Posted by Eliza on: 07.11.2007 /
Eliza here. Our beloved dog of 13 years, Lopez, died two weeks ago. It made us very sad to see him become ill and then to lose him, but he was old and it was “his time”.
I was interested to notice a couple of thoughts about “heaven” occurring to me during this difficult time. (For those who don’t know me, or don’t remember me, I’m a lifelong atheist-agnostic-skeptic.) My thoughts continue below. My questions for those of you reading this are:
Here are the thoughts I had about Pet Heaven:
First, I found it comforting to imagine Lopez in “doggie heaven”, which I imagined would involve a lot of squirrel-chasing. But then, I thought, that wouldn’t be heaven for the squirrels — it would be hell. (Like the 72 virgins some believe are promised to righteous Muslim men in heaven. Is it heaven for the virgins, too?) But still, I could picture Lopez enjoying it “up there” — wherever that was – and while I didn’t believe he was going to any kind of afterlife, the image was comforting.
Second, my co-workers very thoughtfully got & signed a sympathy card for us the next day, at work. (Must have been something about how I sobbed as I gave away his leftover doggie treats to the people at work who have dogs.) A number of the card-signers wrote things like, “Sorry for your loss”, but I noticed the comment that seemed the most comforting was the one that say, “So sorry to hear about your dog. He is in a better place, waiting for you & your family now.” But then I read it more carefully & realized it actually said, “He is in a better place watching over you and your family now” and that wasn’t as comforting — he had such a strong pack identity yet wasn’t a good “watch dog” – he always wanted to be with us, and just watching over us from a distance without getting to be with us would have made him anxious.
I thought it was funny that I’d found the idea of him waiting for us in Heaven to be comforting, since I don’t believe in Heaven or an afterlife. But, there you have it, I’m just reporting what I felt!
Third, I started to think about dogs (and other pets) and heaven, and how some people believe they’ll reunite with their pets in heaven, but others apparently don’t believe pets will go to heaven. In the Lutheran course I took, in the class on “Last Things”, the pastor clearly said that pets will not be in heaven. (I seem to remember that one lady huffed at hearing him say that, and I have certainly seen bumper stickers that say things like “if there are no dogs in heaven, I don’t want to go there”.) The pastor said that animals will be in heaven, apparently because of scripture indicating that heaven will be a new Creation, a lot like the first one (except there will be people “carried over” from the end of the first one). Certainly, no non-human animal would get to Heaven if belief in Christ is a pre-requisite for going there.
Fourth, I started to think about what heaven would really be like for a dog (for our dog, in particular), and I realized that his life with us on earth was probably pretty close. That may be arrogant; I’m not a dog, & I can’t know what he really wanted, or liked, or valued, but I did know him for 13 years & I think my guesses are not without basis. It also might come across as profane because many people may view Heaven as something so far beyond anything on Earth – so much better, so much more perfect, eternal, etc – that it may seem like a paltry & misguided comparison for me to make.
But here’s what my mind ended up coming up with.
Heaven for Lopez would be: Being with his pack (our family). Being active but also having plenty of nap time, ideally by getting up on our bed & totally stretching out until he covered the entire width. (When we weren’t home, he sometimes got up on our bed and would lie across the pillows!) Licking his “nether bits” (back when he could reach them, before arthritis set in). Chasing cats and squirrels – he was a really fast runner when he was younger. Pouncing on, and eating, dog treats (but only the very tastiest kinds — puh-leaz!)
In fact, as I think about it, the things that seemed like “heaven” to a dog fall under the several of the seven deadly sins: gluttony, lust, sloth. (Luckily, he made up for it by not seeming to feel pride, envy, or wrath.) That’s one of the things about dogs – they seem to take whatever hedonistic pleasures they can get, & not show a lick of shame about it. (And they can be very good at showing love, at least for the person or people who are special to them.)
It seems I’m not the only one who has thought that maybe life on earth could be dog heaven. As I was looking around on the internet a bit, I ran into this (partial) quote several times in people’s online tributes to their own beloved dogs:
Grieve not, nor speak of me with tears,
but laugh and talk of me as if I were beside you
…I loved you so…’twas heaven here with you.- Isla Paschal Richardson
(I didn’t find anything about the author, but a copy of the full poem seems to be here, in a tribute to a person.)
I hope that none of you has to face the loss of a loved one, human or animal, anytime soon. But now I think I understand better how comforting the idea of heaven can be, even for a non-believer.
Comment by: HereandNow
1Hi Eliza,
I’m really sad to hear about Lopez and I’m sad for you. I don’t know much about heaven, but I like your thoughts about heaven on earth for dogs. Dogs are unique, I think in that so many of them do such a great job of making the absolute most out of life on earth that that life seems heavenly, I think. Cats and humans don’t really do this. Cats and humans often seem so disappointed with the here and now. I learn a lot about the here and now from my dogs. It sounds like you learned a lot about how grand the here and now can be from Lopez.
