Everyone who has had a dog knows how hard it is to lose a pet. When the time comes to say goodbye to a dog, the question arises of where do dogs go when they die. This question is difficult to answer definitively, as there are many versions. Science and religions have different descriptions of what happens to dogs when they die.
Scientific Interpretation
Scientific minds of all times have proved the presence of a human mental component, with the help of which there is a perception of the surrounding reality. The ancient Greek word “psyche” is translated as “soul”. Judging by this, we can assume that all earthly creatures capable of expressing emotions have a soul, including dogs. Scientists put forward a more concrete hypothesis: the soul is electromagnetic impulses, a special energy that returns to the general energy field of our planet after the body’s death as a part of the whole Universe.
Being transformed into a different energy form, the soul nourishes all living things, being held by the powerful electromagnetic field of the Earth. Thus, science claims that the animal soul does not move to a new world, but stays close to people, existing in another quality.
There is also such a concept as the “reunion theory” when the owner feels the signs your deceased pet is visiting you. Psychologists John Bowlby and John Archer argue that this phenomenon has to do with why people see, hear and feel their dogs even after they have died.
The theory looks at grief in the following way: although many people think grief is simply an emotional reaction to the death of a loved one, these psychologists argue that it actually evolved from a way of promoting our ancestors to look for someone who was lost-literally. Thus, according to the reunion theory, grief causes people to search for a lost animal, even if it happens subconsciously. Because of this, catching a glimpse of your dog might not actually be that unusual. Also your other dogs may growl at nothing, thus there may be a sense of the presence of the spirit of the dead dog.
Others have supplemented the reunion theory with their own research, arguing that the “signs” people see are actually “false confessions.” In a subconscious attempt to find one’s dead dog, even the slightest similarity of sight, sound, or smell can trigger a false confession. However, these confessions are not entirely false – a sound like a dog sighing or its collar ringing may be quite real, but because of this inner urge, they are simply misinterpreted by those who experience them.
Religion’s view of the where do dogs go when they die
The dog’s afterlife and religion are a matter of belief in one interpretation or another of holy texts. The Bible, the Koran, and the Vedas were written centuries ago and have been translated into different languages thousands of times, as well as corrected and rewritten. Moreover, not all religions confirm reincarnation, but each assures that it is possible for a person to meet the dogs spirits in the future. Below let’s look at the answers to the question, “Where do dogs go when they die” from the perspective of the major religions.
Judaism
If the canons of Judaism are to be believed, there are several levels of souls. Animals are only endowed with the Nefesh, the bodily part. Man, on the other hand, is additionally endowed with Ruach and Neshama. The former is associated with emotions and the struggle between good and evil. Neshama is associated with the mind. There is a theory that even inanimate objects are endowed with some part of the Nephesh, which allows them to exist. The Almighty gives this soul for a time and takes it back when the time comes. There is no continuation or further development. The adherents of Kabbalism believe in the reincarnation of the dog soul into a dog, of a plant into a plant, and of a man into a man.
Christianity
With Christians, it is not so unambiguous. The text of the Bible explicitly states that do dogs have souls. However, many priests, referring to the source material, clarify that human and canine souls are very different. There is even a theory that animals that communicate with humans are different from wild animals because they have ascended through contact with the highest level soul, the human soul.
The soul of animals, according to the orthodox church, is in their blood and is therefore destroyed with the death of the living creature. The Bible says that Paradise is prepared only for sinless human souls. The beastly soul does not move anywhere but only dissolves in the common energy resource, feeding other lives.
Looking at the topic of Orthodoxy’s relationship to life after death animals from another perspective, we can note that animals and birds are depicted next to many of the saints. The description of Paradise also includes a reference to beasts, hence the souls of animals are still present in heaven. Considering all the facts, we can say that the Christian discussion on the immortality of animal souls is not yet at an end.
Islam
The Muslim translation is more correct, so the separation of souls by levels is preserved. So do dogs go to heaven according islam? In general, the position is similar to Judaism: dogs have a soul, but it belongs to a lower order. There is no direct indication that animals go to the afterlife after death. Heaven is a reward for righteous people. Man is given a choice, he can determine his own actions. Dogs are deprived of this choice; they do not demand forgiveness and cannot be punished for their behavior because they act out of their nature. Therefore, they cannot receive a reward, that is, a stay in Paradise.
However, it is believed that on the Day of Judgment all animals will be resurrected to reclaim their rights and achieve full justice. Only then will they turn to dust. Indirectly, this can be seen as a confirmation that the souls of the pets go somewhere to await the Day of Judgment.
