Do all dogs go to heaven? I must admit, I don’t know.
But the question starts to matter when that dreaded day finally comes. It came for us at the end of last week when our funny-looking, half corgi/half border collie “Doctor” had to be put down.
When we first arrived in Southern California, we needed a new dog and we prayed for the Lord to give us the perfect one. He did. And for years, Doctor offered more love, affection, and protection than we could possibly ask for. He may have been unique in his appearance but he was the smartest, most loyal, loving dog our family ever had and he almost made it to 15 years.
Even though he couldn’t hear, couldn’t see, and suffered from arthritis and dementia, we tried to make that final day the best day of his life. Janet baked a chicken and he managed to relish a couple of bites. I played ball with him as long as he was able.
Together with our new puppy, who is now mourning with us, we took Doctor on his favorite walk, letting him dither and sniff.
Did our entire family cry? Yes.
Do we hope our pets are with us in heaven? Yes.
C.S. Lewis faced this dilemma for the first time when he was 4 years old. When his dog, Jacksie, died, Lewis decided to take on his name – Jack – and it stuck with him for the rest of his life.
In his books, The Problem of Pain and The Great Divorce, Lewis touches upon his belief that pets will join us in our next life. A friend of mine who has taught courses on Lewis wrote me last week saying, “I also have resonated with the teaching of Lewis on how those animals we’ve loved are assumed into our lives in heaven.”
Over the past week, Janet and I have found hope from a few passages of scripture as we’ve mourned the passing of Doctor.
- From the very beginning people and animals have belonged together. Adam was told to name the animals in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 1, 2).
- Isaiah prophesied that in the future world the lion would lie down with the lamb and the goat with the leopard (11:6).
- Jesus pointed out that not one sparrow falls outside the care of the Father (Matt. 6:26).
- God not only cares for animals, he includes them in his covenants. God instructed Noah to carefully preserve the animals through the flood. Afterwards, he made a covenant that encompassed “every living thing of all flesh.” (Gen. 6:18-19).
- In Hosea, God made a covenant “with the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the creatures that move along the ground” (2:18).
God created the world for us as an act of overflowing love. In every picture he gives of the restoration of his creation he always includes the animals.
So will Doctor, our most loyal dog, be in heaven?
We don’t know. We’re just leaving it in the hands of our heavenly Father. But we do know he gave us this particular dog as a personal answer to our prayers for a wonderful pet. There’s no doubt that Doctor was a gift from God – from his one ear up and one ear down to his long, low body and the slow wag of his tail.
Our Father is a great giver of gifts and we have reason to hope that every good thing he’s given us in this world will show up again in the new creation.
Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You, Lord, preserve both people and animals
Psalm 36:6
About the Author
As the leader of Haven Ministries, Charles Morris is always thinking of ways to lead Christians and non-Christians to Christ—hence the familiar slogan, “Telling the great story … it’s all about Jesus.” Charles is a former secular journalist, who has worked for United Press International, and as a press secretary for two former U.S. senators. He began working in the Christian world after seminary, coming to Haven as the fourth speaker in 2000. He and his wife, Janet, have written several books, including Missing Jesus and Fleeing ISIS, Finding Jesus.
2023 Haven Calendar
God has created Every Living Thing…
Animals and people have always shared a special connection. From the very beginning people and animals have belonged together. Only two verses into the Bible and we see God instructing Adam to name all the animals in the Garden of Eden. Many examples of God restoring his creation, including the animals fill the pages of Scripture.
God created the world for us as an act of overflowing love. As with all of God’s creation, animals have a way of glorifying their Creator. Our Father is the great giver of gifts and I have seen him use our family dog, Clementine, to bring me comfort and friendship. So may we praise our Creator and Savior for the beautiful gifts he has shared with us through his living creatures.
30 Comments
Thank you.
Thank you so much! We just had to put down our 12 year old Shih Tzu and it is breaking our heart! I want to believe that we will see our pets in Heaven! This is the only way I can handle it!! It was great seeing your article!
i am sad to see how many people identify themselves so much with their pets instead of their creator. Everlasting life is about God the father, about Jesus and the Holy Spirit. It is not about marriage or dogs and cats, money or gold ( although the streets are made of gold).
Heaven is about God’s presence and us delighting into it. Do you think you would care a minute for your Doctor if Jesus was (visibly) in your room ? But he is. Jesus is with you. Give to God what is God’s.
Thanks for your response, James. You’re absolutely right that our identity is only in Christ. This article doesn’t disagree with that truth. It only speaks to the deep connection and empathy we can have with other members God’s creation, along with reflecting on a theological question that we don’t have the complete answer to … at least not on this side of eternity.
