Pets afterlife?

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My uncle, who is not Catholic, has told my nephew that the family pets do not go to Heaven when they die. I have lost a lot of very beloved pets in my life, and I always thought I’d be reunited with them personally. But I heard something on EWTN a few weeks ago that made me question this. Is my uncle right? Does anyone know the Church’s teaching on animals when they die?

🙂 Lilder
 
For some, it’s hard to imagine that the “New Earth” established by Christ would be void of animals.

But the fact of the matter is that we just don’t know. God might have a special plan for all of our pets in Heaven. Or maybe we become reconciled with the fact that they’re not there, as we gain a more mystical understanding of the workings of this life.

It’s a great mystery, in the end.
 
I was taught that animals don’t have souls (excpet horses for some odd reason, anyway…) and they dont go to heaven, though i think they should because every animal has it’s own unique personality, like humans.
 
Animals do not have immortal souls, which means they would not live forever after their physical death.

When my kids asked the same question a few years back, I answered that God has promised that we will be perfectly happy in heaven. If we need our pets to be perfectly happy, then he will make sure they are there. This explanation can’t be found in the catechism, but I felt it was appropriate for the little ones.
 
IoA is right that we do not have any definite teaching on this matter, which typically means we are free to believe either way. Here is a case on behalf of everyone’s beloved dog pony and kitty:

It is true that animals do not have immortal spirits like humans do, that is not the main issue on whether there will be any animals in the World to Come.
We know that at the Resurrection we will all get our bodies back, and from that fact we know that Heaven (at least after Judgement Day has passed) is not just a place for souls, but bodies as well.
Given the many verses in the Scriptures about their being a new heaven and a new earth, and the times that the Prophets and Revelation talk about the World to Come in terms of nature and animals (Isaiah’s lion-and-lamb, Ezekiel’s river of life, etc.) it is not unreasonable nor un-Biblical to believe that God will Resurrect more than just humans.🙂
This does not mean that animals in the Kingdom of Heaven will be “saved” the way we were, since they never had a Fall. But they could be present nonetheless.
 
Pets in heaven? Who is willing to make a guess? My great hope lies in 1 Corinthians. “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard; neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love Him.” Maybe, just maybe, God loves us so much that there will be shared space in heaven for the wonderful, non-human creatures of God who, in His goodness, God has placed on earth to share our lives and our joys and our sorrows. Maybe?
 
Animals are part of God’s creation, and he saw them as good…

As you have seen, there is no official proclamation that they don’t go to heaven, i certainly see no harm in taking whichever side you wish…

i’m just hoping they allow Ghost in heaven 👍
 
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DEACONGS:
Pets in heaven? Who is willing to make a guess? My great hope lies in 1 Corinthians. “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard; neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love Him.” Maybe, just maybe, God loves us so much that there will be shared space in heaven for the wonderful, non-human creatures of God who, in His goodness, God has placed on earth to share our lives and our joys and our sorrows. Maybe?
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Dear Deacongs,
How I would love to believe that! I have lost many wonderful loyal pets over the years…they just don’t have immortal souls. How would they fit into Salvation …Jesus came for our sins…What sin does an animal commit? We were created above the animals and the rest of creation…all will pass away and there will be a new Heaven and a new Earth…sorry…
:blessyou:
Annunciata
 
That’s just it. They don’t need ‘saving’. There is no need for them to fit into the plan of salvation because they never fell. Jesus was never sent to save them but us. They are like the angels, bystanders in this particular scenario.

I personally have no opinion one way or the other. If God thinks it will good for us to have them…we will have them.

dream wanderre
 
As I understand Church teaching, after the Fall in the Garden of Eden, ALL of nature was altered, and fell, as it were, from its ‘first estate.’ It is said that all creation groans for the restoration of its first estate. The new heaven and earth will be that restoration, and the lion will lay down with the lamb.

Could it be that in the Garden, before the fall, animals had a much higher level of intelligence and awareness? Did Adam talk to them?

