Man and his macaw share one final benediction at blessing of animals in Port Angeles

The Rev. Gail Wheatley, right, blesses Karl Besecker's 10-year-old macaw, Beau, during the Blessing of the Animals at the Gateway Center in downtown Port Angeles on Sunday. -- Photo by Chris Tucker/Peninsula PORT ANGELES — Beau, a 10-year-old macaw, danced and weaved happily as 50 voices — punctuated by the occasional bark, yip and meow — sang “All Things Bright and Beautiful,” by Cecil F. Alexander.

Beau was just happy to be out, said Karl Besecker, 54, who was acting as Beau's perch at the annual Blessing of the Animals at The Gateway Center in downtown Port Angeles.

Sunday's outing to the ceremony inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, the 13th century patron saint of animals, was bittersweet for Besecker

‘Hardest things'

 

The blessing would be the last one they would attend together, as Beau will be moving to Oregon while his human companion continues his fight against cancer, Besecker said.

“Letting him go is one of the hardest things I ever had to do,” he said.

Caring for a macaw is a lot of work and takes a lot of space, which Besecker can no longer provide.

Beau, who has lived with Besecker most of his life, will have a new home with a female macaw and a flight cage where he can stretch his wings and possibly become a father.

Blue and gold macaws live 30 to 50 years — and often longer in captivity.

Besecker said he has often been forced to scramble to find someone to care for Beau when he would go in for a checkup during his cancer treatments, then not be allowed to go home before being put in the hospital.

Best interests at heart

 

At this point, it was better to send Beau to find a new owner,

“You have to keep their best interests in mind,” Besecker said.

Beau was among the first animals blessed by the Rev. Gail Wheatley, rector of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church of Port Angeles.

Nearly 50 dogs along with around a dozen cats, a rabbit and a goat waited patiently, owners in tow, to receive their blessings.