You sound bitter. No is disputing the sovereignty of Jesus, rather the the thanksgiving of his creation and hope to be reunited with our dogs who are our family here. How would you feel if i said that about your family, like a child
Just because you Don’t have the capacity to love an animal (that is part of God’s creation) doesn’t invalidate the feelings that others may have.
Wow…really picking those syrong loving Christian values here with the GOAT but I gotta say…don’t think anyone of you is able nor capable of following the teaching of the Bible much less know how to love nor what love is at all. Let me ask you Christians this…how many of you love satan? Doesn’t your Bible say to love your enemy? How many of you have ever said a prayer for satan? Doesn’t the Bible say to pray for your enemy? How many of you have ever even thought about doing what your Bible actually says to do…yall don’t even know Yahusua…that’s the real name of the man who was hung on the cross and who did you ask i. To your heart and who did you believed in as your lord and savior and whose blood covers your sins? Careful lest ye actually understand what the scripture means here:
Matthew 7:21-23
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
1 Corinthians 12:3
Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
Let your eye’s hear and ears see what is being revealed to you in your own Bible! WAKE UP FROM YOIR SLUMBER!
It is very sad that you feel the way your do. It makes me wonder if you ever had a pet of any kind.
God gave them to us for many different reasons ~ one of which was to enjoy. He gave them to us to be an aid to the blind, to help some people with certain illnesses to be able to alert the ill person of an impending seizure or to take their meds. They give lonely people something alive to do something for ~ take care of, to help, to feed. The animal, in return gives them company, love and talks to them with their big eyes.
I am 86 ~ have had to go through the sadness of needing to send many pets to live in God’s huge yard where they will have no more pain an illness. I am very near to having to go through it again with my precious 14 yr old Australian Shepherd. I believe with all my heart that God loves ALL that He has created for us here on earth. He must have had great joy in creating them ~ what a great artist He is ~ and I can’t imagine Him NOT wanting them with Him too.
And, YES, I know Jesus is much more important. He is more important to me than any animal ~ BUT ~ I thank God with all my heart that He created such precious creatures for us to love too. How empty my life would have been without the dogs and cats He has sent my way. Thank you God!!!! Please, God, help me through the tears and heartache that I know is fairly soon to come.
Hi Donna you said it so beautifully. God did give us these wonderful animals to show us Love and God is Love. I believe God said all he creation was good. I am sorry for your pain as well. I know the pain you talk about when one of our fur babies die. It is extremely hard. They are part of the family. I am thankful to God all mighty for all His Creation. In John 14:1-4 Do not let your heart be troubled believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places: if it were not so, I would have told you: for I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am there you may be also. Rev.21:4 God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, there will no longer be any mourning, crying or pain, for the former things have passed away. Then He who sat on the throne said Behold, I make all things new. God will take care of everything. I love you Jesus Christ thank you for eternal life.
Amen!! Unconditional
Love is another part God’s plan for our pets. I LONG to see ALL my earthly pets on the Rainbow Bridge and bring them Home to be with God!
I am sorry that you have missed the breath of God’s love and the inclusiveness of His love for His entire creation. Yes, my first hope, when I enter heaven, is to fall flat on the ground at Jesus’ feet in tears of happiness and praise for His love for me. I look forward to seeing my human family and our reunion under the glory of God. And, I hope for and expect that God will reunite me with all people and creatures who were part of my love family on earth. He will restore all things to their original perfection. Love a dog, it’s good for your soul.
I don’t believe that God is upset with us for loving our animals, and, at the risk of sounding un-christian, I don’t believe He wants you judging us. I have seen nothing in the Bible that says we are not supposed to want our animals to be waiting for us when we go. If they’re not there, we probably won’t even know, but if they are, we will be happy.
This might be a clue … every creature!
Revelation 5:13
13 And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang:
“Blessing and honor and glory and power
belong to the one sitting on the throne
and to the Lamb forever and ever.”
Thanks for your insight, Mike! If anything, this verse shows that God takes great care to include all of his creation, not just man. That’s an encouraging thought.
