Do Dogs Go To Heaven?

 

The children begged for a hamster, and after all the vows were given to take care of it, they got one. They named it “Danny.” Two months later, when mom found herself responsible for the creature, she found a prospective new home for it. The children took the imminent departure of Danny quit well, remarking, “He’s been around here a long time. We’ll miss him.” Mom replied, “Yes, but he’s too much work for one person, and since I’m that one person, I say he goes.” Another child said, “Well, maybe if he didn’t eat so much and wouldn’t be so messy, we could keep him.” But mom was firm. “It’s time to take Danny to his new home now,” she insisted. “Go get his cage.” With one voice and in tearful outrage the children shouted, “DANNY? We thought you said “DADDY!”

Every year on October 4, a growing number of churches involve themselves in a “blessing of the animals” service. This “blessing of the animals” is rooted in the Roman Catholic Church as a part of observing “Saint Francis of Assisi Day.” However, in more recent times, more and more protestant churches have picked up the practice of “blessing their pets.” A recent announcement of such “animal blessing” came about stating that “Pastor So-in-So” would bless your pets if you bring them to church on Sunday morning. And, if your pet has died, if you bring a picture of the deceased pet, he will also bless your dead pets as well. Of course, there much that could be said about this, but I want to restrict my comments to this question, “Do animals go to heaven when they die?” Consider this:

It was man who was made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26), and the rest of God’s creation was contrasted with the creation of man. Man differs from the rest of God’s creation in that he has been given an undying spirit that returns to God upon death (Acts 7:59). When an animal dies, there is no immortal part that survives the death of its body.

Think of the implications. When asking this question, we typically have in mind our beloved pets. But does God only give “pets” immortality, or does He give all animals immortality? If the former, what scripture teaches this – and if the latter, then all the mosquitoes, flies, leeches, and maggots that have ever lived, from the time of Adam until now, will be joining us in heaven as well. That’s just not what people are usually thinking about when they affirm animals will join us in heaven, but that’s the logical end.

More implications. If both men and animals are immortal, then why is man not allowed to kill his fellow man (Exodus 20:13; Matthew 5:21-22), but he is commanded to rise, kill, and eat animals (Acts 10:13)? Surely, it’s because man and animals are different. Man was created in the image of God, and animals were not.

[Hebrews 12:13-16] Heaven is a place of reward for faithful living (Matthew 5:11-12). It is a place of redemption for “just men made perfect”. Consequently, animals don’t qualify. Animals do not possess the ability to comprehend mortality, and if they do, well… does that mean some animals will be in Hell as well?

Personally, I’m an animal lover, and I’m thankful to God for creating animals, especially pets, to be our companions as we live here on earth. I’ve also suffered at the loss of several of my pets and know the hurt that can be associated with that. But as for any hope of seeing them again in Heaven, the Bible, which is the only source of information we have about Heaven, provides no evidence that animals will live forever, let alone, live in Heaven with us forever. I guess we’ll have to wait to see.

Whatever the trial, God sees; Whatever your struggle, God knows; Whatever your cry, God hears; Whatever your difficulty, God cares; Whatever your problem, He understands. Whatever your need, God provides.