Is There Life After Death for Pets

Many pet lovers are concerned about what happens to their pets when they pass on from this life. If you have ever lost a pet, or loved one beyond words, you know that this is a question that plagues our hearts often. In the recent loss of a pet, it can really leave us struggling to understand just what happens as our pets pass.

So what really happens as our pets pass on? Will they be waiting for us in heaven? Read on to find out what different religions have to say about just what happens to our pets when they let go of life . . .

What Christianity Has to Say about Life after Death for Pets:

The Bible tells us that in heaven ‘the lion shall lie down with the lamb.‘ While this verse is perceived differently by different opinions, most believe that this is not a metaphorical verse and is an actual physical take on what heaven will be like.

All throughout the Bible animals play very important roles in many of the world’s most loved Bible stories. In the story of Noah’s Ark, God is very insistent that two of each of all his animals is to be on the ark. In Daniel in the Lion’s Den, God calms the beasts and in many children’s retellings makes them Daniel’s ‘friends’. We are also told in Genesis that both man and animal are formed from the ground. Coming from the same place, many believe that we will both be going to the same place.

When you look at all the mentioning of animals in the Bible and their significance in the Christian religion it’s clear to see that God loves His animals deeply. While not every Christian believes that there will be animals in heaven the biblical evidence is very strong.

What Hinduism Has to Say:

The Hindu religion believes that souls are ‘recycled‘ and pass through many forms, beings and creatures until reaching heaven. With this said Hindus believe that because each creature has a soul and passes through many forms, an animal soul is the same as a human’s soul and will have the same meeting place. The religion also believes that whatever the father of a child has on his mind while creating life will be the creature that the soul will be rebirth-ed as at a later point in life. This idea is called reincarnation.

What the Ancient Egyptians Had to Say:

The beliefs of Ancient Egypt concerning the afterlife are very complex. The belief that each body has a Ka, or life force, is one of the most commonly known teachings of Ancient Egypt. Egyptians believed that once the mortal body died the Ka would live on through offerings of food and drink. These offerings were thought to keep the Ka alive.

In Ancient Egypt both humans AND animals were mummified. In fact, many of the gods worshiped by the Ancient Egyptians were portrayed as human bodies with animal heads. In fact, animal worship was very common in ancient Egypt.

Among the most highly regarded was the cat. This was the birthplace of cat domestication. Because cats chased away snakes, many poisonous, and also rid them of rodents and other pests that would eat their crops, the cat quickly became revered as a god in ancient Egyptian society. Perhaps this was because it protected them from much of what could harm life as they knew it.

Cats were even protected by the law. Documents even prove that cats that were forbidden from being exported. And when they were smuggled? An army would go looking for them!

As a personal opinion, I believe that the love we share with our pets is a bond that is unbreakable. Some days when times are tough and I just don’t know if I can make it through the moment, I feel the warm breath of furry friends past coming to my rescue. I hear the pitter pat of running feet, I see the memories that took me through times I never knew I’d see . . . and yet survived.
So is there life after this one for our pets? Is there a place where animals run free forever? A yellow waggily tail, a friendly bark, a set of big brown eyes welcoming me at the gate . . . I don’t know about you . . . but I sure hope so. It sure does make heaven look a whole lot sweeter to me.

By Gabby Blake