I truly believe this! And I look forward to seeing all my past furbabies when I cross over! Cyndi

Yes I do believe they go to heaven. I have alot of cats and dogs that are waiting for me as my husband is with them and also my mom. I still have 3 cats and 3 dogs and I have to go thru this 6 times. My oldest is Maggie she's 13 years old. A mixed lab and my toby he's my baby cat. I saw him the day he was born. He picked me out I didn't. Now he's sick and I'm giving him meds. I really believe there with god, as you know all ceartures belong to him.

I sure hope they do. About 10 days ago I killed a cat in my car. I was driving past a wall when I saw out of the corner of mey eye a black cat jump off it. She hit the side of my car and went under the back wheels. I pulled up, turned round and went back to the place of the incident in case she was still alive and in need of a lethal injection but she must have died instantly. I called at the nearest house to find out if the cat was theirs; it wasn't but they knew the owner. Turns out she was a nursing queen with a litter of three. I guess thee kittens are being hand reared now.

In a twist of irony, my own cat has only recently been under the knife to have cancer removed and is making a good recovery. Doesn't help the fact that I've killed someone's pet though.

If life continues on after the human body dies, I see no reason why the life of a pet just stop at death. They have feelings, understanding and compassion too. What is it they have, if it isn't something like the human soul?

We have had two small dogs. Both lived about 12-14 years. One was mine and one decided she belonged only to my husband. But I am certain that they will share an afterlife with us just as they shared our bed.

My collie-shepherd, Caroline, died yesterday. Something happened earlier in the morning that may be part of Caroline's story. I had gotten up at 5:30, checked on her, and tried to go back to sleep. It was a good hour or more before I succeeded. When I did, I dreamed something complex that I won't even try to sort out, involving a stone wall I was struggling to climb to sit on. When I finally did, I was surprised to find Princeton, my cat, running and splashing in a beautiful, sparkling brook.

I said, "Princeton! What are you doing playing in the water?"

He replied, "I have come from the fire. My days of suffering are over."

I awoke instantly, certain it was Caroline who had spoken to me. When I went downstairs and saw that she was still alive, I thought I might have been wrong. But later I remembered that in cases of terminal illness sometimes the soul is said to leave the body before breathing actually ceases. Caroline was unresponsive, comatose, and her spirit may well have been running and playing in the water, her days of suffering over.

Susan

If there is a heaven for people, then I believe animals are there also. My aunt, who was very religious, once told me that we can't possibly love animals more than their Creator does. That continues to make sense to me.

No... I don't think so. If you believe animals have souls and go to Heaven, wouldn't it be quite murderous to eat them? I love animals - all animals, not just cute ones, the ones we call pets. Billions of animals are raised and slaughtered in horrific industrial conditions every year.

I made the decision to stop eating meat and dairy and to make many other changes in my product consumption because I realized farm animals have the same spark of life that my beloved pets do. I don't think that spark is the same kind of soul that humans have. I thought maybe animals have souls until I was confronted with Dan's death. When Danny was reduced to meat...

Those animals are suffering, and they can't understand why. Just like we can't understand the meaning of our suffering. The caged ape who is repeatedly pricked to make a vaccine cannot know that his suffering has meaning in our world. Likewise, there is a world beyond what we can comprehend in which human suffering has meaning.

But I do not believe a dead cat, dog or the hamburger on your plate possesed the same quality of a soul that our loved ones did. I believe that this life is probably all they get, that their "consciousnesses" are extinguished when they die.

That's why it's so important to me to give them the best life possible, and that's why I try not to contribute to their suffering and death.

PS I truly hope my opinion does not cause further grieving to anyone who has lost a pet. I do not know the answer, just what I believe. And I'm sorry too, I know losing a companion animal can be almost as hard as losing a human.

ctkitty17 -- In my family, we refer to it as "kitty heaven." That is where we say everyone goes when they make their transition, whether they are humans or animals.

When our bodies no longer function, the spark that gives us life goes someplace else. Who can say for sure where it goes?

