Pets and the afterlife....

So I lost one of my boxers last week.
Without going into a whole thing about it, I was very upset.

I know most pet owners know about the "rainbo bridge" poem.

I do believe in God, and some sort of heaven, whether it is a cloud city or your favorite place to be..

I started thinking about all of this and am still thinking about it. I guess I am looking for something to make me feel better that she is somewhere right now, not just dead and buried.

I started doing a google search on the rainbo bridge poem, but kept coming up with nothing other than it is a poem, and not much more than that.

I then started googling doggie heaven, pet afterlife, etc. etc. I came up with a few stories of NDE's and people seeing their old pets.

Of course the church will tell you that dogs have no souls, which I dont believe and cant believe. The way I see it is, if God put a specific animal in your life, like my Jada, that would make a huge impact on you, why would he not let her be with you in the afterlife?
But then you will open the can of worms with right wing people, "what about insects, do they go to heaven..." and so forth. I am not looking for that type of discussion.

Has anyone done any research or have any experience with pets in the after life?

Oh, and I did do a search here as well. I know there has to be a post on this somewhere, but I could not find one.

Edit: by the way, if this is the wrong forum, I apologize. Please feel free to move

[edit on 23-2-2010 by lardo5150]

I have had lots of pets die, and no afterlife nope unfortunately they are just plain all dead

How do you define heaven?

In MY heaven, everyone and everything I ever connected with will be present. And if heaven is supposedly paradise, and my only paradise will include my lost pets, then one day we will be reunited.

I understand your pain. It's very difficult to lose a pet; we really form strong relationships and bonds with them. Unfortunantly, I don't have any research or statistics to back up the claim that pets will be in the afterlife, although I have heard of ghost animals.

Best wishes to you.

Originally posted by smyleegrl
How do you define heaven?

In MY heaven, everyone and everything I ever connected with will be present. And if heaven is supposedly paradise, and my only paradise will include my lost pets, then one day we will be reunited.

I agree. I dont believe in the "cloud city".

I always told my wife that my heaven would be a beach in Cabo
I thought I had watched one of those "ghost hunter" shows where there was a ghost dog, but cant remember. Will have to search for that later on tonight.

When I was around 10, our family's pure bred pitbull died.

A couple months after his death, he visited me in a dream. In the dream,we were on our favorite rock cliff overlooking the ocean, and my doggie said everything is okay and that he is doing fine. It was like a final farewell. He has not appeared in my dreams since and I believe he is at peace.

I hope this helps you with your search for answers with pets and the afterlife.

Last year, on valentines day, my dog died, she was the closest i had ever been to any pet, and we had a strong bond. I still dream about her, and my dreams are extremely vivid and realistic. And always in my dream, i think, wow you're still here, awesome!

Of course, it could just be all in my head, you know, just the leftover neurons that she is programmed into, firing off. It's just dreams. If there's more to dreams then what we know, then perhaps she still exists in that other dimension and can visit me. Part of me still believes that possibly, dreams can sometimes connect to other realms. We just can't really prove it, or truly understand it. Or maybe not, maybe it's just all chemicals. Same for the afterlife.

I guess if you believe in heaven, then absolutely, your pet is there waiting for you. Why the hell not?

Sorry about your dog. A dog is truly man’s best friend.

My wife has had two experiences of the cat astrally projecting to visit her when she is away. In both cases she felt a presence and a her characteristic purring.

It isn’t only the church that teaches that animals have no souls western occultists also believe a similar thing. Yet pets show such different characters. Two puppies can show different temperaments and likes.

Sorry for your loss and understand your grief. Dogs or pets are really just like (and sometimes better than) famly members in my opinion. And dogs are far more worthy of love than many humans I've met.

I recall a line from the bible (christian), that the lion shall lay down with the lamb. Perhaps more than metaphorical. So what do Christians really believe? They are so hypocrytical.

Dog spelled backwards = GOD!

Originally posted by brilab45


Dog spelled backwards = GOD!

