Mourning for pets

[Pestos]

Hello Everyone,

I’m trying to understand how pets figure in our families and especially how Catholics mourn for them when they die. Each religion seems to have different beliefs about animals and how humans should related to them. I understand that the Catholic Church differentiates between mortal and immortal souls for animals and humans. I also sense that many people improvise ways to memorialize their pets through burials at secular pet cemeteries, holding funerals, praying for their animals and so on. Can anyone share how they have dealt with their own loss of pets? Are there specific Church rules about burial and mourning? Thanks for your advice.

 

[Modern_Revert]

Love is Love.
Mourning is personal.
We’ve lost two cats and had them cremated.
They were our first cats when we lived in California; someday we will return and sprinkle them on the grounds where we lived happily together for so many years.
They were our “practice kids” and taught us responsibility.
We still miss them.
My parents pets are buried under their rosebush.
They are still missed as well.

 

[ClearWater]

Hello Everyone,

I’m trying to understand how pets figure in our families and especially how Catholics mourn for them when they die. Each religion seems to have different beliefs about animals and how humans should related to them. I understand that the Catholic Church differentiates between mortal and immortal souls for animals and humans. I also sense that many people improvise ways to memorialize their pets through burials at secular pet cemeteries, holding funerals, praying for their animals and so on. Can anyone share how they have dealt with their own loss of pets? Are there specific Church rules about burial and mourning? Thanks for your advice.

One place I lived, there was a nice place where I fed the animals…raccoons, possums, cats, birds. They would come by the droves! Anyway, finally was given a statue of St. Francis of Assisi. When an animal died, it’d be buried there, near that statue in the little animal area.

Some who died in car accidents, etc., were also buried there along with other kinds of animals.

 

[MJJean]

The only pet I’ve lost since I became an adult was a Toy Poodle named Patches. He was my 19th birthday present to myself. He was with me through a marriage, the births of my kids, my mothers death, a divorce, and a remarriage. He was 16 when he passed away of natural causes on my lap. I was heartbroken and so were the kids and my husband.

We buried him behind our garage, talked about what he meant to us over the years, and had a good cry.

I still miss him and he’s been gone for 5 years now. I eased my mourning by getting a new dog, but one that was very different so I wouldn’t compare the two. Then I got 3 more dogs over 3 years. When these guys start passing away I will probably cremate them as I found out after the fact that the city doesn’t permit burying pets on personal property.

Dog and cat lives are so short. They live and love to the fullest in the time they have. We should all try to be more dog/cat like. I also have a parrot. I got her because I love parrots and because she is expected to live more than 35 years. I figure she will help see me through when the furries pass away and maybe will outlive me!

 

[dee_burk]

I like to believe in the rainbow bridge were we will be united with our pets someday and i often wonder if pets will be in heaven…
As far as myself, i have a tattoo on my foot with a cross and little paw prints for each pet i have lost (10 in my lifetime) and i will add a paw print for any others i may lose in the future.

 

[PaulfromIowa]

The Church has no rules about mourning pets. Everything in our life is not governed by rules. I believe that pets can be gifts from God and it is entirely normal to mourn their loss.

 

[SecretaryMonday]

When you love a pet, you love the pet, regardless of your religion/non-religion. When it dies, you go through some form of mourning. I think it depends on the person, not on the doctrine they profess. Even with the same individual, the “typical” grieving process may vary significantly according to the mental or emotional state they are in at the time of the loss.

When my pets die, I bury them. Sometimes I feel a little sad that I will be leaving them behind if I move away. I’ve had a lot of pets that I liked but I wasn’t very attached to, so it is a relief that they’ve ended their life’s journey and I don’t have to worry about them anymore; for other pets, I felt a lot of affection, and I still dream about them sometimes.

 

[Joie_de_Vivre]

I like to believe in the rainbow bridge were we will be united with our pets someday and i often wonder if pets will be in heaven…
As far as myself, i have a tattoo on my foot with a cross and little paw prints for each pet i have lost (10 in my lifetime) and i will add a paw print for any others i may lose in the future.

Animals have material souls, when they’re dead, they’re dead.

 

[AquaLily]

I read this thread yesterday afternoon and couldn’t even begin to imagine what life would be like without my dog. We got him when I was 5, so I don’t remember much of my life without him.

Now, less than 24 hours later, I have to deal with it. I’ve never had to before now. Pets often become a part of the family. When they start suffering, you suffer too. When they’re gone, you are going to mourn for them. I spent all last praying he wouldn’t be suffering. I’ve spent most of the morning looking at pictures of him. I’m crying now that I hear the vacuum cleaner going and knowing dog hair won’t be all over the floor tomorrow. I’ll cry the next few times I open the freezer and I don’t hear him running into the kitchen for an ice cube. I’ll also probably cry when I come home from school to an empty house instead of an old dog wagging his tail and smiling at me. Everyone mourns in their own way. I don’t believe there is anything the church has stated that gives detail on how we’re supposed to mourn the loss of our furry friends. We just do it and it’s fine to be upset about it.

Please pray for my family. We’re struggling with it.

