Alexa Nadeau with her dog, Christy, at a monthly service being tried at Christ's Anglican Church in Montreal. (Canadian Press)

A Montreal-area church will offer a monthly service for dogs and their owners as part of a pilot project that hopes to spark further debate on the place of animals in society.

The first "Paws and Pray" service was held earlier this month at Christ Church Beaurepaire in Beaconsfield to coincide with the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals.

Three more monthly services are planned at the Anglican church as part of the pilot project.

Johanne Tassé, president of the Companion Animal Adoption Centre, came up with the idea and said she hopes the concept will spark a debate on the role of animals around us.

"Animals deserve our care and respect," Tassé told the Montreal Gazette. "If we can bring dogs to church, how can we turn around and abuse them?"

"It's a discussion we need to have in society," she said.

The service focused on the special bond of companionship between dog and humans and was attended by about 50 worshippers and 30 canines.

The dogs ranged from a Chihuahua puppy that could fit in the palm of your hand to a 50-kg-plus bulldog. Most of the pets sat in people’s laps, while the bigger ones stood in the aisles.

"It was moving, I got very emotional," Tassé told The Canadian Press, adding that sometimes, however, dogs will be dogs. "I have to admit it was a bit of a zoo. There was a lot of barking."

Dogs get biscuits

The minister, Michael Johnson, conducted a one-hour, full communion service, complete with reading from Scripture.

While parishioners received a communion wafer, dogs were treated to a selection of freshly baked dog biscuits, including peanut butter and garlic, and bowls of water.

Many Anglican churches bless animals once a year, but Johnson said he jumped at the idea when Tasse approached him about trying a monthly service.

"My initial thought? 'This is great,"' he said. "Then my second thought was: 'I better ask the bishop."'

However, unlike annual pet blessings, which are open to all God's creatures, he decided to limit the service to dogs.

"If you can imagine predator and prey in the same room — prey, that's R-E-Y — we thought: 'Let's just make it simple."'

With files from The Canadian Press