LOL, you have no idea how many times I saw that when I was googling this past weekend. That was a reoccuring them I saw.

as a Bible scholar I will tell you some bad news and then some great news. The bad news is that your dog is dead and no longer exists. I am terribly sorry about your loss. It is a natural thing that we create bonds and relationships. We were made to be this way because God is this way. The great news is that I believe there will be animals in Heaven. The LORD says that he will create and new Heavens and a new Earth. Alot of people overlook this part. It will be an Earth just like this one only perfect. There will be animals there and I think they will be able to talk with us. But the best part about the new creation is not animals or that it will be perfect. The best part is that God will be there. He will not have to hide his face from us any longer because we will be perfect. That should be great news for you. I hope that it encourages you.

Sorry to hear about your loss. My oldest boxer Jack is dying of lymphoma. The doctor gave him 2-3 months to live. That was 2 months ago. As for the afterlife thing, I do believe they live on. About 2 years ago my mother was in her therapists office in the waiting room. A woman sitting across from her said "can I ask you a question?" My mom said "sure." The woman asked " Have you ever had a big brown dog?" My mom was shocked and said "yes I have two of them." The lady replied "No, I mean one that has passed." We did have another boxer named Deuce that had passed on a few years prior. My mom said "Yes" And the woman said that his name started with a D, and hes sitting right next to you. While I would have freaked out, My mom said she started to tear up and felt really at peace when she said that. My mom was VERY close to that dog and the loss was very hard for her.

I lost my kitty soul mate a few years ago in a horrific way, and it scarred me for months bordering years (it's a long story). Anyway, I do have a bit of advice. Instead of google, try looking through Amazon.com. There are several books on animals ghosts as well as "bereavement guides" and such that focus on our animals. You might also consider seeking out a pet lovers support group, just to have a safe place where you can express the emotions inside w/o people saying "she (he's) just an animal".

As my baby died suddenly and needlessly, I found a small amount of solace by asking a friend to perform a ritual to Freya (a goddess associated strongly with cats) to protect her and give her a place to be until I could meet up with her again. DO I really believe in this stuff? Not really, but there is a small psychological effect of just doing something. And you never know....

Other ways of helping deal with this type of loss are planting a tree using a small amount of the ashes to tend and watch grow, and creating a small alter with photo's etc just to give the part that misses her/him so much a way to symbolically connect. This can be taken to far and you will eventually have to take this down, but in the immediate aftermath, it can help.

Lastly, after months of hysterical grief at the string of events that led to her untimely loss, I finally came down to this. No matter what, their lives are to short. But really, we all have the same amount of time, i.e. the time we are given. Once it's over, the actual span is unimportant, but the ratio of sadness and joy IS. Then I slowly began to realize just how lucky both she and I were. She for living the vast amount of her life deeply loved and taken care of, and me for having had such a profound emotional connection to an animal. How many animals die each year never achieving that simple thing? And how many humans will never have the joy of a true and deep understanding and interconnection to our furry friends?

At least for me, when I started to re frame the experience as one of joy and luck rather than misery and loss, it allowed the grief process to proceed. To your original question, I don't necessarily believe in heaven, but she and my childhoods dogs better freaking be there if there is one. We are animals, they are animals, we all have the same basic emotional make up (the limbic system). It's all of us or none of us. And if it's none we won't know, and if it's all of us we will meet up again.

My deepest sympathies. Your baby obviously had a charmed life to have been as loved as she was by you. Would that we all, big and small, got to live our lives in such love.

I lost my kitty soul mate a few years ago in a horrific way, and it scarred me for months bordering years (it's a long story). Anyway, I do have a bit of advice. Instead of google, try looking through Amazon.com. There are several books on animals ghosts as well as "bereavement guides" and such that focus on our animals. You might also consider seeking out a pet lovers support group, just to have a safe place where you can express the emotions inside w/o people saying "she (he's) just an animal".

