful appropriate litugies at these sad times include prayers, poems, and eulogies by family members. Services can include Christian, Jewish or non-sectarian readings according to your spiritual wishes," he said from his Mount Kisco office.

Mr. James was an Episcopal priest for a quarter of a century. Following the death of his wife in 2003, he resigned from the Episcopal Church to serve, as he said,"All God's people and creation." As chaplain at Hartsdale cemetery, a well known even world-famous final resting place for cats and dogs as well as other winged, hooved and furred creatures, Mr James guides people of all faiths through the grief of losing their beloved animals. 

Mr. James describes his transformation from traditional minister to officiator of pet funerals as one of those devinely accidental things that sometimes happens in life. People in my parish would ask me to come and say a prayer for their pet at nearby Hartsdale Pet Cemetery and other people would see me there and want to talk to me about animals and God and unconditional love.

He said that having a funeral for an animal is "not silly or frivolous but a meaningful celebration of the life of one of God's creatures."

Mr. James noted that many retired people and widows and widowers have a pet who is their sole companion. It was so devastating to lose their pet that it tugged at my hearstrings and I began to become more attuned to the needs of those who pets are their only companion.

The Rev. Jams makes himself available to the pet's owners at the time of euthanasia, cremation or later for a funeral. " I do this during the week because most animal hospitals and veterinary practices are closed on Sundays.," he said. " I begin the service with an explanation of why we are doing this.. I talk about the rituals we have for the people we lose in our lives that help give us closure, funerals, viewings and wakes,  but we don't have many liturgies for the loss of our pets. We're not as familiar with the closure that many people need when they lose an animal." He added that such ceremonies are especially valuable for children who are frequently having their first introduction to death. "It's a good opportunity to open a discussion," he said.

The service usually begins with Mr. James reading a passage of scripoture from the creation story in Genesis. "We then have a prayer of comfort for the people attending and I provide an opportunity for eulogies. Frequently, people tell stories or offer little vignettes about their pet."

Lastly he reads the 23rd Psalm, which he said, is everyone's favorite Psalm and likens us to sheep with God as the good shepherd. Then depending if it is a dog, cat or bird, he reads appropriate poems about the species. Finally, if it is a Christian funeral he leads the people with the "Our Father' and concludes with a blessing. The entire service takes about 15 minutes and costs $100.

Services for all police, military and Seeing Eye dogs or performed at no charge. "For most people," he said, "there is a special place in our hearts for service animals who help the blind, disabled and who are so faithful to the humans who depend on them." Rev. James also provides grief counseling at no charge, frequently from people on the phone who call him from around the country.

The question of whether or not animals have souls and if there is an after-life for them is something Mr. James tries to address on his website, www.petrev.com. "The Bible doesn't tell us if our pets go to heaven or not but it does have words of comfort for those who love animals," he said. "The Bible tells us that animals are important to God who created every living creature in the sea, in the air and on the land and called them good."

"In the story of Noah and the flood, God chose to save the animals as well as the people," Mr. James reminded. "We are told that God makes covenants with the creatures and gave instruction for the care of animals in the law of Moses. God even allowed the law to be broken to save an animal in trouble. God entrusted the care of beasts to human beings but God still owns them and cares for them."

When he's not doing pet funerals Rev. James is busy performing weddings for people who are not being married in a church but want a religious ceremony. "Pet funerals was not something I ever planned on doing, it was just something that happened as I responded to grieving people who needed comfort at the loss of a pet," he said.  Rev. James can be contacted at 914-584-8770, or toll free at 866-574-0510. For more information also see his websites www.petrev.com and www.wedrev.com.