Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and beginning April 20th, 2021 (Eastern Time) the Yahoo Answers website will be in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

Do dogs cross over?

My black lab was recently killed by a car. We are responsible pet owners but he escaped and must have gotten lost. We spent hours searching and started making fliers. Tugger, who was walked, knew the area and had escaped in the past (bolting out the front door) and would return home with a knock on the door. He would go to the lake and creek and romp in the field.....this time Tugger headed for the highway and although we searched Animal Control picked him up as a DOA. We are truly devestated. We as a family were able to say goodbye and pet him one last time and tell him he was a GOOD DOG. He truly was a loyal, faithful, loving, patient companion to myself and family. He even allowed three kittens to come live with us when he was 11 years old. I'd like to know he's in heaven and will greet us. I am considering the psychic who communicates with animals to help us heal our broken hearts....just knowing he's with loved ones will ease our sorrow. He was such a good dog.....

Update:

Thank you all for taking the time to share so much of yourselves and beliefs. Rainbow Bridge brought me to tears, again, and is a comforting thought. I just don't see how a loving God who wants to give His children good things would deny me the gift of my Tugger once I go home. I've always wondered if someone who has had a near death experience has ever seen their pets?

15 Answers

Relevance
  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    hello:}

    not only do they pass on but they will be there waiting to see you when you go .

    It is said that every pet we have loved and been kind too will meet us as we go into the light and that sometimes the people wanting to greet us can not get to us because of the animals excitment to see us ,i personally love to visualize seeing all my pet friends anxiously waiting .i can't think of anything more beautiful.

    animals actually are more superior to us in the way that they love and use their instincts and sometimes they give up thier very lives for us .

    do not worry either that your dog was in pain ,i understand that they are spared a lot of suffering compared to us lowly humans.

    ask for a dream of tugger and he will come to you and you will see him healthy and happy ,still watching over you .

    i have lost many "friends" in my life and it to me is just as painful as my human friends [maybe more so ].they are sop special it seems inpossible to replace them ,but do keep in mind tugger would want you to take care and love another animal since his life was good with you and getting a new friend helps with your grief and heavne knows there are lots of dogs that need a home ....tugger really would want you to do that .................

    anyway i am sorry to hear of it ,,,,,,i totally understand what you are going through ,but the thought that they too are on the other side and romping and safe and watching over us well it makes me feel better ,,,i have had dreams of my german sheperd coco[who passed] and she was special ,,but i know she is still around.

    peggy :}:}

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    I'm sorry about your loss, I hope this helps.

    The Rainbow Bridge

    Author Unknown

    Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

    When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

    All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

    They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; his eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

    Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

  • 1 decade ago

    An anonymous poem:

    "Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

    "When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

    "All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

    "They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

    "You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

    "Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together.... "

    You already know your dog's spirit is eternal, so pay no attention to the nonbelievers here who are too human-centric to see the spark of "divinity" that is in all living creatures. The lamb and the lion lay together in a perfect place, and beloved pets are reunited with those who love them.

  • Hestia
    Lv 4
    1 decade ago

    Losing a pet is not just like losing a member of your family but IS losing a member of your family. In the Bible, it states that the lamb and the lion will live in harmony-so, yes I think they do pass over.

    Your dog loved you and you loved your dog-and I think he KNOWS you how much you cared for him. Picture him running free-playing with all the other animals-and let it give you peace of mind.

  • How do you think about the answers? You can sign in to vote the answer.
  • 1 decade ago

    this is spooky....many years ago, my mom and her cat died within days of each other. Both of my sisters and I had our own places out of town, so no one was in the house. The neighbor across the street called me and said that she saw my mom and her cat sitting in front of the living room window, where they always sat. And not just once either.

    So to answer your question, I think it would have to be yes, because every living being has soul.

    I had a cat that went everywhere with me and he was 26 years old when he died...and I kept hearing him meowing and could feel him jump on the bed......that kept happening until I moved out of that house. I know I will see him someday again, and all my friends and family too.

