St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church in Whitemarsh, Pennsylvania, has expanded its animal ministry by launching the Animal Cabin, a respite space for shelter, rescue and foster dogs on the parish’s 42-acre campus.
Thousands of stray animals enter shelters throughout the Philadelphia area annually. In 2025, ACCT Philly, the city’s only open intake animal shelter, recorded more than 20,000 intakes. Shelters can be stressful for animals because they are confined to loud, crowded spaces, which often triggers anxiety and behavioral issues. Through this designated quiet space, the ministry aims to give these animals a chance to exercise and spend more time outdoors while they wait to be adopted into their “furever” homes.
“The power of being around animals and the love they bring, it’s a gift that I can’t even put into words,” Jennifer Tucker, the Diocese of Pennsylvania’s canon for communications and a chaplain for veterinarians, previously told Episcopal News Service. Tucker also serves on a Philadelphia pet shelter’s board and helps run both the diocese’s and St. Thomas’ animal ministries. To read more, click here