My best friend Issabella past to Heaven 6/28/2025.i miss her dearly. She fought on meds and vet visits for 4 weeks. The night she past. She and I had the conversation..as I looked in her eyes I told her how much my life was Blessed for 14years of sharing with her.told her we would meet again in the Rapture and It would be ok to let go. Next day I found her and she had passed. I still cry
We just lost our most precious dog, Coconut on 10/12/25. My heart is shattered in ways I have never thought imaginable. I was searching for verses about pets and ran across this. I don’t feel so crazy now to be crying tears daily and longing for one last day with him to do what you did for Jack. My husband and I were gone all day the day our pup passed but we did arrive home that night to find him struggling to breathe. I prayed over him for God to please not let him suffer and told him how wonderful he had been to our family and how we would never forget him and he could let go. We had him for 15 1/2 years. He is at the foot of almost every photo I have of family events and vacations. He showed the fruits of the spirit, love, kindness, patience, joy … always let us with a smile a friend who sticks closer than a brother. God is sovereign and I asked him if he does allow a pet to be there to please let me see Coconut again with no pain and sorrow. My motto now is LLC – love like coconut. What an example of Gods love and true love we had with our pet we will forever miss and remember.
Hi Jennifer,
I’m sorry that I didn’t comment on your post before now.
Please try to be at ease about Coconut (such a cute name). I believe with every fiber of my being that Coconut is now perfectly well and playing in God’s huge yard. The fur-baby, Nikki, that I talked about in my first message has also now left me. I had her for 17 years and I had to put her to sleep the last of Aug. Didn’t do anything on here until now because of the death of my Son-In-Law. Paul, my son-in-law was a devout Christian ~ ~ so he is now playing with Coconut, Nikki and all the other pets that have gone before.
I know how your heart aches. I still have to “make” myself think of other things during the day or tears still rain from my eyes.
I am praying that our Lord will fold you within His arms ~ letting you know that He will take good care of Coconut and that after you see your Savior “first” then Coconut will be waiting for you.
I sure would like to see my pets again. I too don’t know. There’s a verse in either Psalms or Proverbs that reads “A righteous man is concerned for his animals but even the kindness of an righteous man is cruel.” And Romans 8 says that the creation itself will be set free from corruption.” I think the new heaven and new earth will not be our present heaven and earth just renewed. The very laws of physics will be different. In this universe we are under the second law of thermodynamics that results in things starting new but grow old and wear out. In one of the letters to the Corinthians says, “No eye has seen, nor ear has heard, nor the heart of man conceived what the Lord has prepared for those who love Him.” And Peter said that the elements will burn up and dissolve with heat. I am concerned about what will happen to my little boy kitty cat if I am not here. My question is in the rapture will my friend go up with me?
That’s unrighteous man. My phone rewrites my words. Hopefully we won’t need cell phones in heaven.
Thanks for your feedback, Ted. We are admittedly in speculative territory here, but I think it’s good to reflect and search the heart of God when it comes to the beings we know and love in our life today.
Unless a person has experienced unconditional love of an animal, they can never understand why we hope to see our beloveds in Heaven. I have known and loved several dogs in my life and each one that crossed over that “Rainbow Bridge” took a piece of my heart with them. Every new dog added a piece of love back into my life. I cannot imagine Heaven without the frolicking of 4-legged friends who accept us, love us and offer us the truest form of Love. Thank you for sharing this post. I hope to meet Doctor one day.
Thank you for sharing your kindness. After issy passed I didn’t know if I should get another fur baby. Your text gave me hope. Thank you.
BLESSINGS
Hi Cyndi,
I to have had many pets in my lifetime. I just, two weeks ago, had to help my beloved Aussie dog over the bridge. She was 14 and very unwell. It breaks our hearts to have to say good-by.
I believe that God must have had so much joy over all He made ~ especially our pets that mean so much to us that He would also want them to be with Him.
They are all together now in God’s huge yard having the time of their lives.
I hope you do get another pet. There are so many out there that need our love and care.
Someone has told me that I am to old and it would be unfair if I were to get a cat ( would love to have two dogs and three cats but at my age I just haven’t the energy that a dog should have) but I’m going to get one anyway ~ ~ a cat. Just go get a pet to love.
Donna Keller
I believe God’s word specifically states that our pets will be with us in the New Creation. Romans 8:19 KJV “For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.”
