Animals & Pets in Heaven: Biblical Perspectives

By Elizabeth Prata

The discussion revolves around whether pets will be present in heaven, from a Christian perspective. Although humans uniquely reflect God’s image, there is speculation about the fate of animals post-New Earth. The article emphasizes God’s care for animals and suggests trust in His intentions, ultimately asserting joy in heaven will be fulfilled in Christ.

I’m asked more often lately about whether we will see our pets again in heaven. Some ask about the animals we keep, being a farm community. My county abounds with cows, bulls, buffalo, mules, goats, chickens, sheep, pigs and more. I find the question about whether animals will be in heaven fascinating, and also encouraging. I’m personally invested in the question, too, as a former a cat owner.

The book of Genesis tells us that humans are unique in God’s creation, being made in His image and likeness. Also, we and the animals have the breath of life in us, humans were made to have dominion over the animals. Jesus died on the cross for salvation of his people, not animals, who if they have a soul, at least, it’s not a soul like ours.

But wouldn’t it be wonderful to see that when God rights all things, the miserable lives some abused pets endured at the hands of sinful people, or those animals who lived short, hungry lives in the wild, or were hunted to extinction, are restored?

Also it should be noted that the creation groans and awaits the renewal, Romans 8:19-23. The creation, including animals, have always obeyed God. It is the humans who rebelled. Still, I do not believe animals will be “resurrected” since they did not sin and further, do not have a soul in need of redemption. Restored? Recreated?

19 For the eagerly awaiting creation waits for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only that, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our body.

It is reasonable to assume that human futures will be different than the animals’, being of different flesh and having had different roles on earth. The opposite is also reasonable to assume, that God created animals and will not abandon that creation in the eternal state. He didn’t in the Flood.

We read in Isaiah 11:6-9 that there will be animals walking the earth during the Millennial Kingdom.

“And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, And the leopard will lie down with the young goat, And the calf and the young lion and the fattened steer will be together; And a little boy will lead them. 7 Also the cow and the bear will graze, Their young will lie down together, And the lion will eat straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den. 9 They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord As the waters cover the sea.”

Those verses do not give us any indication one way or another whether any of those animals will be specifically our former pets, whether they will be newly created animals, or whether they will be animals completely different from any we could conceive of. After all, our normal picture of angels never prepared us for the passages in Ezekiel 10:10-12 with the cherubim of four faces and wheel within wheels. And a word of caution. Remember, a renewed earth is not a new earth, and the 1000 year kingdom is not the eternal state, which comes after.

After the thousand year reign of Christ on earth concludes and God makes a New Heaven and a New Earth (Revelation 21-22, 2 Peter 3:13, Isaiah 66:22) there is no indication that animals will be present with us. But the Bible doesn’t say much of anything specific about the future eternal state for any of us- humans or angels or animals, aside from the structure of the New Jerusalem and the state of happiness in which we will dwell. So… it’s hard to tell.

I do disagree with some theologians who have said that if our pets are necessary for our happiness in heaven, then our specific pets will be there. We read many scriptures that proclaim that our joy is made complete in Christ. Our joy is not made complete in our doggie or kitty, no matter how much we loved them.

Personally, I look to the concept and the character of God to make my own opinions and suppositions. For example, I take comfort in the Genesis flood accounts that God took extreme care to provide for animals of the earth. He didn’t make new animals after the flood, and He didn’t give Noah only the animals he would eat and sacrifice, but He provided for all animals. God cares for His creation, including animals.

Adam was alone in the Garden with all the animals of the world, which he was told to name and was ordered to tend. So, man’s earliest introduction to the world was being with animals and to care for them. However, companionship with animals was not enough for the man, so God created Eve. Again, it’s hard to tell whether in the final, eternal state, if we will be with our pets, or even if there will be any animals at all.

We do know for a fact that we will feel all joy in the new heaven, and the former things will not be remembered nor come to mind. (Revelation 7:16-17). I take that to mean that if our pets do not accompany us in the eternal state, we will not mourn our beloved pets.

I know God is good. His thoughts are above our thoughts and His plans are always working together for the good and His glory. It comes down to trust. I trust His thoughts and I trust His ways. After all, He sent Jesus to us. He sent the Holy Spirit to us. He sent the Bible to us. He knows whither a sparrow falls and He knows our emotions and needs. Maybe He will give us our Fluffy and Scrappy again! Heaven is perfection, and so, it will be perfect. I trust that with all my soul.