Dealing with a dead dog

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I’m wondering what everyone on the trad board has to say about dealing with the death of a pet. My dog Shadow is being put down tomorrow, and this gives me a reason to broach this topic. I have a broad understanding of the metaphysical aspects involved. I know about rational vs irrational souls etc, but is it wrong to become attached to a dog to the point where you have to grieve when it dies? How do you grieve? You can’t pray for it, so what do I do?

Of course animals have a place in creation, and it seems reasonable that after the resurrection there will be animals as well, but this just brings to mind the fact that the whole point of the beatific vision is satisfying all desires known and unknown. You’ll be happy looking into the face of God as He truly Is whether or not so-and-so is in heaven with you (assuming I make it). Just wondering.
 
There is no reason to believe that animals will exist in the resurrection. This earth shall pass away, our Lord tells us. Their souls do not continue to exist after their death. No matter how you look at it, a particular animal from this earth will certainly not exist in heaven.

Considering grieving, I would say that it seems to be an attachment to creatures, something we should avoid. That being said, it seems natural to have some inclination towards “man’s best friend.” As far as a means to grieve… perhaps consider buying another dog?
 
If you are sad, grieve. It is not a sin.

CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH states:
2415 The seventh commandment enjoins respect for the integrity of creation. Animals, like plants and inanimate beings, are by nature destined for the common good of past, present, and future humanity.195 Use of the mineral, vegetable, and animal resources of the universe cannot be divorced from respect for moral imperatives. Man’s dominion over inanimate and other living beings granted by the Creator is not absolute; it is limited by concern for the quality of life of his neighbor, including generations to come; it requires a religious respect for the integrity of creation.
2416 Animals are God’s creatures. He surrounds them with his providential care. By their mere existence they bless him and give him glory.197 Thus men owe them kindness. We should recall the gentleness with which saints like St. Francis of Assisi or St. Philip Neri treated animals.
2417 God entrusted animals to the stewardship of those whom he created in his own image.198 Hence it is legitimate to use animals for food and clothing. They may be domesticated to help man in his work and leisure…
2418 It is contrary to human dignity to cause animals to suffer or die needlessly. It is likewise unworthy to spend money on them that should as a priority go to the relief of human misery. One can love animals; one should not direct to them the affection due only to persons.
 
I’m 58 years old and have always had at least one dog, usually 2, at a time. Naturally, we have lost many dogs over the years, almost all to old age. I go right to the pound and get a couple more. It really helps.
 
nannygirl said:
I’m 58 years old and have always had at least one dog, usually 2, at a time. Naturally, we have lost many dogs over the years, almost all to old age. I go right to the pound and get a couple more. It really helps.
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I agree with nannygirl about obtaining another dog from the pound.

I’m 70 and just had to have my dog put to sleep 6 weeks ago and I cried like a baby, swearing I would never have another pet.

Before this dog, I never cared for dogs or any pets , but I didn’t hate them. We bought this dog at a pet shop when she was only 6 weeks old & she lived for 11 years.

This girl was always in my lap when at my computer and still I don’t know why I ever became so attached to her & shocked my wife & children when I did. She cried real tears when we left her alone for even an hour.

For a week after I had to have her put down I was very depressed and heart broken, like I had let her down. Like I said, I swore for most of that week I’d never have another pet. but I still don’t know why, but I drove to the Humane Society to look at their rescued dogs.

I did come home with another dog & within another week I went and adopted a 2nd. dog so as to keep each other company, reasoning to keep me from getting so attached to another animal & I do believe it’s working.

I believe there is nothing wrong with grieving over the lose of a pet. If I’m wrong, so be it!
 

You can try to bury her deeper and cover her in a blanket, then a wooden board, then bury the soil and pat it down really hard. Try putting really heavy rocks over it that they can’t move, or block off that area. Or you can get Dig Stop, a spray. It worked for me and it’ll keep your dogs away. You can also try to spray Bitter Yuck on, which works REALLY well (just don’t get it on your hands, it is bitter!).​

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I wasn’t implying dogs had immortal souls, but if animals are present in the old creation why not in the new? Just a theory.

I certainly think God can work through animals, and I’ve been blessed to have Shadow around. He was always digging in the trash though. I was his defender. Everyone else called him stupid (which he probably was), but he was nice with people and even with other dogs.

I’m also wondering what should be done with the body. I don’t like the idea of a doggy funeral . I’d also rather not burry him.
 
GIR said:
I wasn’t implying dogs had immortal souls, but if animals are present in the old creation why not in the new? Just a theory.

I certainly think God can work through animals, and I’ve been blessed to have Shadow around. He was always digging in the trash though. I was his defender. Everyone else called him stupid (which he probably was), but he was nice with people and even with other dogs.

I’m also wondering what should be done with the body. I don’t like the idea of a doggy funeral . I’d also rather not burry him.
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My own feelings are if we love them, God loves them more. I think He enjoys their antics and the pleasure they’ve given to man more than we even enjoy them. I personally feel we’ll see our pets again. It’s okay to grieve. Makes it easier if you feel they’re in a better place.

We bless animals by being willing to take care of them. Next dog will come from a shelter.

We buried our dog on our property. This one will be cremated.
 
GIR said:
I wasn’t implying dogs had immortal souls, but if animals are present in the old creation why not in the new? Just a theory.

I certainly think God can work through animals, and I’ve been blessed to have Shadow around. He was always digging in the trash though. I was his defender. Everyone else called him stupid (which he probably was), but he was nice with people and even with other dogs.

I’m also wondering what should be done with the body. I don’t like the idea of a doggy funeral . I’d also rather not burry him.
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I am so sorry for your loss, I kmow how much I grieve whenever one of my pets dies. Several years ago, I had to have my Sheltie, Maggie, put to sleep. I stayed with her through the entire process. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do and I hope I never have to do it again.