I believe that in heaven, all the animals that we have loved will be restored to us, and we will be able to communicate with them through some sort of language. I believe their intelligence will be raised up in some fashion. I cannot support that with any definitive Church teaching or Bible text, it is just my belief. I believe they will share in heaven because I believe God will redeem and restore His creation as it was intended to be. One thing is for sure: with God all things are possible!
 
My mother told me long ago that animals can’t go to heaven because they don’t have souls…and this has tormented me immeasurably!

When I was a kid, we were given a little white dog a neighbor found as a stray. (They couldn’t find the true owners). Well, she was our little canine “angel” and I can’t tell you how many times I cried into her fur or played with her in the yard…etc. She lived about 16 years, and died while I was in my first year of college. Since we don’t know exactly HOW she died…she simply disappeared…I never got to “say goodbye” and since animals supposedly don’t go to heaven it’s been difficult to accept.

Yes, I"m WELL into adulthood now, but I still have dreams where I’ve found our dog in some shelter, impossibly old, and waiting to be “found” by one of us before she died. In every dream I sit there stroking her fur and telling her it’s OK to die because God called her to go home. I always wake up crying and even now I’m teary eyed! I know it’s ridiculous, but just the same the life experiences we share with our pets creates a very strong bond.

The best explanation I ever heard or read was this: The reason pets don’t go to heaven is because they wait outside the Gates for us, so when we die they can meet us and we will enter Heaven together. True or not, that though has brought me comfort.

Now, stop laughing at my teary-ness! I know I’m a complete sap! :o God has a purpose and some day we will all know the real answer…but for here and now, I know that pets are little blessings given to us to help us cope with the harshness of life outside of the Garden of Eden.
 
No one knows what splendors await us in Heaven. For all we know, pets are God’s gifts to us in our mortal lives in order to show us a glimpse of God’s infinite love. Who’s to say that some aspect of them isn’t waiting for us in Heaven? If they are indeed an extension of God’s love, why wouldn’t they be in Heaven, where God’s love has no barriers?

I don’t think pets have souls, but I can’t imagine what God’s intention is for them. I know my rabbit’s name is Gabriel (he was named by the shelter), and through him I truly feel God’s unconditional love and presence. Perhaps he really is a kind of angel. Who can truly say?
 
The gentleness and compassion on this thread has given me hope for Catholic Answers. Maybe I’m just a soppy old moo, but it made me really happy to findso many good answers to this question that weren’t dogmatic.

(and no, that was not a joke).

What can anyone say about how much our pets give to us? And if St. Francis was preaching to the birds…

Naprous
 
Glad you mentioned St. Francis. If he loved the animals, who’s to say they won’t be there with him, and us? No, they don’t have immortal souls, but if God wants them there, and if you need them there, He can put them there!

JimG
 
I want to add my thanks to the posters here. As another poster said, it’s given me a better, more encouraging, view of this forum.

Thinking of what my past dog did to comfort me in her lifetime, and her death (among other things) that helped lead me to seek answers and back to the faith…

Seeing what my present dog does with disabled and suffering children…

And countless stories from others about what their pets have done to help themselves and others… I have often wondered if they are truly angels, using the animal body in this world to reach us, and we will meet them again in heaven.
 
Thank you all so much. I am moved to tears by all of the answers, kindness and compasion shared. :love:

I have decided to tell my nephew that his pets can be with him in heaven. When they are older, we can discuss the more “technical” side of it.

I pray for blessings to you all for the help and guidance.
🙂 Lilder
 
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JCPhoenix:
The best explanation I ever heard or read was this: The reason pets don’t go to heaven is because they wait outside the Gates for us, so when we die they can meet us and we will enter Heaven together. True or not, that though has brought me comfort.

Now, stop laughing at my teary-ness! I know I’m a complete sap! :o God has a purpose and some day we will all know the real answer…but for here and now, I know that pets are little blessings given to us to help us cope with the harshness of life outside of the Garden of Eden.
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I think you just hit on a real clue about the matter: “I know that pets are little blessings given to us to help us cope with the harshness of life outside of the Garden of Eden.”

