A bearded dragon and 16 dogs were not forgotten at St. Michael’s United Methodist Church during a pet blessing Sunday morning as part of its ministry fair.

Jayne Hanson/News-Herald Photo. St. Michael’s United Methodist Church pet minister Sandy Johnson holds an 8-year-old Dachshund named Katie during a pet blessing Sunday as Katie’s owner Jane Messersmith, of Lake Havasu City, helps situate her on Johnson’s lap. A 2-year-old Labrador named Chad, pictured bottom right, lingers to sniff at Katie during her blessing.

The pets are often blessed for specific ailments and are most easily administered on a one-on-one basis, said Sandy Johnson, pet minister at the church. “There was a multitude of (pet health) problems, and people said it was so nice to have the one-on-one blessing.”

Cancer was the leading ailment in the group of pets blessed Sunday.

The church’s pet minister performs duties beyond blessing ailing or rambunctious pets.

“We help people with grief of losing a pet,” Johnson said. Other roles include transporting a pet to be euthanized and then helping the grieving family member make arrangements for the remains. She also helps Hospice patients’ pets find homes too, she said.

The ministry fair consisted of eight booths highlighting the church’s resources. For example, the church has an outreach program called Celebrate Recovery that helps an individual recover from life’s heartbreaks. There’s also an organization set up to collect quilts and shoes for less fortunate people, and Pennies from Heaven benefits missionaries in Africa. The church also has a service that brings communion into nursing homes and a resource for helping veterans’ children.

The show-and-tell ministry fair takes place each October, and the pet blessing takes place once a year, but arrangements can be made on a needed basis.

Johnson also will be available for pet blessing at the fourth annual Pooch Party in the Park set from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 21-22 at London Bridge Beach Park.