 

[UnCatholicBride]

I like to believe in the rainbow bridge were we will be united with our pets someday and i often wonder if pets will be in heaven…
As far as myself, i have a tattoo on my foot with a cross and little paw prints for each pet i have lost (10 in my lifetime) and i will add a paw print for any others i may lose in the future.

I agree 100% that our animals will be waiting for us at the rainbow bridge. God created animals in the garden of Eden. The humans, not animals, are the ones who fell from grace with original sin.

Why then would to be so preposterous to believe that God’s kingdom reflects the original paradise he created for his children on earth.

 

[SecretaryMonday]

I read this thread yesterday afternoon and couldn’t even begin to imagine what life would be like without my dog. We got him when I was 5, so I don’t remember much of my life without him.

Now, less than 24 hours later, I have to deal with it…
Please pray for my family. We’re struggling with it.

:hug1:
Hugs for you and your family. When our dog died, Dad said the grief seemed as great as the loss of his father.

 

[severus68]

Animals have material souls, when they’re dead, they’re dead.

Its your right to believe what you want. St Thomas Aquinas said that but the Church does not say we have to believe that, it is left open whether animals will be in heaven.

 

[severus68]

I read this thread yesterday afternoon and couldn’t even begin to imagine what life would be like without my dog. We got him when I was 5, so I don’t remember much of my life without him.

Now, less than 24 hours later, I have to deal with it. I’ve never had to before now. Pets often become a part of the family. When they start suffering, you suffer too. When they’re gone, you are going to mourn for them. I spent all last praying he wouldn’t be suffering. I’ve spent most of the morning looking at pictures of him. I’m crying now that I hear the vacuum cleaner going and knowing dog hair won’t be all over the floor tomorrow. I’ll cry the next few times I open the freezer and I don’t hear him running into the kitchen for an ice cube. I’ll also probably cry when I come home from school to an empty house instead of an old dog wagging his tail and smiling at me. Everyone mourns in their own way. I don’t believe there is anything the church has stated that gives detail on how we’re supposed to mourn the loss of our furry friends. We just do it and it’s fine to be upset about it.

Please pray for my family. We’re struggling with it.

I am so sorry my dear. Praying that God gives you all the comfort and strength to get through this.
I do understand. I have mourned for the pets I lost and still think of them.

 

[severus68]

I agree 100% that our animals will be waiting for us at the rainbow bridge. God created animals in the garden of Eden. The humans, not animals, are the ones who fell from grace with original sin.

Why then would to be so preposterous to believe that God’s kingdom reflects the original paradise he created for his children on earth.

I agree. There is a beautiful prayer on the passing of a pet that I found on a Franciscan website, which reflect th belief that our animals will be in heaven.

 

[Joie_de_Vivre]

Its your right to believe what you want. St Thomas Aquinas said that but the Church does not say we have to believe that, it is left open whether animals will be in heaven.

Catholicism doesn’t believe in Heaven being “Earth, but better”.

 

[DarkLight]

Catholicism doesn’t believe in Heaven being “Earth, but better”.

But it does say there will be a new earth.

 

[Bruised_Reed]

Animals have material souls, when they’re dead, they’re dead.

This thread is about mourning; loss and how that loss is observed. Please be gentle here.

 

[Ms_Manners]

As far as myself, i have a tattoo on my foot with a cross and little paw prints for each pet i have lost (10 in my lifetime) and i will add a paw print for any others i may lose in the future.

I’ve been considering this, a small paw print for every pet, but I’d do it while they are still with us. We have two dogs and three cats, so it would look like a kitty walked down my back.

I read this thread yesterday afternoon and couldn’t even begin to imagine what life would be like without my dog. We got him when I was 5, so I don’t remember much of my life without him.

Now, less than 24 hours later, I have to deal with it. I’ve never had to before now.

I am so sorry, you’ll be in my prayers.

In our country there are no pet cemeteries, so burial is not an option since it is illegal to bury them outside of a cemetery. Until a few months ago, the only legal option was to burn the bodies with medical and harmful waste, which always seemed horrible to me, after 15 or more years by my side, I’d literally have them thrown out like garbage. I must admit I had plans to bury them, I know a vet who’d help me out, and no one actually cares so there isn’t much chance I’d get caught.
There is now a company which does pet cremations, although I think they only work in our area. You can have a group cremation, then you don’t get the ashes, but it’s still a little better than the waste thing, or you can have your pet cremated individually and then you do get the ashes. But you have to keep them in your home again, because technically it is still illegal to scatter them anywhere or bury them. However, there is very little supervision so you’d get away with scattering the ashes as long as you didn’t do it in a very public place in the middle of the day.

 

[RosslynV]

I have a pet peeve about this topic.

People tend to become attached to their cute pets. But as an animal, fluffy is no different than the poisonous viper, the carcus eating vulture, the man eating great white shark, etc etc. All without souls.

 

[severus68]

I have a pet peeve about this topic.

People tend to become attached to their cute pets. But as an animal, fluffy is no different than the poisonous viper, the carcus eating vulture, the man eating great white shark, etc etc. All without souls.

Why do you feel it necessary to make this post?