Why Does God Take Our Pets Away?

The loss of a beloved pet can be extremely painful. You may feel angry, sad, or confused when your furry friend passes away, especially when they are taken unexpectedly early. In asking ‘why does God take our pets away?

‘, this article explores reasons grounded in religious teachings to grapple with this difficult question and find meaning during pet loss.

God Has a Plan for Every Living Creature

Pets Have a Purpose in Our Lives

Pets play an important role during our time here on Earth. As Mark Twain famously said, “Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in.” Our furry companions provide unconditional love and emotional support when we need it most.

Studies have shown that pets can reduce anxiety, lower blood pressure, and boost moods.

We form strong bonds with our pets over many years. They become part of the family. When a beloved pet passes away, it can feel devastating, leaving an immense void. We grieve their loss like any other family member. However, we can find solace knowing that they fulfilled their purpose in our lives.

As part of God’s plan, they brought us joy and companionship when we needed it most.

Death Can Be Viewed as a Natural Part of God’s Plan

As painful as it is, death is ultimately inevitable for all living creatures. Our pets have much shorter life spans compared to humans. While they may only be with us for a decade or so, we can cherish the memories built together during that time.

Ecclesiastes 3:2 in the Bible reminds us that there is a season for everything: “A time to be born and a time to die.” When a pet passes, we can view death as a natural part of God’s plan. Just as they are born, pets will eventually grow old and pass on.

As upsetting as it is when a beloved companion dies, we can find reassurance knowing death leads to new life in God’s kingdom.

The Rainbow Bridge poem also brings comfort – describing pets who have passed living joyfully in a paradise until they can reunite with their owners. While they may no longer be with us on Earth, our pets live on in spirit, and we can find peace knowing their souls are at rest.

Their passing allows room in our lives for new animal companions needing homes full of love when the time is right.

Learning Lessons Through Pet Loss

Appreciating Life’s Fragility

The loss of a beloved pet can teach us many lessons, including an appreciation for life’s fragility. When a pet passes away, especially unexpectedly, it is a stark reminder that life is finite and can end at any moment.

This realization often motivates people to cherish each day, live life to the fullest, and not take time for granted. The sadness of losing a pet also helps us recognize the value of all relationships in our lives, and how important it is to appreciate loved ones while they are still with us.

Research shows that over 50% of pet owners consider their pets to be family members^[1]. Therefore, losing a pet can feel like losing any other close family member. The grief process teaches us that healing takes time, but eventually we can look back fondly on the happy memories we shared with our companion animals.

With perspective, the loss helps us prioritize quality time with pets and human loved ones alike.

Developing Wisdom and Maturity

Coping with pet loss, especially for children, can cultivate wisdom and maturity beyond one’s years. The experience provides an early glimpse into the realities of death and impermanence. It also presents an opportunity to have open conversations about mortality – a challenging but important topic that will inevitably affect everyone.

Explaining pet loss to children in an age-appropriate way encourages them to ask thoughtful questions, express emotions, and develop coping skills that will serve them throughout life. Studies indicate that over 90% of pet-owning parents say the death of a pet was a chance to teach their child about loss^[2].

With caring guidance from adults, kids can emerge from the pain of losing a pet with greater wisdom, empathy and emotional intelligence.

For teens and adults, the maturity gained from experiencing loss firsthand cannot be underestimated. It shifts our perspective on what matters most, and helps us recognize life’s impermanence. This inspires many pet owners to live each day to the fullest, surround themselves with meaning, and deeply appreciate the time they have with loved ones.

Finding Comfort in Beliefs About the Afterlife

Reuniting in Heaven

Losing a beloved pet can be absolutely heartbreaking. For many people of faith, beliefs about an afterlife and the promise of reuniting with loved ones in heaven can provide enormous comfort. There are several bible verses that reinforce the idea that animals have souls and that we will see our pets again in the afterlife (Ecclesiastes 3:21, Isaiah 11:6-9, Luke 3:6).

Many theological scholars agree that pets likely have a place in heaven. Pope Paul VI said, “One day we will see our animals again in the eternity of Christ.” Pope John Paul II said animals “are as near to God as men are.”

