Do All Dogs go to Heaven?

Lacy

A co-worker sent me an email today with photos detailing an argument between two churches located across the street from each other. A Catholic church started with these words on their marquee, "All Dogs Go To Heaven". The neighboring Presbyterian church provided rebuttal on their marquee of "Only Humans Go To Heaven. Read Your Bible." They went so far as to say, "Dogs Don't Have Souls. This is Not Up for Debate." Well, they threw the gauntlet down , and I am picking it up.  I am far from a Biblical scholar, but I simply cannot believe that the love and devotion our pets give to us everyday unconditionally goes without reward. I defy anyone who has ever had a pet that they truly loved and received that love in return, be it cat or dog, to question whether that animal has feelings or a soul. I have had cats and dogs as pets, and I can tell you that some of my happiest memories involve those animals. At present, I have a cat. Her name is Lacy. She's a gray tabby and she's 9 years old. She is the sweetest cat, and at times she is almost human. Anytime I am upset or sick, she will come to me. She will sleep by my side when I am sick, and if I am upset and crying about something, she will run to me and stand right at my feet or by my lap and look at me with those wide cat eyes and meow as if to say, "What's wrong, Mom?" I love her, and I know she loves me. I have had dogs as well, and all of them returned the love I gave them 100 fold. I'm not trying to debate what is BC (Biblically correct.) I just believe that God created these animals, and something has been created in them to love and protect us.

Case in point: I read an article about an amazing dog who has been trained to warn his owner, a young girl of 6 with Type 1 diabetes, when her sugar levels are dangerously low. Her name is Shirley, and she can detect by scent when her owner is hypoglycemic. When sugar levels are teetering on the edge of diabetic coma she will lick her owner's hand or sit on her lap. If she receives no response, she will then go and find the girl's mother. This absolutely amazes me!! Yes, I know that a human has trained the dog to behave in this manner, but Shirley performs life-saving acts everyday, and if she wasn't loving and devoted, I don't think the training would work.

Shirley

Do all pets go to Heaven? I don't know, but they sure provide a little heaven on earth for their owners.