Do our pets (dogs, cats, etc) go to heaven?

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TotusTuusForever

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I tend to believe that God wouldn’t just destroy any of His innocent creation. But, I am curious to see what others think.
  • Yes. They are part of God’s creation that he said was “good” and will, therefore, live on in heaven.
  • No. Only rational souls can experience the beatific vision, so that excludes animals from eternal life.
  • Unsure. I don’t think God destroys his creation, but I’m not willing to go so far as to claim animals souls live on in the next life.
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I did vote no, even though I don’t agree with the part that “50% so that excludes animals from eternal life”.

Humans have immortal souls. Animals have mortal souls. In heaven I think there will be only people. On the new earth I think there will be animals.

Do our pets go to heaven? I don’t believe so. But if God would permit me to see my pet again (assuming I do go to heaven) I’d be overjoyed.
 
Well, there was a movie called “All Dogs Go to Heaven”, so that means cats go…🤣

It’s a joke, I’m a cat owner.
 
osvnews.com

Do animals go to heaven?

A recent comment by Pope Francis in his weekly audience at St. Peter’s Square set the secular media abuzz. He was reported to have said that animals have immortal souls and will go to heaven — contrary to common, long-established theological opinion. The story, it turns out, was almost...
osvnews.com osvnews.com

This article admits that the Church doesn’t have an official opinion on the matter. And, it leaves the possibility that God can choose to have animals in heaven if he wants.

In my opinion, most speculation about this issue comes from Thomas Aquinas’ ideas which were fundamentally based on the notion of reason. But, God writes the rules of reason and can therefore do what he wills. I cannot understand how a any soul can be mortal. It just doesn’t make an ounce of sense if there is an afterlife. Where does it go? How does it just disappear? How can something that exists (namely an animal’s soul) just not exist anymore because it doesn’t have a body? Most of these Thomisitic claims do not have sufficient explanations.

Even more, almost every near death experience I have heard about talks about seeing animals in heaven. They see butterflies, their pet dog, birds, flowers, trees, etc. Obviously God thought all of these things were beautiful enough to have on earth. So, it makes sense that it is just a foretaste of the beauty of creation that is in heaven.
 
Remember, we await the resurrection, the time with earth will be renewed in perfection. That earth will have animals and plants and water and sand and all the beauty we now know but perfected. The “lion will lay down with the lamb”.

So, will my specific dog be in that new earth? If I need that to be perfectly happy, then yes. If I do not need my Luna to be perfectly happy, I will understand it then.
 
Franciscan Friar Jack Wintz wrote an encouraging book called, “Will I See My Dog in Heaven?” which argues for why the answer is yes. Professor Peter Kreeft of Boston College has also indicated an openness to the possibility of seeing our pets in heaven in some of his writings, but I don’t think you will find anyone with authority in the Church saying yes for certain.
 
God wants you happy.
If you need a pet around to be happy in heaven, it will be provided.

Chances are pretty good though that the beatific vision will be sufficient.
 
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