As my baby died suddenly and needlessly, I found a small amount of solace by asking a friend to perform a ritual to Freya (a goddess associated strongly with cats) to protect her and give her a place to be until I could meet up with her again. DO I really believe in this stuff? Not really, but there is a small psychological effect of just doing something. And you never know....

Other ways of helping deal with this type of loss are planting a tree using a small amount of the ashes to tend and watch grow, and creating a small alter with photo's etc just to give the part that misses her/him so much a way to symbolically connect. This can be taken to far and you will eventually have to take this down, but in the immediate aftermath, it can help.

Lastly, after months of hysterical grief at the string of events that led to her untimely loss, I finally came down to this. No matter what, their lives are to short. But really, we all have the same amount of time, i.e. the time we are given. Once it's over, the actual span is unimportant, but the ratio of sadness and joy IS. Then I slowly began to realize just how lucky both she and I were. She for living the vast amount of her life deeply loved and taken care of, and me for having had such a profound emotional connection to an animal. How many animals die each year never achieving that simple thing? And how many humans will never have the joy of a true and deep understanding and interconnection to our furry friends?

At least for me, when I started to re frame the experience as one of joy and luck rather than misery and loss, it allowed the grief process to proceed. To your original question, I don't necessarily believe in heaven, but she and my childhoods dogs better freaking be there if there is one. We are animals, they are animals, we all have the same basic emotional make up (the limbic system). It's all of us or none of us. And if it's none we won't know, and if it's all of us we will meet up again.

My deepest sympathies. Your baby obviously had a charmed life to have been as loved as she was by you. Would that we all, big and small, got to live our lives in such love.

Originally posted by FoundClarity
Sorry to hear about your loss. My oldest boxer Jack is dying of lymphoma. The doctor gave him 2-3 months to live. That was 2 months ago. As for the afterlife thing, I do believe they live on. About 2 years ago my mother was in her therapists office in the waiting room. A woman sitting across from her said "can I ask you a question?" My mom said "sure." The woman asked " Have you ever had a big brown dog?" My mom was shocked and said "yes I have two of them." The lady replied "No, I mean one that has passed." We did have another boxer named Deuce that had passed on a few years prior. My mom said "Yes" And the woman said that his name started with a D, and hes sitting right next to you. While I would have freaked out, My mom said she started to tear up and felt really at peace when she said that. My mom was VERY close to that dog and the loss was very hard for her.

Jada, our boxer, had the same thing. Her lymph nodes in between her hind legs were swollen like apples. We were givin 3 to 4 months, and that is exactly what she made it.
At the end she was peeing a lot and throwing up every 15 minutes. Terrible. Awesome story by the way.

To the bible scholar......
Does the bible actually say that or is that interpretaton. Not being confrontational here at all, just asking. I always wondered where the "animals have no souls" came from.

[edit on 23-2-2010 by lardo5150]

Also keep in mind that there are many other religions around the world that believe in reincarnation. In those belief systems it is understood we incarnate in many different forms. Animals, plants, humans, etc.

I'm scholarly in no religious way, I simply follow my own spiritual intuitions. I'm not religious, nor do I bash christianity. There is wisdom in all religions and animals are part of the theme in many belief systems.

Love is all that exists and is all that is important. Is it not miraculous in itself that a bond can exist interspecies? I thnk its amazing.

I'm a dog lover and no one will ever convince me that they cease to exist after death. Afterall, God gave you that special relationship.

[edit on 23-2-2010 by brilab45]

As a long time christian, I can see no evidence of dogs or cats going to heaven.

