Will your favorite pet join you in Heaven?

Many years ago, a German shepherd dog, about a year old, walked into our yard. The abandoned dog was starved and thirsty; obviously he had lived a hard life. Beverly and I decided keep him. We named him Appy (for Apparition—he “suddenly appeared” in our yard). For the next eight years we gave Appy enough love to compensate for all his previous mistreatment. When I was away at work, I knew Beverly was being well protected, because Appy guarded our premises. 

As Appy grew older, he began having difficulty standing up and walking. We carried him to Dr. Felix Smith Jr. who diagnosed Appy with radial nerve damage. Appy was relegated to staying inside our garage. Twice a day, I carried this 90-pound dog onto the grass where he could use the bathroom. That went on for weeks. Since Appy could not swallow properly, he would not attempt to eat, not even hamburger, steak or chicken. A mysterious paralysis was spreading quickly through his body. A milkshake from McDonald’s was all that Appy could consume.

It became extremely taxing for me to carry Appy from the garage onto the lawn, so Beverly and I set up a temporary living arrangement for him on our front porch. There I could drag Appy to and from the lawn so he could use the bathroom. The dog was increasingly in more pain and discomfort and occasionally would cry out. The curtain was rapidly falling on Appy’s life and, in his condition, death was not the worst alternative, so we called Dr. Ben Smith. 

Just before Dr. Smith administered the lethal injection, I placed my head beside Appy’s and said, “We love you Appy.” He responded by lifting his paw to let me know he returned that love. Then Dr. Smith injected the anesthesia. Within moments, Appy was drifting into eternity. When a beloved pet dies, the question naturally arises if your pet will be allowed to enter heaven. Rev. Billy Graham stated “if animals would make us happier in heaven, surely there will be a place for them.”

A ‘true’ story in “The Telegraph” suggests that pets join their masters in heaven: A veterinarian was requested to euthanize an irreversibly ill dog, whose owner had died recently. The two were inseparable–the owner being like the dog’s daddy. The vet puts the dog on the table. He pets the dog and explains what will happen. “You’ll be given two shots. After the second shot, you’ll see a bright light…run toward that light. You’ll also see a bridge. Your daddy will be waiting for you. Cross the bridge and jump into his arms.” 

After administering the first shot to sedate the dog and the second to end the dog’s life, the vet tells the dog again to look for the light and the bridge. After a few seconds, the dog’s tail begins to thump the table furiously. Taking his last breaths, the dog’s tail continues to wag strongly. Realizing what was happening, the hair on the veterinarian’s neck stood straight up. He said to the dog, “You’ve made it. You’re with your daddy now.”