Peace
Comment by: Eliza
2Thanks for your comments, HereandNow. I get alot of pleasure out of watching dogs enjoy the here and now, but as a Responsible Adult Human I don’t feel I can act like that myself…after all, someone has to be planning for the future in a practical way, making sure to feed the dog, refilling the water bowl, setting up vet appointments for shots, and so on. (Ooooh, Lopez hated going to the vet. He would face the exit the entire time we were there, giving me unsubtle signals that he Wanted Out of That Nasty Place!!!)
Comment by: Karen
3What? ;-)
Humans certainly are often disappointed and unsatisfied with their lot in life. But I don’t know how you can judge that a cat is expressing “disappointment” in any way.
I’ve had cats all my life. I currently have two. They may walk away from a particular food they don’t like, and demand something else, but certain finicky dogs do that too. I’m curious what particular signs of disappointment you’ve seen in cats?
Comment by: HereandNow
4Karen,
Mine were always very hard to please. But your point is well taken. I never did understand them, so I shouldn’t judge their contentment, should I?
Eliza, we have two dogs. My lab loves the vet and tolerates everything. The other one paces anxiously and struggles to get out the door quickly. So, either so much for the here and now, or at the least, the vet is not heaven on earth for my husky-shephard mix. Also, to your original points, I have to say that if there is a heaven, it must, by very nature of it’s perfect state, be full of dogs–but now you know my prejudices, right?
Comment by: April Terry
5HI, Eliza,
So sorry about your loss…
Personally, I imagine that we will all be very surprised when we actually find out what heaven is really like. There was a story in the bible about some people asking Jesus about which husband a woman might have in heaven if she had seven of them here on earth. Jesus’ response was that people are not given in marriage in heaven.
I believe that the reason is that there is a transcendence from “situational” love when we go to heaven. To me, that means that we learn what true universal love really is and it isn’t physical, but spiritual. For me, that means that if animals have spirits (and I don’t know if they do or not), then we will know them and recognize them in a spiritual sense–no longer as friend to master or owner to pet, but as two spirits united by love.
Comment by: John Koh
6Hi Eliza,
Sorry to hear about your loss. My dog was my best friend when i was growing up – and probably the one who showed me most affirmative love in those days. I can imagine your sense of loss.
I’m a christian, and I’m embarassed to say that what I failed to learn about love and affirmation from people (even those of the church-going species) i learned from my dog. Where else can you find unconditional love, acceptance, loyalty – and oh! unabashed goofyness, comfort, unmoody gladness and an always available “hang-out” buddy?
its been .. gosh. 20 years and I still miss her so much. She was the one friend who was always ready to go exploring new places with a young and shy boy who didn’t quite know how to find a place among his peers. She didn’t mind his shyness, his lisp nor his stutter, but enjoyed his companionship and his quirky secrets.
I’m not sure if dogs go to heaven: i don’t think i recall reading anything about animals in heaven (i might need to read the bible more) – but if they don’t, I’d be mightily disappointed: why wouldn’t God welcome the very creations that really taught/lived a life of loving others?
Comment by: Eliza
7April Terry, you offer a vision of heaven that I’ve heard suggested before, & does seem to fit with Jesus’s comments (as you quoted), but certainly doesn’t seem to be the “popular” view of heaven. I think many pet owners would claim that the animals they’ve gotten to know have individual personalities (same as “spirit”? I don’t know), and can convey boundless love (especially dogs, but I may be biased!).
John Koh – thanks for sharing your memories of your dog when you were a kid; she was clearly a dear, dear friend for you. I won’t pretend to feel shocked that you learned love & affection from your dog, more so than from other people.
I feel the same way about dogs. Of course, not every dog behaves this way with every person, but even beyond that it’s interesting that some people react to the loyalty & goofiness & unbridled enthusiasm, with associated drool & shedding & what not, in a less positive way, & prefer other animals (or, no animals).
HereandNow & Karen, I share HereandNow’s assumption that well-cared-for cats are less likely to be living “heaven on earth” than dogs…but I clearly “click” more with dogs, & can’t assess cats well.
What I notice is that our neighbors’ cats slink on over to our yard with what looks like a bored expression (to me), prepare to pounce on birds, get chased out of our yard – either previously by our dog, or by one of us humans, & slink-run away. Is that fun/heavenly for them? I’m assuming not, but hey what do I know? ;-)
Comment by: Karen
8Some people are more ‘cat people’ and others more ‘dog people’ I think. Cats adopted humans as their “pets” (not the other way around of course) more recently than dogs, which probably explains their far more aloof attitude. Interesting DNA research just recently showed all domestic cats are descendants of the Middle Eastern wildcat:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6251434.stm
I’m not really a dog or a cat person exclusively. I actually love animals of any sort and have had dogs, cats, horses, chickens, rats, mice, fish – and any number of others. Cats are easier to keep in certain circumstances, such as limited space in an apartment, or for people who travel a lot.