It comforts us greatly to believe we will see our beloved family members, friends and pets again in "kitty heaven."

Together on this side of life; together beyond the veil.

It has only been a few weeks for you and your husband. It is natural to still grieve. We went through the same thing, and we miss our beloved cat but know we did the right thing for her. I hope your husband comes to realize that euthanasia was the best for your Oscar, keeping him from continued suffering.

I have a story to tell you......I was always seeking the answer to this question
as I have many loved fur kids throughout my life....I was really messed up inside not knowing the answer...I asked a preist this question once and he told me no without a doubt animals do not go to Heaven...I just could not accept this.....
Have you ever had a dream that you knew was not a dream? I had one.....I dreamt I was looking at this beautiful forest, with gorgeous trees, a fallen tree, creeks, lots of green, warm....my fur babies were playing and jumping and young and healthy again.....then I had the strongest sense of Jesus Christs arms surrounding this little patch of Heaven, and He told me in this dream that He was watching over them and we would be reunited in this place when it came my time to cross over.....I had the most loving feeling, my heart was full of joy and love......I know I was given this dream to pass on to you....when our fur babies cross over they wait for us in a Rainbow Bridge.
I get very excited to know they are going to be once again unitd with me at my passing......

To the person who accidently hit the mama cat....I am sorry for your pain. You went back to check on her, you did not leave her. You also saved her babies. The person feeling bad should be the one who in the first place let the mama out of the house....cats do not belong running loose, it is not fair to make them live this hard life, they are here to be loved.

For the person not eating meat....if you do not believe they continue on after death, why do you not eat meat?

Of course. That's what makes it Heaven.

I've been told that they don't because supposedly, animals don't have souls. BUT, who knows that??? I can't believe that God wouldn't have animals in heaven. Animals can love and be sad and are protective and I just can't believe that they wouldn't go to heaven.
Lu

It's something that you would ask, CTKITTY, My brother passed on July 19th.. he had a kitty.. his kitty is 18 years old and just needs shots and maybe some arthritis medicine and grooming, so far. I guess I will have to keep his kitty. I don't know how much time a kitty has in this life, but, 18 years is a long time.. he cries for John, I know he misses him. I'm trying to keep him company and give hime his sweet milk and brush him as often as John did. I worry that he will pass.. if he does, I think we are going to sneak and put "Kitty" with John. By the way, the kitty's name is "Kitty". I hope there is a heaven and maybe the same heaven that people go to..

I asked my pastor this after my sweet little dog of 17 years died and he said that God knows exactly what will make us happy and he cares about what makes us happy - and that he didn't see why animals wouldn't be in heaven. I am a Christian and know that the Bible is silent about this, but then, the Bible is silent about a lot of things. But - knowing how much God loves us and loves what he creates, I agree with my Pastor that animals do go to heaven. I cannot imagine my wonderful Pudge not being there - he had such a great personality.

Jill

The simple answer:

If humans can get into heaven, our animal friends definitely have a spot.

If being loving and compassionate equates having a soul, then I submit that pets are better off than most humans on that regard.

And yes, I firmly believe that our fur babies are waiting on us on the other side. How can it be heaven without them?

My hugs to you on your loss--

I asked my pastor about this once. He replied that with God all things are possible.

Condolences on your loss. I had a cat put to sleep years ago and it is simply gut wrenching. I hope you'll enjoy this story, it's long but worth it :)

A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery. It suddenly dawned on him that he was dead. He remembered dying...and the dog had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them.

After awhile, they came to a high, white stone wall along the side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of the hill it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight. When he was standing before it, he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother of pearl,and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold.

He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side. When he was close enough, he called out "Excuse me sir, where are we?"

"This is Heaven sir," the man answered. "Wow, Would you happen to have some water?", the man asked. "Of course, sir, come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up."

The gate began to open...the man said, "Can my friend," gesturing toward his dog, "come in too?"

The gatekeeper said, "Sorry sir, we don't accept pets."