If animals are blessings, gifts from God, why would He remove them from us in heaven? What harm would they cause in being there? Especially if they remind us of His glory and goodness.
All creation was called “good.” At least until it fell!

Animals can indeed be BLESSINGS, and often they can teach us lessons that we will accept from them, but not from a person, as their motives are not suspect and they do not threaten our egos the way a person does. The simple loyalty of some animals can teach us much about love. Because they BLESS us in so many ways, perhaps they have a proper place in heaven… just a thought.

I live with parrots, and they exhibit all the range of emotions that humans do, including a sense of humor. Some of them can speak in sentences that THEY have constructed, and exhibit elementary language skills far beyond simple mimicry. They have a commplicated body language, and are able to use tools. They are master manipulators of mechanical devices as well as people!

In Mark 16:15, Jesus says to preach the gospel to every “creature.” (KJV) Some translate it as “to all creation.” (NRSV- Catholic) That would still include the animals. Did not St. Francis preach to the birds? Could it be that we are to preach the gospel to creatures in order to SOOTHE them with the promise of restoration of their “first estate.?” Will THEIR suffering also come to an end, and nature cease to be predatory after the restoration? If the lion lays down with the lamb, it would seem so.

Also, does not the Bible speak of “living creatures” in heaven before the throne of God? Angels? Angels with the form of “creatures?” See Strongs #'s 2937,2938 in the Greek. Also, see Strong’s #2416 in the Hebrew/Chaldee. Also, in Col 1:15, Jesus is called the “firstborn of all creation.” This could imply that ALL creation, man AND creatures, will eventually be glorified in some fashion. The Strong’s word for creation is the same here as in Mark 16:15. If you look up “creature” and “creatures” in Strongs, it is most enlightening!

“Birds, you know, are angels in disguise, come to carry our prayers before the Throne of God.”
 
I think that you should look at this explaination. The Cathechism does have some information which leads us in the right direction to answer this question. Look at ewtn.com/expert/expertfaqframe.asp?source=/vexperts/conference.htm and you will see that animals do not have immortal souls. They do have souls, but since humans were the ones, not animals, in Genesis that were created in His image, humans have immortal souls. They have the intelligence to choose to live God’s way or not, not animals. There is even a suggestion that you could tell your kids that they could ask God to show them their pets when they get to Heaven. However if and when they get to Heaven, God will be the only One they will need to complete their happiness.

When you click on this link, if it takes you to categories. Click on Philosoph and then Pets in Heaven?
 
Another quick thought. The word for “creature” comes from a root meaning a possession, a property acquired, like a “domestic beast.”
In the Garden, Adam was given charge of creation. He named the animals. They were his. If animals were once our property, our charge, perhaps they will be restored to us when we are glorified.
So, God will not deprive us of our property, or of blessings…

Makes sense to me! OK, you can all tell me I am CRAZY now!
 
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Sonya:
I think that you should look at this explaination. The Cathechism does have some information which leads us in the right direction to answer this question. Look at ewtn.com/expert/expertfaqframe.asp?source=/vexperts/conference.htm and you will see that animals do not have immortal souls. They do have souls, but since humans were the ones, not animals, in Genesis that were created in His image, humans have immortal souls. They have the intelligence to choose to live God’s way or not, not animals. There is even a suggestion that you could tell your kids that they could ask God to show them their pets when they get to Heaven. However if and when they get to Heaven, God will be the only One they will need to completey their happiness.
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Could not they be given “eternal life?” I would think they COULD exist, in some form, as long as God willed them to exist. “With God all things are possible.” And does not the glory of God manifest in His creation, both above, and below here on earth, draw us to God and to worship Him? Does His creation not add to our apprehension of God? Are animals not a GRACE from God in that they show His glory and power? Just some thoughts, but speculation nonetheless…
 
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