As for heaven on earth, I’d say my cats are living it for sure. Nice full bellies, an assortment of favorite sunny spots to snooze, a safe yard for stalking and pouncing, toys to play with and warm laps to snuggle in whenever they choose! Hard to imagine a happier life for an animal that sleeps 20 hours a day. :-)
Stalking, chasing and being chased is all just part and parcel of a happy cat life. And the “bored” expression is just their normal face (remember, they are usually tired and ready for a nap, or just waking up from a nap!). :-)
Very sorry to hear about Lopez, by the way. :-( I just read an absolutely wonderful book in which a dog unexpectedly plays a big role. It’s called “The Places In Between” by Rory Stewart, who is a Scotsman who walked across Afghanistan in 2002. I really highly recommend it.
Comment by: julie marie
9I have 2 dogs and 2 cats. One thing I have noticed about cats is that they manage to look comfortable wherever they lay. Perched on the arm of a chair, stretched out across a stack of books, staring intently into the bushes waiting for just the right moment to pounce on a lizard…
I think cats are less likely to tolerate momentary discontent than dogs. My dogs will sit in awkward positions just to me near me…not so my cats. I have 2 cats from my history of pet ownership that I grieve for with almost the same intensity as my dogs…and interestingly enough, it was their doggy qualities that endeared them so to me. They’d come when called, and they loved to curl up with me and purr. There’s not much more soothing than a cat contentedly purring next to you.
But my favorite, hands down, is my old dog Wuff. What I’d give to feel his head press up under my hand again…not demandingly, just in his companionable I’m here with you way.
I’m sorry for your loss Eliza. Its good though, that so many people realize its a true loss and are able to empathize. It helps a little.
Comment by: David H
10I have always been a dog person and know several dogs that seem better candidates for heaven than some of the people I have known. I don’t know whether any animals have spirits, but I likewise know of nothing in the Bible that makes clear that they a) don’t and b) won’t be in heaven. Like so much theology that is a useless extrapolation based more on human knowledge than anything else. I don’t know what heaven will be like, but am pretty sure it won’t resemble the descriptions I was given as a child. And until someone comes back from there to tell me differently, I won’t stop hoping to see all my happy dogs there.
And if any of this is blasphemous, let me just compound that crime. The Christian religion holds that God exists outside of time. Eternity is not something that begins, it is something that always is. If that is true, the dogs (and people) in heaven aren’t sitting around watching or waiting for those on earth. In some way they (we) are already with them.
Comment by: Doreen A Mannion
11Eliza, I am sorry to hear about Lopez.
re: dogs vs. cats
Many cats have a cattitude. Cats never seem completely happy; they are always meowing about something. Most dogs are disturbingly happy.
I say this as a dog AND cat person; we currently have 1 dog and 2 cats.
My understanding of the Biblical promise is that there will be a new life for ALL creation, not just humans, to which I can only say, woff! meow!
Comment by: Nadejda
12A lovely piece of info!
You might also find it useful to visit my website: http://www.petsmanners.info
Comment by: April Terry
13Eliza,
Certainly my own thoughts about heaven are different from traditional concepts, but there is really so little written about heaven in the Bible or even elsewhere. I think that given the fact that no one really knows for sure (save those who are already passed on) everyone comes up with their own interpretation of what heaven might be.
To me, a concept of a heaven where we are sitting on clouds and strumming harps is a very two-dimensional image and not one that interests me all that much. I much prefer a concept of heaven that leaves behind the physical constraints of this world and embraces the purely spiritual essence of all who enter into it.
Comment by: Helen
14Eliza, I’m fascinated that you found yourself emotionally comforted by a ‘wrong’ belief.
This makes me wonder: if a belief doesn’t hurt anyone and it makes people feel better, does it matter if people hold it? What’s the harm in it? Is there anything wrong with believing pets go to heaven, if it makes people feel better?
I’m only referring to beliefs where there isn’t a harmful downside in holding them. Maybe there’s a downside to this belief in which case what I say wouldn’t apply.
Also, I loved this comparison/insight…brilliant:
Is it heaven for the virgins too? Exactly
Comment by: April Terry
15I was thinking, too, that the whole idea of my dog going to heaven when she dies is very comforting, but would I feel the same way about my nephew’s rat? I don’t think I particularly like the idea of being surrounded by rats in the afterlife!