The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going. After another long walk, and on top of another hill, he came to a dirt road which led through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There also was no fence. As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside leaning against a tree and reading a book.

The traveler said, "Excuse me, do you have any water?"
The man said sure and to come on in. The traveler asked, "How about my friend (dog) can he come in too?"
The gatekeeper said sure.

The traveler then asked what they called this place. The reply was, "This is Heaven". The confused traveler told about the place down the road that claimed to be "Heaven" also.

The gatekeeper said, "Oh you mean that place with all the gold and pearly gates?...Nope...that is HE::!"
To which the traveler replied..."Doesn't it make you mad that they use your name like that?"

To which the gatekeeper replied, "No, I can see how you might think so, but we are just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their BEST FRIEND BEHIND"

Going to heaven=having a soul, so on that basis it would be no. But don't angels lack souls? Maybe pets are angels in disguise. I know I've thought about my pets that way.

For those bible believers,
this is a link to an interesting biblical perspective. I had not read this perspective before and found it interesting.

Here is a link that might be useful: Do animals have souls?

God would not create any being as perfect as an animal, who loves so unconditionally but with such a short life, to not have a continued existance in some way with those who loved and were loved. Of course they will be waiting in heaven for us. I recently had to end the life of my precious cocker due to a 19 month fight with lymphoma. He was the most perfect man and I know I will see him again. It is the only thing that gives me peace.

What about farm animals????

The main reason I believe animals do not go to heaven is because we are killing and consuming them by the billions! If you see every meal you've ever eaten, is that really heaven? And if you don't, but your childhood dog is there, does that even make sense? If given attention and love from birth, farm animals are every bit as capable of displaying affection, emotion and distress as companion animals. Dogs and cats and horses have souls, but pigs, cows and chickens don't??? It's not logical.

CariJo, logic is not very comforting.
If I don't see ReddyGirl, who left here to be hamburger and your leather shoes when she was six months old, it'll be okay.
She was a nice pet, but she had a mission.
I do hope I'll see Gypsy and George again, they were with us as doggie companions for a long, long time.

My Heaven might not be your heaven. The cow who fractured my vertebrae may not be in mine.

Just because animals are eaten doesn't mean that they may not be in the Summerlands. Do you ever thank the animal that you eat? Give thanx for its life sustaining yours? Because a cow was raised for food doesn't mean it doesn't have a spirit. I belive that all animals have spirits and have their own place on the other side. To me it wouldnt be paradise without animals of all kinds there. The idea of heaven is dependant on a persons own veiws, I suppose. Who says heaven is finite either? There is plenty of room for everthing there, surely?
If you eat plants, why, many you consume could grow into being a new plant. Eating meat and eating plants are the same, both are alive, and some things in salad are when you eat them.

I have a coffee cup that has this saying on the side of it -'God forbid that I should go to a heaven that has no horses' If I came across a cup that said the same about dogs or cats, I would have one of those too. In the last week we have had to say goodbye to our 17 yr old cat - Vern, and our 16 yr old dog - Schnook. It was so hard, because we had to take them to the vet and have them put 'to sleep'. Damn!! It sounds so cold when I read it, but then again I remember all to vividly the sound of her (Vern) meowing in pain from under our bed, not able to jump up to 'her spot' but not willing to leave the security. When I made the appointment for her, I still was lying to myself that she might just be sick. But when it came time to take her, we knew ... Then we came home from work and found our dog, Schnook, lying in a puddle of her urine. She had slipped in it, and couldn't get up. After we got her up and cleaned up, she seemed to be o.k. (lying to myself again) Four days later we were back at the Vets. Saying goodbye, ... again. I don't have any proof that animals go to heaven, but then again I don't have any proof that people go to heaven either. I believe ... and I thank God! I couldn't imagine a heaven where those who I loved, and those who loved me, weren't welcome!

