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It’s horribly challenging when a dog dies. There’s a huge loss and a hole in our hearts that hurts. It takes a long time to get over the loss of a beloved dog. But what happens when a dog dies? Do dogs have souls? Do dogs go to heaven?
These are difficult questions to answer definitely; however, we’ve done some research on this topic to see what others say. We hope this article brings you some comfort if you’ve lost a dear fur baby.
Different Perspectives
Some who are religious feel that dogs have souls and definitely go to heaven. They believe that when a dog passes, they go to heaven and wait for us there. When we die, our beloved canine friend will be waiting to greet us.
There are others who believe then when our dogs pass on, they may go to heaven but are also still watching over us. These pet parents even believe their canine companions communicate with them once in a while.
A well-known Christian apologist, C.S. Lewis (author of The Chronicles of Narnia), believed that animals go to heaven. Other famous Christians, such as Martin Luther, Bill Graham, and others, have said that God loves each of His creations, and that includes our pets. So, of course, our dogs and other pets will be waiting for us when we pass away.
If you’re not a religious person, there are those psychics that also believe animals go to heaven. During psychic readings, it’s not uncommon for a dog to come through to communicate with a pet parent.
So, while there are differing perspectives on this topic, many pet parents clearly believe they will see their dogs in heaven when they cross over themselves.
Will I See My Dog in Heaven?
The answer really depends on your own perspective and beliefs. However, we personally believe our dog’s souls go to heaven and can interact with us. You might think of your fur baby as a guardian angel protecting you from the other side.
There’s one theory called the dog rainbow bridge. This is the idea that there’s an actual place called the Rainbow Bridge that is part of heaven. This place is a kind of heaven for animals, including beloved pets. It’s a happy place for animals, where they are healthy, play with one another, and more.
The animals stay in this place until their pet parents’ death. At that time, the animals are joined with their pet parents, and from there, they go to heaven together. This is a great comfort to pet parents who have lost a beloved pet.
As noted early, psychics believe our dogs go to heaven when they diet. Many pet parents have experiences where they may see a shadow of their dog, hear their dog barking, or feel his presence even though he’s died. They believe the dog is alive in the spirit realm and are able to pass on messages and watch over us.
It’s thought that dogs who have been very well-loved retain this love in the spirit realm and keep their identities. The dogs then can interact with us and join us in heaven when we die.
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Ask a Vet Live NowOur Experience
We had a much-loved Golden Retriever Chow Chow named Pal. He was a wonderful dog, full of energy and mischief! He was filled to overflowing with personality. Pal was also very loving and loyal. He had a long life and died when he was about 17 years old. This happened a few years ago and was a very deep loss for us.
It’s funny, but we have felt his presence with us at various times throughout the years. One experience was a bit scary—not because of our dog’s spirit! The situation was that we were walking in an area where there weren’t many people on a darkening winter later afternoon. A guy came out from within the shadow of a building and started to follow us closely. He was too close and intended to rob us.
However, at that time, we felt the very strong presence of Pal with us. He was protecting us, much as he did in life. The robber was somehow startled and left the area quickly. There were no other people. The only thing we could figure was that somehow the robber had felt the protective spirit of Pal and felt scared!
We believe this was a real experience and that Pal was indeed protecting and guarding us as he did in life. It was uncanny, to say the least!
Then there are other times when we feel Pal’s soothing presence when we feel a little down or lonely. But he also makes his presence known at other times, too.
While this may all seem a bit strange or “out there,” we’re positive this is Pal’s spirit with us. We are filled with faith that we will see Pal when we pass away. What a joyous reunion that will be!
Do Dogs Have Souls?
We say a strong yes to that question! Will we see our dog in heaven? Again, strong, resounding yes!
If you’re a Catholic, then you may know that Pope Paul VI made a comforting statement to a boy whose dog had passed away. Pope Francis said, “One day, we will see our animals again in the eternity of Christ. Paradise is open to all of God’s creatures.”
It Comes Down to Your Own Beliefs
Ultimately, you have to decide whether you believe dogs can go to heaven or not. You don’t have to follow any specific religion to believe that our dogs await us in the afterlife! It depends on your own beliefs and faith.
If you’re a person who depends on strict logic and only believe what you see, then you may have your answer already. It all depends on what you believe.
While we do believe our dogs go to heaven, you may believe otherwise, and that’s OK. Each of us has to make this decision ourselves. But there are faiths that believe all of God’s creatures go to heaven. In that case, you can rest assured your dog is in heaven and waiting for you to come, too!
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Kim
Kim is a talented author, who loves animals especially dogs. She engaged in writing books and articles relating to animals a decade ago. Kim resides in Chicago with her husband and son. The family is the proud owner of a dog and a parrot (Jack and Lily). Kim wanted more than these two pets, but her husband put his foot down... She often visits elementary schools to talk to the kids about what she learned about pets and how they could learn from them.
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