Comment by: Kathleen
16Talk about timely. I’m so sorry for your loss, Eliza. I’ve been teary-eyed all week (and am crying as I type) because our dog, Sparky, died on Tuesday, so I’ve been thinking about pets and Heaven a lot myself. I guess I find myself in the same position from the opposite perspective – I do believe in Heaven, but I’ve always been taught that pets don’t go there. I can’t know for certain that that’s true (there’s that bit about God and the sparrows, right, and if He cares so much about them, why wouldn’t they be in Heaven?), but it’s my understanding that they don’t – and thinking about that is the worst part of this right now. However, the most comforting things that friends have said to me have been references to a sort of “doggie heaven” – “Dino’s been waiting for Sparky, I’m sure they’re excited to see each other again” and “we’re going to have to put my dog down soon, I hope he meets Sparky,” etc. A “wrong belief,” from my perspective, but a hugely comforting one.
However, when my cousin sent me a message saying “I’ll say a prayer for Sparky” (she’s not at all religious, so I know she was only saying it for me, and I appreciated her intent), my first thought was “That’s silly.” Dogs don’t have souls, so there’s no use praying for them after they die. If she’s going to say one prayer in her life, I’d rather she not waste it on Sparky when there are people who need prayers a whole lot more. Besides, dogs not having reason or the capacity to distinguish between right and wrong, wouldn’t it hold that if dogs go to Heaven, they all go, and if they don’t none of them do? I can’t see any grounds on which to distinguish which dogs go to Heaven and which don’t.
Now my eyes are all red, at 9 o’clock on a Friday. I’m supposed to be getting ready to go out, and I’m going to look a miserable mess. That’s great.
Comment by: Helen
17Kathleen, I’m sorry you just lost your dog too. :(
Comment by: Doreen A Mannion
18Kathleen, I am sorry to hear about Sparky.
Comment by: Kathleen
19Thanks, Helen and Doreen.
Comment by: Messy Christian
20Sorry for your loss Helen. :( My dog is 12 years old, and I wonder how I would deal with his passing. -_-”
My dog has all these little habits, and after 12 years with us, it has become like something we expect when we get home – how he’ll wait for us at the door with his tail wagging, how he’d push away his food if he didn’t like it, how his body will be tight with excitement in the morning when I come downstairs because he knows I’ll be taking him out, how he’ll hunt for rubber bands in the house because he liked to eat them!
To me, heaven will not be 100% heaven without Nicky waiting for me there.
Comment by: Helen
21Hi Messy Christian, thanks for your comment.
Actually this post was by Eliza – I’m sure she appreciates your condolences.
Comment by: Eliza
22Hi everyone – sorry for my silence for a while – one thing that’s kept me away from posting is that we got a new dog! This wouldn’t be the right decision for everyone, so soon, but we talked about it & agreed that we weren’t trying to replace Lopez. (Everyone knows, a sentient pet cannot be replaced – I’m not so sure they don’t have souls, at least in the secular sense – they sure have personalities and recognizable habits, as Messy Christian pointed out!)
Our new dog is a black lab mix from a shelter. He’s unlike Lopez in many ways, & is his own delightful (high-energy, time-consuming) self. Our nearly-9 yr old son bestowed a unique name on the dog: Grape. Having a new dog is not at all like having a dog you’ve had for 13 years, but you’ve got to start somewhere!
We got a new collar & leash, changed dog foods, & are using a pet bed that was on the bottom of the stack that Lopez slept on – and this dog likes to have balls and frisbees around, which Lopez wasn’t into – so there isn’t alot that directly reminds us of Lopez. I think that’s good – we can think of Lopez fondly but separately, & not be reminded of him by noticing that this new dog is Not Lopez.
Comment by: Eliza
23Responding to some of the comments above…
Regarding cats (vs. dogs) – cats tend to live longer, & I wonder whether it’s harder to lose an animal you’ve had for longer, like 16-17 yrs. (Or, is the number of years not important, especially once it gets to be more than 5-10?)
April Terry, your comment on not wanting to be surrounded by rats in heaven (who can blame you!!) reminded me of the view of heaven in The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. The main character (& narrator) in that book is in heaven, which (as I recall) she says is personalized for each individual. But that sounds more like the “physical” view of heaven, not the “transcendent” heaven you mentioned earlier (which sounds more like what Paul wrote about, at least in 1 Corinthians, IIRC).
Nadejda – thank you for the link to your site – it looks interesting & useful. (I don’t think I’ve run across a .info site before, didn’t know that category existed.)
Karen – thanks for the suggestion about the book The Places In Between. Looking it up on Amazon.com, it’s interesting that the editorial reviews featured there don’t mention the dog, but for some of the reader reviewers that was the part of the book which had the biggest impact! Those “dog people”…! ;-)
Kathleen – I’m so sorry to hear that you lost Sparky. He sounds like a such a dear friend. I’m sorry, too, that the thought of seeing Sparky again in heaven wasn’t available to you – but I am glad you could think of him in a “doggie” heaven, even if (as in my case) you don’t really think it exists.