YES, they go to heaven! Thanks to the person who posted the Rainbow Bridge poem, I entered this thread with the intention of doing that myself.
Also, I believe that they watch us after they've crossed over, just like our people loved-ones do. I've also been told that if you dream about a deceased pet, as with a person, it means that loved one has come back to visit you, and I believe that with all my heart!
I lost my best friend, Odie Dog, this past June at the age of 14. He had been in declining health also and it was a mercy to him to go, but I was still devastated. The night he left, I dreamed that I could see him, from a distance, walking across a field of the greenest most beautiful grass I've ever seen. It was one of the most vivid dreams I've ever had too, and I believe that he was telling me he was going to the Rainbow Bridge to wait for me. A couple of days after that, and I know this sounds weird but its true, I had something of a vision that I could see him running across the field behind our house, and he looked very happy. This is significant because he was old, and had arthritis and hadn't run across a field in YEARS. I believe that he was telling me not to worry, because he was okay again and was happy.
You will be with your kitty again, have no fear of that!

Here is a link that might be useful: My Odie Dog's Rainbow Bridge

I believe your husbands grief is compounding by the fact that nature did not take it's course. My Kiki girl passed at home, under my bed, on my side, with me awake above her. I dreaded the idea of having to end her life if she had slipped into a coma first. I have a more natural closure although it is still painful. Now my Germ Shep is 11 1/2 and I see his time is short. I fear we will be in your position to end his life before nature can do it. his legs will give out completely and we will have to make a choice. My DH deals with dying patients daily and has a real grip on reality but I know the death of our baby boy will crush him. He has counseled many on ending their treatments and letting nature run it's course. We agree to not interfere with our baby's old age only make it less painful.

I do not know how much medical knowledge you have of your baby's condition. If it is just general maybe it would be better to get more info from vet about what was really going on and what would have occurred if your choice was not made. I pulled lab results and everything. I knew whether her eyes would close or not when she died. I knew that stopping her meds would not cause her to die but her refusing to eat would make her die- will not go into details of that.

I truly believe there is guilt associated with this grief and I do not think assuring him that baby went to heaven is the cure. It will ease his mind and comfort but will not get to the root of the problem.

This is all IMO so please do not take me thoughts personally. I wish you the best in helping yourself and your family.

This is my story. We were lucky enough to have 1 dog and 2 cats who thought we were worthy to care for them. We had to put the dog to sleep 6 years ago. She was 15 years old and had stopped enjoying life. It was hard to make the decision to let her go but I felt that what was best for her outweighed my selfish need to keep her around. She had the sweetest soul and I will love her always. Now for the weird part. Our 2 cats were both strays who must have been dropped off on our road. One found us 18 years ago and the other 8 years ago. The older one was female, very quiet and unassuming. The younger one is male, energetic and demanding. They got along as a rule but the younger one always pestered the older one. She tolerated this for most of her life. Last fall she became ill and we had to make the decision again to do what was best for her. The weekend after she left us I was feeling very sad and in my mind wondered where she was and if she was OK. Basically, I thought if I could have just a sign to know she was still with me. Well wouldn't you know, less than 1/2 hour after I was thinking this, the younger cat showed up at the door, soaking wet after falling in our little pond (which has never happened before). Now some would say this was just a coincidence but I'm convinced this was my sign. It was like she was saying "Here's your sign Mom, I'm here and I'm OK" She was a quiet, unassuming cat but she had spunk. I'm convinced she pushed him in for payback. I laughed the whole time I was giving him a bath.

That's a great story, Linski. I love it. Thanks for sharing!

well, except for a few districts reserved for the terminally narrowminded or the genuinely fearful...the ambassadors of the aminal kingdoms pretty much have the run of the place.

the whole idea that animals lack souls is a particularly christian notion- based around the idea that anything incapable of Tithing can't possibly be deserving of a Diety...

but thankfully, the universe is larger than their minds.

it's bigger than mine- it's even bigger than my imagination, and I can not only see a cat district where the couches are made of thick, thick velvet, and the mice come in various flavors- but I can see a MOUSE heaven where things are made of peanut butter, the cats are all vegans, and their teeth never get too long...or a cockroach heaven, where the humans never clean up, or turn on the lights.

