Dedicated To Puppy...Do Dogs Go to Heaven?

This is a question that I spend a lot of time thinking about. In fact, I am more angst about my dog's spiritual future then I appear to be about my own inevitable passing.

I believe these thoughts so often cross my mind because I cannot imagine that those pure spirits whom are no longer with me, Frankie, Lucy, Morgan, Corey, my free spirited Blue, and just recently, The Senator Puppy, will never cross my path again.

Pondering about this makes me sad to think that we may never know each after this life time....I am even more worried as of late, because my very best friend of the last ten years, Orbit, is nearing the end of his time on this earth and it is making me sad, but should it be?

As I contemplate about Orbit going to heaven, I want to know for certain that when his time does come, he will be moving on to a place that makes him feel happy and safe.

As each day brings me closer to his passing, it strengthens my resolve to want to know the answer;

Do dogs go to heaven?

Especially right now, because Senator Puppy, my Aunt Patty's very beloved and loyal friend of fourteen years has just past away.

I made the quest for this answer for both me and Aunt Patty. I am hoping this knowledge will give us both comfort. Each of us will rest much easier knowing that our best friends, who have touched our life's so deeply, will be in a place that gives them their just rewards for a lifetime of dedication, undying loyalty, and unconditional love.

I began the trek by seeking out people whom I considered to be gurus with respect to dog spirituality.

The first expert I consulted was a mobile Veterinarian that came for a house call, because Orbit was recently very sick (he is now recovering very nicely). She (the Vet) was quite an unusual character... fifty something, a pale complexion, flowing smock, long dark black hair, and very piercing bright blue eyes.

Because of her striking appearance and her aura of confidence, I felt sure she was just the exactly right professional to give me clarity. I felt her interesting demeanor as well as her being a licensed Veterinarian made her more than qualified to answer the question ... and here was her reply;

"Of course dogs go to heaven, I have no doubt what so ever, you see, God gave man dominion over all the animals on this earth, but he did this before Eve took the bite out of the Apple, which then, as we all know, is when evil began to prevail and that is why man now mistreats his animals"....

Hmmmm... I said to myself, that's a different slant, while at the same time trying to keep an open mind. I contemplated this answer, but at the end of the day I decided it was not what I was searching for.

Later as it turns out, I found out she was not a regular Veterinarian. She was in fact a euthanasia Veterinarian. In other words she was Dr. Death and my sweet Orbit had obviously been very close to getting the answer himself and that was not what I had in mind!

The next professional was my trusty dog sitter. Sandy is very earthy, long blond hair, friendly light blue eyes, she exudes a very motherly aura...And she sleeps with at least ten dogs every night!... With that very special credential, I felt confident that she would be an excellent source and could without a doubt shed some light on my dogs spirituality... And here was her reply;

"Of course dogs go to heaven, without question". She also very animately told me this; "When I die, I only want to be where the dogs go and nowhere else" ....

This was a good answer, but too brief and somewhat lacking in substance.

I knew there had to be more to the subject ... This answer only magnified my powerful need to continue the quest...I knew that I must press on with my journey because I was yearning to find out the one true answer; the one single answer that was going to make me feel as if it was "just right".

Finally, and without really knowing it, I stumbled upon what I had been searching for and it was quite by accident.

You see my Aunt Sally who is Patty's sister, speaks to and on a regular basis to .... "the other side"....

Yup that's correct, and you did read that right...

My Aunt Sally claims she communicates with the spirit world...She does this by working with a friend who speaks with those of us who no longer walk this earth. In other words, Aunt Sally's friend confers with those that have already reached those pearly gates! Armarna, Aunt Sally's friend is a clairvoyant medium!

Now getting back to the point as to how I discovered my answer to the question to "Do dogs go to heaven?"...

One day I just so happened to be having a random conversation with my Aunt Sally. At the time of this particular conversation, I made mention to her that I was on a quest and I was telling her what my experts had replied to "Do dogs go to heaven?"

Well, I was not at all expecting Aunt Sally to have any input , you see, because in my opinion with respect to my dogs and their spiritual disposition, she didn't have any viable credentials in which to offer expert advise. Except to say, she is a huge dog lover, but still I didn't think this made her particularly qualified to provide any type of input with respect to my dogs and their potential spiritual well being.

Not at all expecting her to shed any light on the subject, our conversation began to take a turn that was quite unusual and unexpected...

After hearing what my experts had to say Aunt Sally then proceeded to tell me, and this was spoken with very strong conviction and with a forceful urgency; That under no uncertain terms it was FOR SURE dogs go to heaven!

Hmmm, as I mentally scoffed at the time...and then with a tad of skepticism in my voice I inquired..... "and how do you know this? "

Aunt Sally began to speak with confidence and without a qualm as she informed me that "Amarna her clairvoyant has been in communication with her dogs...specifically her dogs that have died and that are now in heaven."

Armarna claims she has been communicating directly to Chocolate and Wrigley who passed away years ago!

She continued on to tell me that Amarna also told her that "the dogs are very happy and content......Chocolate and Wrigley are ready and waiting for the day when it will be Aunt Sally's time, since it will be Chocolate and Wrigley that will be the guides on her journey to heaven. "

At first, and I am sure you must agree dear reader, this appears to be a very wacky answer. I dismissed it as I am sure you have just done.

But much later, as I reflected upon this very strange exchange, I surprisingly realized that this very far out conversation had actually provided me the answers to which I was seeking.

I have now come to fundamentally accept that this unlikely explanation is the "right" answer.

Because it is this particular answer that makes me feel the most satisfied, and it is this answer that seems to be the most fitting, this answer which makes the most sense, and the one answer that I want to be true.

When thinking about it, doesn't it sound just right and feel enormously comforting to believe that when comes our time to leave this earth, it will be with our loyal and trusted pooches from our past , those sweet innocent dogs, our old friends, who will lead us through the path of darkness and into the valley of brightness... While providing us with comfort and kindness along the way? Just as they did while they were here on this earth, giving us comfort and kindness along our way...

It all comes together when you think about it like that...I have found my answer, how about you?