Hinduism
Adherents of Hinduism have an opposite view: the animal soul is equal to the human soul and also goes through many reincarnations. When it finally reaches Moksha (liberation), it loses its individuality and dissolves into the Absolute. This should not be considered a bad thing. For the adherents of Hinduism, it is, rather, the highest stage of development and the main goal of all living things.
In Vedism the answer to question where do dogs go when they die is the dogs soul is one of the most powerful, so it can incarnate in other bodies.
Buddhism
Where do dogs go when they die? When considering Buddhism, the type of school must be considered. The southern school supports the idea that there is no immortal soul in animals or humans alike. Followers of the northern school, on the other hand, believe in the existence of an immortal soul in both animals and humans.
Every living being has a destiny. The soul evolves from a stone to a higher form of life, moving from one state to another to receive lessons from the universe.
Some followers of Buddhism claim that it is possible to encourage the soul of a dead dog to be indwelt by a puppy. However, this is considered a sin, because this soul has its own way, it has to go to the next level, and it is being held back.
Native American Philosophy
Virtually all Native American tribes also agree with reincarnation. They believe that the wolves and dogs that accompany them are imprints of human souls. They attach great importance to the period when a pet appears, the moment of its departure.
They believe that when a person does not use something, or, on the contrary, is in great need of it, the gods send him a dog with such qualities. Then the soul of the dog’s owner will not lose that ability.
For example, the Cherokee compares the dogs and wolves that a person encounters in his life to the characteristics that are struggling in him or her. It is an examination of the gods and the soul itself. The Indians believe that after death, dogs continue to be near a person until the very end, keeping them safe and helping them in difficult situations.
Tibetan Philosophy
Before the Chinese occupation of Tibet, its inhabitants, before building temples, carefully sifted the soil. This was done to make sure no worms were harmed. The Tibetans believed that souls could reincarnate into any living form and that rebirth into a human being was a very rare and fortunate possibility.
In fact, the number of rebirths a soul takes on is so great that one of the worms may have been a relative, such as your mother or sister, in some past life. However, a modern Tibetan Buddhist would probably call the fact that a person is reincarnated as a worm unlikely.
The Tibetan philosophy is this: a human should cherish all living beings on this planet. This means that each of us must be kind and able to empathize with the world around us.
Opinion of psychics to where do dogs go when they die
People with special knowledge and supernatural abilities can look beyond. Having the ability to communicate with the world of the dead, clairvoyants tend to argue about do dogs go to heaven when they die. Ending its earthly existence, any animal can make the transition to our world and back an infinite number of times. The purpose for which deceased pets make this journey depends on how humans treated them during their lifetime. If the owner loved his pet, the soul of the animal will fully help and protect him, and if there was no affection – it will be disgusting and even revenge.
The Rainbow Bridge Theory
It is a common theory that animals have the ability to go to heaven across the rainbow, where do dogs go when they die. The Rainbow Bridge is a mythical meeting place in the Afterlife for pets and their owners and is mentioned quite often among pet lovers in the United States, the United Kingdom, and elsewhere. The legend is based in part on the mythological notion of a “rainbow bridge” between earth and sky (notably the Bifröst Bridge in Scandinavian mythology). Although the story is widely known around the world, its author is unknown.
At the very edge of the sky is a place called the Bridge of the Rainbow. When an animal dies, especially if it has been much loved by someone in this life, it goes to the Bridge of the Rainbow. There are endless meadows and rolling hills where our dogs can all run and play together. There is an abundance of food, water, and sunshine, and our pets are warm and comfortable there. In this land, all sick and old animals turn young and full of energy; those who were injured and maimed become healthy and strong again. Time flies unnoticed for them, if only we remember them in our dreams and dreams. The animals there are happy and content with everything except one thing – each of them has gone before and left someone very dear to them in this life.
It is believed that only a loving owner will be able to cross the Rainbow Bridge to be reunited with his pet after death.
According to this theory we can answer the question: “Is my dog in heaven waiting for me”. There is also the parable that cats and dogs wait for their owners in the afterlife to prevent or help the latter from going to heaven. According to this version, a person needs to climb a mountain. If the owner has treated his pets well, loving companions will lend a helping paw and make the climb easier. But an abusive or indifferent owner will not receive such a warm welcome. At best, he will have to climb up on his own, at worst, the pets will simply not let him in.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, many religions do not support the idea of the immortality of the animal soul. But all written-only theories are based on the beliefs of people with different views on this issue. Each person decides for himself what to believe: where do dogs go when they die, whether dogs go to Heaven, whether animals have souls, and how to survive the difficult period of the loss of a dog.