PORT ANGELES — Beau, a 10-year-old macaw, danced and weaved happily as 50 voices — punctuated by the occasional bark, yip and meow — sang “All Things Bright and Beautiful,” by Cecil F. Alexander.
Beau was just happy to be out, said Karl Besecker, 54, who was acting as Beau’s perch at the annual Blessing of the Animals at The Gateway Center in downtown Port Angeles.
Sunday’s outing to the ceremony inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, the 13th century patron saint of animals, was bittersweet for Besecker
‘Hardest things’
The blessing would be the last one they would attend together, as Beau will be moving to Oregon while his human companion continues his fight against cancer, Besecker said.
“Letting him go is one of the hardest things I ever had to do,” he said.
Caring for a macaw is a lot of work and takes a lot of space, which Besecker can no longer provide.
Beau, who has lived with Besecker most of his life, will have a new home with a female macaw and a flight cage where he can stretch his wings and possibly become a father.
Blue and gold macaws live 30 to 50 years — and often longer in captivity.
Besecker said he has often been forced to scramble to find someone to care for Beau when he would go in for a checkup during his cancer treatments, then not be allowed to go home before being put in the hospital.
Best interests at heart
At this point, it was better to send Beau to find a new owner,
“You have to keep their best interests in mind,” Besecker said.
Beau was among the first animals blessed by the Rev. Gail Wheatley, rector of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church of Port Angeles.
Nearly 50 dogs along with around a dozen cats, a rabbit and a goat waited patiently, owners in tow, to receive their blessings.
“This is our first goat,” Wheatley said.
Bella, an alpine-pygmy cross, is a common sight in Port Angeles, where her owner, March Quezada, walks her pet.
On each of Bella’s horns is a Jack in the Box antenna-ball head with football helmet — one Oakland Raiders and one St. Louis Rams.
“She just made a new friend,” Quezada said, pointing to a small dog in line to be blessed.
The cats, mostly safely contained in animal carriers, were less impressed with the events of the day.
Feline complaints
“Meoooow,” Harry, a 5-month-old black kitten complained to his owner, Rose Alexander, 11.
“He doesn’t like it,” Alexander said as a friendly Wheaton terrier sniffed at the cage.
The event was remarkably calm, with friendly, well-behaved animals.
Volunteers with the Olympic Peninsula Humane Society attended the event with three adoptable animals: a black Labrador named Pilot and two cats, Cupcake and Sydney.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
