pet loss

[sprout]

The loss of a pet can be so very hard. We recently lost our pet (and, I noticed that a few others here as well have lost theirs) and it just leaves this horrible empty space in a home. We all got to say good bye to our pet, but still in the end dh (who btw has lost both parents) told me that he honestly thought that losing our family pet was worse than the death of his parents. And, he is not an emotional person.

we told the children that God called our Belle home...and (I know I may get some flack about this) but, I really do believe that pets find their way into heaven.

ok...bash away...but, in my heart, I think this is something that I just have to believe in order to cope with such a loss.

do you also tell your children that the family pet goes to heaven, or, do you handle it differently?

[J3K]

No bashing here. I honestly don't know if pets find their way to heaven. I waffle back and forth. Right after the loss of a pet (a few hours) I really believe they go to heaven. After some time has separated me , my logic kicks in and I just don't think they do. :shrug3

I let the kids make their own decisions about whether the pet ended up in heaven or not. The big thing is not to argue the point with a sibling.

In the case of Murray I made sure the kids' knew the vet did everything she could to save his life and the important thing is that Murray wasn't in pain anymore.

I think we all do what we can to minimize the pain for our kiddos.

[SilverMoon]

:hugheart
The only pet I've lost was my dog when I was 14, which ran away. I'm sorry you're hurting.
I believe they'll be in heaven with us.

[Countrymama]

I go back and forth too. No bashing from me though! :) :heart
The best I can come up with is that God created our pets and I am sure that He does something beautiful with them when they leave us. What that really is I don't know....but I'd like to think I will find out someday.
:hug2
It is so hard to lose a pet though. I have lost several, but my children have not experienced this yet. We have 3 cats and a dog. Our cats are 7, 6 and 3 and our dog is 7 so it hopefully won't happen very soon ('specially since i :heart my furbabies!) but I'm pretty sure my middle child will have a harder time coping than the others. She is very attached to our pets.

[sprout]

:heart thank you for not bashing :heart

I agree that God created them and there has to be something beautiful for the living creatures. To me, heaven would just seem so empty if it was filled with only human souls.

[Amber]

I'm sorry :hugheart Losing a pet is so hard.

[Desert Rose]

:hugheart

[HummusDip]

:happytears

[expatmom]

When God created the world, before sin, he created animals. I think they were part of his original plan and I fully expect to see them in heaven.

I know one of the most hurtful things to me as a kid was when a sunday school teacher told me that there was no way pets were in heaven (this right after the death of a beloved pet).

[Heather Micaela]

I am like J3K.

I often wonder if God was silent on that on purpose. Becuase like a grown up who doesn't try to explain everything to children who can't understand, we wouldnt be able to wrap our minds around how it really works out.

If animals don't go to heaven, I am willing to be wrong while on earth if it comforts me and others. If I get to heaven and my Meshach and Shadrach are not there, at that point it will not matter. But for now it helps me get and the children cope.

You know, when ds was born I calculated how old he would be when the 3 cats I had passed away. He should have been no younger than 7 when Shadrach died, 12 with Meshach, and 14 with Abednego.

Shadrach and Meshach died when he was 5. Only Abby remains.

And though I was worried about him, the one who has mourned the most is Abby.

I often wonder if God was silent on that on purpose. Becuase like a grown up who doesn't try to explain everything to children who can't understand, we wouldnt be able to wrap our minds around how it really works out. :cry That is why I cannot be dogmatic about pets and heaven. She grieved. She is lonely. As far as I am concerned, she loved her "brothers"