Volunteers Make Blankets For Pets

“That was our first prayer blanket and when I mentioned it to friends, they all wanted to help,” Layne said. “So we started doing it for other people.”

That was the beginning of Pet Prayer Blankets, a non-profit that she founded last August for the purpose of “wrapping pets in love, comfort and prayer while also supporting the families who are going through difficult times.”

The next month, Layne got a dog that 17 hours later gave birth to a premature puppy that weighed just 2.6 ounces and had to be fed with formula soaked on a sponge. She got her own prayer blanket.

The little Chihuahua mix that Layne named Punkin grew to weigh four pounds and became the group’s mascot.

The project caught on fast. There are nearly 1,700 Facebook followers that include about 40 people who make blankets, teams who deliver or ship them, and followers who post pictures and stories about their pets who receive blankets. Sometimes they just want prayers for their sick or dying pets, or to share the sad news of their losses.

So far, volunteers have made 2,300 blankets for shelters, rescues and individuals. One was for a 350-pound pig named Wally, and 110 little hideaways went to a guinea pig rescue. Some blankets are sent out of state, and one went to Ireland.

Before COVID-19 curtailed gatherings, volunteers held monthly socials at the Trafford American Legion. Linda Riley of Unity Township joined in November.

“I love animals and I admire people who get involved in rescue,” she said. “I didn’t feel like I could devote time to rescue, so I saw this as a way to help animals in need and people who had animals who were sick and needed a support network.”

The blankets are made of two layers of fleece fabric, usually one side solid and the other side with patterns. They’re cut to three sizes and fringes are cut around the four sides. There’s no sewing involved and the edges are finished in three different styles. It takes less than an hour to make a small one and about an hour and a half to finish a medium size.

Riley has made nearly 50 blankets.

“This really makes me feel like we are a community,” she said. “I feel like I’m contributing to other pet owners and it gives me peace of mind to know that I’m doing something to help others. I’ve had a lot of animals and I know that the hardest time of being a pet parent is having to make that horrible decision when it’s time to let hem go. That was rough and I would have appreciated a community like this when I needed them.”

Kathy Galembush of Irwin has been involved since the beginning.

“I’m retired and I like to sew,” she said. “I made fleece blankets for some friends with cancer, and I thought I could put my sewing and crafting skills to good use for a good cause.”

Galembush has a Golden Retriever therapy dog named Brandi that she takes to family court at the Westmoreland County Courthouse.

“We really support each other,” she said about the prayer blanket group. “I get a lot of enjoyment bringing somebody comfort, and that has comforted me.”

Pam Wolfe of Hempfield Township received a blanket for her dog Carly, a 12-year-old poodle/beagle mix who has cataracts, hip problems and mobility issues. The blue and white blanket that was delivered within a couple of hours, helps the dog to get comfortable in her bed.