and I'm just one tiny little mind compared to whatever you want to call the Maker of this one tiny little world-but I find the idea of that maker judging any thing by its size or complexity rather than its heart and actions laughable.

so yes, darling-whenver you don't hear the pad of ghostly paws, know that your friend is off fishing with one of my past fur-kin...but of more comfort to your husband might be that yes, Oscar understood- understood that rather than force him to run away, and crawl under some nasty old porch to die, you took him to a place where he could pass warm and safe, knowing that you cared enough for his pain to endure the sacrifice of letting him go.

cats are smarter than we are, like that.

I lost my dog last night. He was twelve years old. His name was Teddy, he was a miniature poodle, and he was run over by a car. I still can't believe it and I would give almost anything to have him back. I loved him so, so much. Most of the replies here have been made to give you relief from your pain and grief, and they have done so for me as well. That is what I was looking for when I came to this page. Relief. Shame on the person who posted to tell you no, animals don't have an afterlife. That person should have just refrained from replying, because this is all meant to assauge grief, not compound it. I don't know who is right, but that doesn't matter. Shame shame shame. I do know that I must believe, in this matter, as I believe in all other aspects. And in all other aspects, I believe that God is a loving god. And in that keeping, and since heaven is supposed to be the most perfect place of perfect happiness, then when I die, Teddy will be there to greet me .
I will see him again. To the person who does not believe animals go on, I am sorry if I have offended you. It is just that, with my pain so fresh, and with my coming here to ease that pain, that is just not something I needed nor wanted to see.

Scarlet, I'm sure Teddy will be there to greet you when you are called home.

A good book on the subject is "Animals and the Afterlife" by Kim Sheridan. Most every book by James Van Praugh, George Anderson and other psychics will contain at least one story of animals in heaven.

CariJo - I believe all animals (all living things actually) have souls. The cows, pigs and chickens all have their purpose here, just as we humans do. If a child is born unloved and in deplorable conditions and dies very young, do you think he/she doesn't have a soul just because he didn't have love or a nice life?

Everything dies, baby,that's a fact
And maybe everything that dies, someday comes back.
(Bruce Springsteen)

I have designed an inspirational picture for the cat lovers who have lost their cats.

Please see it at

www.animalafterlife.4t.com

jk

I agree with the others. You DID do the right thing.

I too had to put my pet to sleep 10 years ago. It was our dog, Yo-Yo, a beautiful warm and loving 16 year old Pekingese.

Towards her last week she couldn't keep any food down. Kept vomitting it out. Being the good dog she was. She would just stand there in her vomit thinking she had done something bad.

She was also backing in pain as she walked. Something inside her was hurting. As dogs usually have a higher threshold for pain. Or so I've heard. Plus, she had arthritis in her hind legs.

We all knew it was her time. So we had to drive her to the vet to do the right thing. At the time I thought it was the hardest thing I had to do (lost my mother a little over 3 weeks ago).

I was sad. Got teary eyed many times. Especially when I was watching TV and saw a show with a pet dog. But in time I did manage to carry on. I do miss her now still. But the hurt I felt in the first year is no longer there. I wonder how long it will take for me to feel the same way about my mother.

Any how, hope you and your husband are doing better these days. Trying to deal with a loss (pet or family member) is a very hard thing to do. It just takes some time. Time doesn't heal like the expression goes...just dulls the pain...to the point where most of us are able to carry on with our lives.

