With reference to the Mr Winterton's letter (Pet blessings, readers' times, January 7), the calendar dates from the period, in the 1940s and 50s, when the Reverend LJB Snell, father of the explorer, Colonel John Blashford-Snell, and one time Mayor of Hereford, was vicar at Holy Trinity church in the city.

The Reverend Snell pioneered the idea of his parishoners, particulary the children, bringing their pets to church for a blessing. Mr Winterton's picture is clearly an artist's impression, but I do recall horses in the churchyard for the service, one ridden by another clergyman. These annual services attracted a lot of media attention at the time – the American new smagazine, “Life” once sending a reporter and photographer to cover the event.

The Reverend Snell was a great supporter of the RSPCA and his wife ran a small animal rescue shelter at the vicarage. The screeching of a hawk in this shelter was said to have been instrumental in raising an early alarm when Holy Trinity church caught fire in 1958 and may well have saved the building from serious damage.

I think that the services may have ceased when the Reverend Snell left Holy Trinity to be Vicar of Onibury, near Ludlow.

Michael Smith

MALDON

Essex