According to the theologian Norman Pittenger, “The love of God is universal, and if animals are loved by God, they are destined for eternity as we are.” He further explained that heaven is wherever God’s love is manifested, so our pets can certainly be there too if God wills it.

Knowing that you may be reunited with your furry, feathery or scaly friend in the afterlife can bring tremendous peace and joy. You may take comfort picturing a heavenly reunion filled with petting, playing, and unconditional love.

As the famous televangelist Robert H. Schuller said, “God will prepare everything for our perfect happiness in heaven, and if it takes my dog being there, I believe he’ll be there.”

Your Pet’s Soul Lives On

Most major religions believe animals have souls. The Catholic catechism states, “Animals possess a soul and men must love and feel solidarity with our smaller brethren.” Pope Francis said animals “will go to heaven all the souls, all.”

Hindus, Jains and Buddhists believe animals have souls and can be reborn after death. Most Muslims believe animals are conscious of God and have souls.

Believing your pet has a soul can provide deep comfort. Their spirit lives on even after the body perishes. Your pet’s distinctive personality continues existing in the spirit realm. As Lord Byron said, “A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.”

Your pet’s unconditional love endures beyond this life.

Some find additional solace in ideas like the Rainbow Bridge poem, where departed pets wait in a paradise of sunshine and green grass until reunited with their human companions. Others take comfort in near death experiences where people report seeing beloved pets in heaven.

In many ways, our pets show the purity of God’s love, and that divine love continues in the afterlife. Their souls remain wrapped in God’s embrace.

Letting Go with Faith in God’s Wisdom

Having Faith Despite Not Fully Understanding God’s Plan

When a beloved pet passes away, it can be incredibly painful and difficult to understand why God chose to take them from us. As much as we may want our furry friends to live forever, their lives on this earth are finite.

Even though letting go is hard, having faith in God’s wisdom and timing can provide comfort and hope.

God promises in Jeremiah 29:11 that He has good plans for us. This includes the lives of our pets too. We may not fully comprehend the reasons behind everything that happens, but we can trust that God works all things for our good in the end.

He sees the full picture while we only see a small part of it. There are purposes beyond what we can understand.

For example, sometimes a pet’s passing can be a reminder of our own mortality and prompt us to draw closer to God. Their short lives motivate us to make the most of our time on earth. Letting go of a pet can also develop virtues like patience and selflessness as we put their needs first, especially at end of life.

Though painful, these lessons shape our character in positive ways.

Rather than allowing grief to lead to bitterness, we can turn to God in our mourning and be comforted knowing our pets are at peace with their Creator. Their lives, however brief, point us to contemplate deeper spiritual truths if we approach loss with an eternal perspective.

Trusting God’s Reasons Are Based in Compassion

Since God is perfectly good and loving, we can have confidence that – even when we don’t understand His ways – He has our best interests at heart. His reasons are based in mercy, not malice. As Isaiah 55:8-9 says, God’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours. His understanding is beyond our own.

So when it seems like our pet has been taken ‘too soon’, we can still trust in God’s compassion. Though the separation hurts us deeply, we can take comfort knowing that our pets are spared from any future pain or suffering.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says there is a time for everything under heaven – including a time to die. Just as God determined the right time for our pet’s birth, He also decides the right time for their passing. We may wish for more time with them, but their lifespan is in His hands.

As the all-knowing, sovereign Creator, God cares for all of His creation in perfect love. He treats our pets with tenderness, even welcoming them into His eternal kingdom according to Isaiah 11:6-9. When recalling God’s goodness helps us let go with peace and hope rather than just grief and doubt.

Conclusion

The loss of your beloved pet can be extremely painful. While we may not ever fully understand why our pets’ lives are cut short, having faith that God has a compassionate plan can provide comfort. This article has aimed to offer some spiritual perspectives to make sense of pet loss, find meaning in it, and trust in God’s wisdom.

Remembering the joy our pets brought and perhaps reuniting with them one day can also help ease the grief during this hard time.