AC

I just found this wonderful thread and have to share a story. I have always had horses. For 28 years a most wonderful Arabian gelding shared my life. He was several times a National Champion, but more importantly my friend. He would not accept another rider, we were as one being. One morning, February 7, 1994 [he would have been 30 yrs. old March 17] he fell between his stall and paddock and had to have help getting up and the vet could find nothing really wrong. I was with him all day, he seemed Ok, not in pain, but kept playing in his water bucket, something he never did. I had to pick up my child from school, so my husband stayed with him. I was about 20 minutes away from home and a feeling came over me, I was so tired, so drained, I needed to stop the truck and lie down on the side of the road, like the life force had gone from me. Of course I could not do that, so picked my son up and on the way home, started crying......didnt know why. When I got home, my dear friend had died of a heart attack, and I found out that it occurred at about the exact time I had felt so strange. I truly believe that I knew the exact moment of his death. I dream of Eskabor sometimes and it is so real......I have lost so many dear pets, both horses and dogs. I believe God loves us and desires our happiness and we will see our loved ones in the beyond and that means ALL our loved ones, both human and animal. I grieve for every animal that I lose, but I still have love to give and there are so many animals who need love that my pain of losing a dear friend is helped by giving love to another. My dear mother, who died in 1974 and adored her father, my Grandpa, has this beautiful saying on his gravestone: "He is returned to thee, O God, and as You have not lost him in giving, so we have not lost him by his return".

While I am not a religous person. I would like to believe that we will see all our love ones in Heaven. Parents, grandparents and pets. A nice thought to hold onto. Sort of makes thinking of our own deaths a easier IMHO (in my humble opinion).

That we will see them soon "but not yet" (words from the movie Gladiator...with Russel Crowe).

Here are my thoughts ....

the Bible tells us the the lamb will lay down with the wolf ....

well if they are there then our pets ought to be also!

matt

Those that say that only "souls" go to heaven and animals dont have souls havent been to my house!! Each of my kids have their own personality. They are shy, happy, confused, hurt feelings, happy etc etc. If they didn't have souls then they wouldn't have those reactions to different situations in their life. My cocker spaniel, we had to put to sleep on July 2nd, is in heaven chasing some squirels (but not catching them) laying in the sun, waiting on me. And if it werent for our other kids then I wouldnt want to wait any longer to get to her. We dont have human children but we have our kids. And I cant stand the thought of eternity without them.
I came into this site because I am not handling her death at all. I have her pics every where. But we had to put her beds away because my other dog isnt doing very well either. Our vet told me not to even say her name for awhile because he is so depressed without her. I know she is happy and she is watching us, and waithing on us. Thank God for the "babies!"

Thank you for the rainbow bridge,our cat Cleo is dying and we are taking her back to the vet tomorrow morning, we took her home today so that my son could have a chance to say goodbye,the words here helped us a great deal thank you and God Bless

I believe animals go to heaven. Where else would these angels go? Meanwhile, as long as we think about them and keep them alive in our hearts and memories then I believe their spirits are still here with us... loving us just as they did when they were physically present.

After both my mother and father passed on, I read everything I could find on near-death experiences, you know people who were actually pronounced dead, were revived and upon consciousness, told of a remarkable journey in another dimension. One of those books told of someone seeing a dog in heaven playing with children. Another ADE told of seeing and hearing a mockingbird. Others told of walking next to a beautiful lake or river with squirrels and deer nearby.

The native Americans believed all animals went to heaven, [the spirit trail] that they were just 2 footers among many 4 footers. They also believed animals had souls like they did, and they prayed before a hunt so the deer or bison would die so the people could live. They believed the deer and bison had souls of equal value as their own and that all animals would find the spirit trail too.

If there is a far greater place for all living, I would think animals, all animals would be there.

I lost my gentle, constant companion, my 16yo purrbaby, last week. A friend sent me this--

ROOM IN YOUR HEART

Sorrow fills a barren space;
you close your eyes and see my face
and think of times I made you laugh,
the love we shared, the bond we had,
the special way I needed you -
the friendship shared by just we two.

The day's too quiet, the world seems older,
the wind blows now a little colder.
You gaze into the empty air
and look for me, but I'm not there -
I'm in heaven and I watch you,
and I see the world around you too.

I see little souls wearing fur,
souls who bark and souls who purr
born unwanted and unloved -
I see all this and more above -
I watch them suffer, I see them cry,
I see them lost, I watch them die.
I see unwanted thousands born -
and when they die, nobody mourns.