    Source(s): Losing a pet like that is really hard and it takes a long time to get over it. Four years ago, my boyfriend, had to have his Lab, who had a stroke, put to sleep. It was the hardest thing for him to do. He wanted to keep him alive, but the vet told him there was nothing he could do and that the dog was suffering. In 2000 I lost my stepmom, then the next day, my dad ( they were married). We were to leave the next day for the double funeral and when I got up, I discovered that my cat, Kiki, had had a stroke and kidney failure, and I had to have her put to sleep. So 3 days in a row, I lost someone I loved....it was so hard. Some say that you will get over it.........I am still not. Maybe in time.......but I know I will see them again.......
  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    I am very sorry to hear that your dog was killed. I know exactly how you feel, Because I am a pet owner myself, I had a Yorkie yrs. ago that died, I spent $1,700 on her to try to keep her alive, she follow us around the house up to the very moment she died. She fell over dead in our arms. She had a bad heart, & one morning, I notice she was not in bed with my wife & I, I jumped up to look for her, she was in the other room, could not breathe, we had to give her a IV drop every day, the day she died, she follow us around the house, & when it came her time to die, she looked up at my wife & me, took her last breathe & fell over, We both was grieved very much, They become part of the family. Turn to Ecclesiates 3:21 Who Knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward & the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? I wish I could said Yes, But the answer is NO. They don't have a soul as a person does. I remember after our Yorkie Died, this same subject was taught in our church, Not that we said anything to our Pastor, I guess someone else wanted to know, I remember my Pastor saying that in Heaven there is no aninmals, But in this life if we had a certain pet that we loved more than any other pet, That God can give us another pet to fill it's place with the same kind of nature. We were so greaived, about losing our Yorkie, That I did not want another dog, about 2 months after our Yorkie died, My nephew gave us another dog that he bought for himself, I hesitated to take it, But I mainly done it for my wife, It is a Lhasa Apso, I thought I will not let this dog get so close to my feelings, Here we have 2 different breeds, But yet both of them has the same kind of Nature about them, I then remember what my Pastor said that God can give us another dog with the same nature to help heal the pain of loosing a pet. Now This other dog is 9 yrs. Old, I know how it will affect my wife & myself when she dies. I am sorry to say, Dogs do NOT go to heaven, we wouldn't even have time for a dog in heaven, being with Jesus & our loved ones. Now to ease your hurt a little, I do Believe there will be aninmals in the Millenium that will take place on this earth, this will be heaven on eath, But right now in what we concieve to be heaven, I hate to tell you the answer is NO. As a pet owner to another, I know your pain, If someday you get another Dog, even though it might be a different breed, I believe that God can put the same kind of nature into that new dog as the one you had that died.

  • Char
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    I am very sorry for your loss. I have lost two very special dogs, who were like children to me. But, I do not believe animals go to Heaven. They are not structured the same as humans [body, soul and spirit]. That is why animals are subordinate to humans. If animals had a soul, then there would be a plan for their salvation, just like there is for humans, when Christ came and died for us all.

    Again, I am very sorry for your loss, and I'm not trying to appear insensitive, only realistic. Peace be with you as you mourn for Tugger.

  • 1 decade ago

    I am sorry for your loss. Yes, I believe animals cross over. Above someone posted the "The Rainbow Bridge" poem. I love that poem and I find it comforting.

  • Peace
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    i have had many communications with spirit where they have brought through a loved pet .. animals do go to spirit and will be there for us when we pass also

    where there is love ... there is a bond and that bond is eternal and not even death breaks it ... whether it is a person or an animal

    so sorry to hear about your dog , but one day you will see each other again

  • 1 decade ago

    I've had pets in the past that i loved dearly ,but unfortualy I don't think they do.Now I read the Bible,but don't know it all by no means,I don't recall reading of it.The Lord said let every creature have breath not soul.God bless you all!!!!

Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.