My Beagle, Max, died last July after he suffered a stroke. I didn’t want to bury him either, so the vet arranged to have him cremated so I could bring him home. They placed his ashes in a beautiful wood box and sealed it up.
 
Gir

Feel free to grieve.

And it is only a theological “opinion” that there will be no animals in Heaven. We will find out, please God, one way or the other one day.

I have witnessed heartbreaking deaths of animals. The only thing that is worse than doing what you are doing is to have to watch your animal suffer a slow and painful death because you have no money to either help them or have them put down.

God bless you, dear soul, and there are shelters full of animals just waiting for a loving and safe home.
 
Now that all you dog lovers are weepy, have you seen “Hachi” with Richard Greer and an Akita? It’s a two hanky movie. Based on a true story.
 
I recently lost my “best friend”, Charlie, a Golden Retriever of 14 years. He died of heart failure on the day of my long trip to Wyoming to see my son. I cried most of the way there. But went to Mass to offer thanks to God for allowing me to have been Bkessed with such a wonderful dog.
 
Who invited this guy? Now you are a theologian and you are able to answer questions that some of the greats wouldn’t even care to attempt to tackle?
IntegraCatholic said:
There is no reason to believe that animals will exist in the resurrection. This earth shall pass away, our Lord tells us. Their souls do not continue to exist after their death. No matter how you look at it, a particular animal from this earth will certainly not exist in heaven.

Considering grieving, I would say that it seems to be an attachment to creatures, something we should avoid. That being said, it seems natural to have some inclination towards “man’s best friend.” As far as a means to grieve… perhaps consider buying another dog?
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IntegraCatholic,

You seem very bitter, and the attitude that you give off is a big reason why people are leaving the Catholic church in droves.

You say there is no reason to believe that animals will exist in the resurrection, Vice Versa and to add to it, why do Parishes have bless your pet day and even a service which includes your pets?

Avoid an attachment to creatures? Care to take just an impromptu poll of how many Catholics have pets and then how many have had pets die, further how many think those pets will join them in Heaven?
IntegraCatholic said:
There is no reason to believe that animals will exist in the resurrection. This earth shall pass away, our Lord tells us. Their souls do not continue to exist after their death. No matter how you look at it, a particular animal from this earth will certainly not exist in heaven.

Considering grieving, I would say that it seems to be an attachment to creatures, something we should avoid. That being said, it seems natural to have some inclination towards “man’s best friend.” As far as a means to grieve… perhaps consider buying another dog?
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It is possible, though of course not certain, that God could recreate the souls of our lost pets in Heaven. There is of course no need, as we would already be perfectly happy after seeing the Beatific Vision, but it might be done simply as a further act of kindness and mercy that God offers to His creation.

In the end, we don’t know, but it’s certainly not out of the question that we will see our beloved pets in Heaven.

RIP Disney. Only six years old, far too young.

And like many of you, five days after Disney died I got my new dog, Delilah. She’s wonderful and helped enormously with dealing with the grief.
 
Some people seem confused. There are no animals in Heaven, but no one knows for certain if there will be animals after the Resurrection. Many theologians think it is likely, though it is also arguable that they will not be the same individual animals as are on Earth now. But even that is supposition. We know however that nothing good will be lost.
 
hairygrapeape said:
IntegraCatholic,

You seem very bitter, and the attitude that you give off is a big reason why people are leaving the Catholic church in droves.
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I’m not bitter at all; in fact, I am a very happy person. Everyone I know tells me so. People are leaving the Church because they have no faith or live immoral lives and lose the faith. If you re-read what I wrote, I certainly never made any comment so bitter and rude as you have just made to me. Quomodo dicis fratri tuo sine ejiciam festucam de oculo tuo: et ecce trabis est in oculo tuo?
You say there is no reason to believe that animals will exist in the resurrection, Vice Versa and to add to it, why do Parishes have bless your pet day and even a service which includes your pets?
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Some parishes have Masses with the priest dressed up as a clown. You’d have to ask the particular priest (or whichever “parish ministry” orchestrated the event) what the reasons are. There is a blessing from the ritual for any thing, literally. Will we have iPods and racecars in heaven?
Avoid an attachment to creatures? Care to take just an impromptu poll of how many Catholics have pets and then how many have had pets die, further how many think those pets will join them in Heaven?
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No, I don’t because the faith isn’t a democracy, Deo gratias.

Dum Spiro Spero,

No, I’m not a theologian. I am a philosopher. I wouldn’t consider my personal studies of theology and limited formal study to constitute a theologian. The greats didn’t attempt to tackle the issue because it is an illogical proposition. No Catholic in history would have considered it possible for the animals that currently live to be in heaven, before or after the resurrection. They have material souls, that is, it is inextricably bound up with their material existence. When they die, they no longer have an animating principle. They do not have eternal, rational souls as men do. Whether they will exist at all, I didn’t say it was impossible. I haven’t really studied the issue enough to know one way or the other (if we can even know definitively from Church teaching or common consensus of theologians). It simply doesn’t make sense. Our entire purpose as being created in grace is to love God and to experience perfect happiness in the beatific vision. Anything created cannot increase that happiness, so it doesn’t make sense that animals will exist in heaven. What’s more, I think you would be hard pressed to find a single theologian before modern times who describes heaven including plants or animals. If you do find one, I’d be more than happy to hear about it. On the contrary, when you consider what the greatest saints and doctors of the Church have written (St. Gregory, St. Augustine, St. Bernard, St. Thomas, St. Ignatius Loyola, St. Francis de Sales, St. Alphonsus Liguori, etc.), you will never hear about anything of the sort.
 
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