These little souls wearing fur
(Some who bark and some who purr)
are castaways who - unlike me -
will never know love or security.
A few short months they starve and roam,
Or caged in shelters - nobody takes home.
They're special too (furballs of pleasure),
filled with love and each one, a treasure.

My pain and suffering came to an end,
so don't cry for me, my person, my friend.
But think of the living -
those souls with fur
(some who bark and some who purr) -
And though our bond can't be broken apart,
make room for another in your home and
your heart.

--- Caro Schubert-James ---
amethyst@nc5.infi.net
alt.support.grief.pet-loss
www page: Poem

I am like you I am not a real religous person, I dont go to church but I do pray, I dont know if you have ever read any of Sylivia Browns books, you can get them at barns and knobles, she has a book I belive its called the after life but it has a big section about animals and how we will see them when we pass. It is very soothing to read this book. I dont know if I belive everything that she writes but she is very intersting and It does put peoples mind at ease

I personally don't believe our pets or other animals go to heaven(or hell?) and the article below pretty much explains why. However,I do think it is OK for one to think that they may be reunited with a beloved pet if it somehow eases the loss they feel for that pet.I always told my kids their pets were in pet heaven,kind of like telling them there's a Santa Clause..........Tigerlil

Here is a link that might be useful: Do our pets go to heaven?

Our Sunday School class compiled a list of questions, this same question was ask of a Bible Scholar, preacher, teacher. His answer was "God only knows" But, Jesus is to come for us ascending from Heaven riding a "horse". There has to be more than the horse in heaven. We are to live our lives as Christ expects us to and go to heaven how else will we know they are there?

To reiterate what matt_in_savannah said in June:

" The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,
And the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little child shall lead them."
Isaiah 11:6

I worked for a vet for a few years and have been present at many "put to sleeps". If the dog or cat is old and failing, they always seem to go peacefully and willingly. It was always sad, but always dignified and they no longer had to suffer. Sometimes it was harder to watch animals whose owners who refused to put their animals down, because the animals were not comfortable anymore. I always felt that it was selfish of the owner to let their pet suffer (we are talking very end stage stuff here, kidney failure, cancer, very old age) when they could let their pet go so peacefully. I have two dogs and two cats and have had many, many animals throughout my life. Having an animal die or having to make the decision to put a loved one to sleep, is never easy and always very, very sad. But if I can give my pet one last gift, it will be to put them to sleep when they are no longer living a quality life. I believe that animals go to heaven, and it will be great to see the dogs and cats from my childhood.

When B'Elanna, my Rottie, was dying I was driving with my husband to go see her. I didn't know she was dying. The vet was trying to call me but of course I wasn't home. I felt like I had been punched in the stomach and started to cry, begging my husband to drive faster. She was still alive when I got there, but only barely. She was attached to every apparatus the hospital had, but still struggling to breathe. When she saw me, she tried to get up but couldn't. I got into the cage with her. She couldn't lick my tears, so I laid down next to her so she could. Then I let her go.

I don't believe in heaven or hell or an afterlife or even god. But I do believe that animals have souls, spirits that live on forever, just like all living things. B'Elanna will always be with me in my heart. Heck it's been almost a year and I'm crying again. I drive by the place where I found her every day, and I can almost see her skinny wagging body waiting for me. That's love, and that's what lives forever.

I know animals are close to us when they die. My father in a delirious state right before his death was seeing my sister's deceased husband and their dog. He told us they were in the room and could't understand why we couldn't see them...they were together. Makes me feel good and the only reason I believe for sure.

Yes, I believe animals go to heaven, God created the animals first.
My daughter would be so happy to find a heaven full of animals, she loved all creatures great and small.
I remember this poem where God was going around all the animals and give them each a name, and this little creature followed him wherever God went, and when God finished naming all the animals the little creature said, " but God, what about me? you haven't given me a name yet? God turned to the creature and said, I turn my own name around and call you dog.
I love that story!!
Martha

Since heaven is supposed to be a perfect place, how could God leave out the animals that make us so happy? I don't believe He does!