Mapping Veterinary Chaplaincy, Animal Chaplaincy, and Interspecies Spiritual Care: Expanding the Boundaries of Chaplaincy Practice

How is spiritual care evolving in response to human–animal relationships? This paper presents findings from a mixed-methods study that maps the emerging multifaceted field of veterinary chaplaincy, animal chaplaincy, and interspecies spiritual care. Drawing on survey and interview data from 43 chaplains and chaplaincy educators in the United States and Canada, this research foregrounds the voices of chaplains working in a wide range of human-animal contexts, including homes, veterinary practices, animal shelters, wildlife sanctuaries, ecological habitats, and religious institutions. These chaplains provide a range of spiritual care interventions, creating rituals for transitioning animals, offering grief support for caregivers, and companioning animal-care professionals experiencing occupational and moral distress. This dialogical session will focus on key insights from the findings: how practitioners prepare for the work and how they sustain their practice.