Several churches in the area recently held special services for blessing the animals in conjunction with the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. Father Paul Elliott of St. Andrew’s in the Pines Episcopal Church in Peachtree City blessed more than 15 dogs and one cat. In the photo at left, he is blessing his own dog, Gus, as his daughter, Susan, and wife, Elizabeth, watch. In the photo at right, the Rev. Scott Pickering of Hopewell United Methodist Church in Tyrone blesses Casey, a dog owned by the Eichholtz family, as Ike Eichholtz and his grandson, River Colvin, observe. Churches reported good turnouts for the event. Photos/Special.