As a Long time dog owner (I lost one of mine last Thanksgiving and like anyone having such a friend, it almost broke my heart) I can't help but believe that all dogs go to heaven.
Jesus returns on a horse according to the bible and I believe that paradise where ever that is, will have animals of all kinds, including all our deceased doggies and kitties.

reply to post by trueperspective
Perhaps these animals that we will be able to talk to will be our pets.
Personally, if my beloved dogs that have been my friends and family throughout my life are not there, then I don't think heaven would be a nice place. You see, my dogs loved me unconditionally, and were always glad to see me. Unfortunately, although I believe in God and believe that Jesus is His Son, I don't feel unconditionally loved, not do I feel They are always happy to see me.
Perhaps you need to rethink your stance, and dig a little deeper.

reply to post by lardo5150
I lost my latest pug about three monts ago. I still tear up when I put my key in the door and don't hear her yelping and squealing for me to hurry up, get in the house and throw her toy!
I am so sorry for your loss! (I'm tearing up just thinking about all of us on this thread that have lost our beloved pets/children.
Please accept my condolences.
If my beloved pugs (1973 onward) aren't going to greet me and my wife in heaven, then I'm not real sure I want to be there.

OP, you probably already read this one. But here is an NDE link with a warm story:

www.near-death.com...

The Bible does mention animals being in/on the newly created earth/Heaven after Jesus' return. All excerpts are from the Authorized King James Bible - not a "manmade" rewritten version.
Also, just because the Bible doesn't specifically say that animals will be in Heaven, remember this - the Bible also doesn't mention cats anywhere in the Scriptures - yet they exist, even today. People need to remember that God's ways are not our ways - while the Bible is our letter from God to instruct us on how to live according to His laws, I would imagine that the Bible doesn't tell us everything. Our minds are limited to man's mental knowledge capacity - not God's. What God has allowed us to "know", I'm guessing, in the big scheme of things, probably wouldn't amount to knowledge the size of an ant's lit'l toe.
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In Isiah 65:25 it says:

The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.
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God also spoke to Balaam, through a donkey, in Numbers 22:21-35:

21And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
22And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.
23And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.
24But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
25And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again.
26And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
27And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.
28And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
29And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.
30And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? and he said, Nay.
31Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.
32And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:
33And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.
34And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.
35And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
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Jesus Himself, upon his return, rides on a white horse -
Revelation 19:11-16

11And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
12His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
13And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
14And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
15And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
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And Isiah 43 states:
43:20 The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, [and] rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.
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Genesis 2:7 - 19 .... Both mankind and animals are formed from the ground
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And in Ecclesiastes 3 ..... “God shall judge the righteous and the wicked,
For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”
18 I said in my heart, “Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals.”
19 For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity.
20 All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust.
21 Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth?
22 So I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his heritage.[1] For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?
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Mark 16 says:
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
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AND Revelation is filled with talk of animals - the most infamous being the 4 horses that will play a vital part of the entire process.
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The fourth chapter of Revelation begins with the Apostle John describing his visionary experience of heaven. He describes the scene before him. "I saw a throne standing in heaven, and the One who was sitting on the throne.... Round the throne in a circle I saw twenty-four elders sitting...In the center, grouped round the throne itself, were four animals...The first animal was like a lion, the second like an ox, the third animal had a human face and the fourth animal was like a flying eagle...and day and night they never stopped singing: Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty. Every time the animals glorified and honoured and gave thanks to the One sitting on the throne, the twenty-four elders prostrated themselves before him to worship the One..."(Rev. 4:2-9)
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In Revelation 6 .... animals are described as being given orders from heaven, regarding what will take place on earth.(Rev 6:1-8) And in the seventh chapter, animals, humans, and angels are again pictured worshipping together. "All the angels who were standing in a circle round the throne, surrounding the elders and the four animals, prostrated themselves before the throne and touched the ground with their foreheads, worshipping God." (Rev.7:9-11)
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Animals are to be rested on the Sabbath. (Exodus 20:8-10, 23:12; Deuteronomy 5:12-14) One is forbidden to kill a newborn ox, sheep or goat until it has had at least seven days of warmth and nourishment from its mother. (Leviticus 22:27) The Bible also forbids killing a calf or a lamb with an ox or an ewe on the same day. (Leviticus 22:28) It is a biblical commandment to help an animal in pain, even if it belongs to an enemy. (Exodus 23:5) If one sees an injured animal, it is his duty to help. (Deuteronomy 22:4) One is even promised a long life for not disturbing a mother-bird with her children. (Deuteronomy 22:6-7)