If animals (creation) are “waiting” for the children of God to be made manifest, then they will be there period. You can’t argue with the word of God. Also, animals are pure unadulterated love /charity, and “Charity never faileth.” If an animal just ceased to exist, they would fail. But, thankfully, they won’t! I mean seriously.. just look at the Ark! It’s a symbol of salvation for everything in the boat! lol It’s pretty “simple” to me. 2 Corinthians 11:3 KJV “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ”
Thanks Brad I too believe will be reunited and to me Romans 8:19 is solid proof my dog Bear was struck by a car 2-22-25 around 3:20pm I am absolutely crushed I will never forgive my self I let him run freely a lot and should have never been so careless and trustworthy to him not to run across the street he was a top notch dog for just being a mutt we had 11 solid yrs together so many adventures only God remembers them all the time and memories will forever be burned into my heart I have no family or friends and he was best friend I’ve been up all night packing and sobbing and been thinking of suicide I used to tell him that when he dies i want to die too the only reason I’m not is bc I don’t want someone else have to cleanup the mess looking at him now 9:26am lying on my bed it looks as if sometimes he’s breathing and as much as I want it to be hes cold as ice I kust cant believe he went out like that i love Jesus but i have been so mad at him over the years my entire family has been destroyed and severed I was a good father and I believe he sees everything I know I’m not no saint and sin everyday i don’t mean to i was cursing him and Bear took off again and mostly cursing myself for realizing how stupid I really am and in the moment is when I believe God aloud the protection ti be lifted from him and he got hit and the person just kept going says a witness I was so hateful at that moment but today I have a different view I’m actually praying for that person bc I realized that kind of evil may be happening to someone else or something else so I pray that person finds some spiritual guidance before the person inflicts more pain I’ve also been begging God for forgiveness and to talk to me on my next steps and to guide my life and not knowing what to do with Bear he looks so peaceful but I’m not sure what to do the ground is frozen in Michigan and even if it wasn’t I’m not sure where to burry him yet I’m exhausted and have a headache I’m so ashamed of my sinful life I’ve tried over and over to live like Christ and at best have been a complete failure and now the feeling of failing Bear is a knife twisting in my heart I honestly have no idea why I’m here or what he wants bc it seems no matter what it ends in failure I’m sorry for this long post and this isn’t the place for that I just wanted to share a bit of truth of what’s left of my life the only thing I have left is to believe with my whole heart and soul is that that Christ is real there will be noore tears and we will be reunited with our pets amen
Hi Elliott. Thank you for sharing so candidly about your beloved dog. It is devastating to hear how he died so tragically this weekend. As you have seen in this blog post and other comments, you are not alone. I know you said you have no family or friends, but, if you haven’t already, I want to encourage you to reach out to someone you trust, perhaps a pastor, counselor, or professional who can help you talk through your grief. And if at any point you are thinking about suicide again, please reach out to someone right away. One easy and safe way to do that is to contact Crisis Text Line (https://www.crisistextline.org) by texting HOME to 741741, or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988. Even when you are feeling alone, please remember that you do indeed matter. You are a child of God. And I pray you find some support that makes a meaningful difference for your grief right now. We are praying for you. I will also send this to the email you registered with your comment to ensure you get this reply.
Elliott, I am so sorry for your loss. I just put my beloved Mishka down on the 26th of April at 8:40 PM. She was a true gift from God to our family. She was perfect in every way. “Dog” is God spelled backwards. Dogs are a representation of God’s unconditional love for us. I know dogs go to Heaven. As much as we love our dogs, we love God even more, because if it was not for God, none of us would be here. Because of God, we are all here. Please do not blame yourself. We all make mistakes. Everything happens for a reason. God uses people and dogs to teach us. God had a purpose for what happened. Be thankful for the years of love and companionship you had with your precious dog. Rest assured he is in Heaven now and you will see him again. The very day after my dog was put down I prayed to God to give me a sign that Mishka (This is a Russian name that means Lil Bear) was in Heaven with Him. The day after she passed a young man came into my place of business wearing a shirt (in the middle of summer) that had a picture of a bear on it and underneath the bear it read Lil Bear. Talk about a sign from God! Oh my amazing God whom I will worship forever!!! I hope you find the love and support you need right now. I will be praying for you Elliott. Be at peace with the only one who gives us peace beyond understanding. Love to you.
Thank you Kristi for responding to Elliott. I understand his sorrow for his baby as well. And for you to Kristi. God does put our beloved fur babies in our lives. God bless you all.
Elliott we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. He is a forgiving father if we ask of him in repentance. This world has been broken since Adam & Eve chose sin in the garden. Gods word says believe on my name and my son Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. If I told you all of the things I have done in my life you would think of me a terrible person. God rights the wrongs just trust in him, ask him and ask him to show himself to you and watch your world come together as never before. Losing my dog just 2 days ago after 15 1/2 years of love and devotion has left me to LLC – love like coconut. Unconditional. I’ve withheld love joy and peace from myself and all of my friends and family at times. God is loving and forgiving just like our pets behavior. Accept his love, know your worthy and know he has a purpose for each life he has created and allowed on this earth. Don’t lean on your own understanding lean on the words of God in his Bible for the remainder of your life.
thanks for the great article, keep up the good work
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