Do dogs go to Heaven? [Proverbs 12]

It must be dozens of times that I've heard you ask me about what Heaven is going to be like, and very often, you've asked about animals and whether or not they will spend eternity with us.

All I can tell you is that we humans are created in the image of God. We're different from animals. There's nothing I've read in the Bible that seems to show that animals and pets will be in Heaven.

But that doesn't necessarily mean that there won't be any animals there, either.

Usually, when you've asked, I think my answer to you included a statement something like this: Heaven is going to be so wonderful that even if your pets and animals you love are not there, it won't matter at all to you, because whatever you are going to experience in Heaven will be infinitely more enjoyable than anything you've experienced on earth, including your love for and enjoyment of animals.

But there's another question that I think God would say is more important that "do dogs go to Heaven?" Proverbs 12:10 says, "Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast." Right now, in this life, how do you treat animals?

More than likely, the background here in 12:10 is farming. Does a man take care of the ox, or his donkey, which labors for him in the fields, or helps him get from his home to the market? Does he feed and water his animals? Does he abuse them, strike them unnecessarily?

I don’t think this applies to hunting. When you kill an animal, a deer for example, for food, that’s not being cruel to the animal. This is God’s provision for man. Hunters are more often the best conservationists and usually more appreciative of animals and their habitats than non-hunters.

Thankfully, I’ve observed all three of you being very kind to animals. That’s not true of everyone.

We went to a cookout at our neighbor’s house one day. I was out in the yard, helping the dad grill some burgers. His dog did something that the dad really didn’t like. I don’t really remember what it was, but I know for certain the dog did nothing worthy of a hard kick to his backside, but that’s exactly what my friend did. He kicked his dog really hard near the dogs hind legs and then said something to me like this: “You know, I think a dog is just a dog, and every now and then you gotta just kick ‘em.”

The way you treat animals can be an indication of how close you are to God. It shows whether or not you are allowing His righteousness to rule, or your own self-will, emotions and/or understanding.

So, no, I’m afraid that I cannot answer the question about doggies and heaven. But I would say enjoy your animals today; be kind to them. I think that Heaven will be more enjoyable for you as a result, wonderful beyond imagination, with or without animals.