While religious views around the world vary, Christianity has traditionally held that animals have no hope of an afterlife. But Pope John Paul II said in 1990 that animals do have souls and are “as near to God as men are”.
The pets that we had to say goodbye to are alive in heaven right now in their spiritual bodies and we will see them again if we accept Jesus as our Savior. Your Pet Is Not Gone Forever.
While the Bible is very specific about the requirements for human salvation, it says nothing about salvation for animals.
Philippians 3:2: “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.” Proverbs 26:11: “As a dog returneth to his vomit, [so] a fool returneth to his folly.” Luke 16:21: “And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.”
Dogs will often reminisce on their beloved owners while they wait in heaven, and we can feel these memories simultaneously. Take comfort in these memory floods as they mean your furry friend is expecting you in heaven, and they are thinking of you and missing you just as much as you are them.
Our departed pets will often visit us after they pass away and send us signs to let us know they are near. A visitation can occur at any time but the most common incidences occur during the night. When we are asleep, our brains relax and we enter into a deep REM (Rapid Eye Movement) state.
While religious views around the world vary, Christianity has traditionally held that animals have no hope of an afterlife. But Pope John Paul II said in 1990 that animals do have souls and are “as near to God as men are”.
Theology and Organized Religions Weigh In on Dogs' Souls
In Judaism and some Christian faiths, humans are believed to be the only living beings to have souls. However, the majority of other religions – most notably Hinduism and Jainism – acknowledge that all living beings have souls – including dogs.
Bible make it clear not only that cruelty to animals is forbidden but also that compassion and mercy to them are demanded of man by God. … In later rabbinic lit- erature … great prominence is also given to demonstrating God's mercy to animals, and to the importance of not causing them pain.”
Isaiah 41:10
This verse reminds those who are Christian that it is God who should be the source of strength, and only He can fully support us. It also reminds pet owners that there is nothing to fear, not even death and that they will get through the intensity of the loss.
The consensus among the Christian denominations seems to be that, as Pope John Paul II said in 1990, animals do have souls. But they don't all agree on whether or not they're welcomed into heaven along with people.
Remember the days of joy and happiness and what you shared with them. Your pet knows that you shared many emotions with them through the years, and it is their wish to say good-bye and thank you for the years of loving care you gave them.
Once you're sure your dog has passed, the next step is to call your veterinarian's office. A vet's office will take your dog's body and either dispose of it for you or store it for you before you have a cremation or burial. They might also know of resources like a pet crematory or a mobile vet service.
“One reason why losing a pet is such a deep loss is because animals' love is so unconditional and accepting,” she said. But it's also because so many aspects of people's lives are impacted. “Every single facet of life is part of the loss,” she explained.
Dogs alter their behavior when they mourn, much like people do: They may become depressed and listless. They may have a decreased appetite and decline to play. They may sleep more than usual and move more slowly, sulking around.
What is definitely clear in Judaism is that dogs do indeed have souls. So it's safe to assume that your dog's soul will ascend to Heaven, or to a similar equivalent, after death, as it is a creature of God and deserves eternal paradise.
It's not unusual for dogs to grieve the loss of a person they've bonded with who is no longer present. While they might not understand the full extent of human absence, dogs do understand the emotional feeling of missing someone who's no longer a part of their daily lives.
Many psychic mediums believe that the souls of dogs and other pets inhabit a world of spirits — an afterlife from which they can communicate with the living world. It's from this spirit world that they're able to leave signs and messages for their grieving owners (which we'll explore in the next section).
Dogs are also found in the underworld as psychopomps, or guides who lead the recently deceased through the paths to the underworld or the place of the dead. The Egyptian god Anubis was depicted as having a canine appearance with the head of a dog or jackal.
The part of the brain that controls emotions in dogs, called the limbic system, is very similar to that of humans. Because of this, scientists generally accept that dogs experience all of the basic emotions that we do, including joy, fear, anger, disgust, love, aggression, anxiety and depression, Dr. Schwartz said.
Tell your pet out loud or quietly in your mind that you would like to feel them near you or get a message from them. Ask for a BIG SIGN! Tell your pet to make it an obvious message from them and tell them that you are open to whatever they send. Trust what comes to you in any form.