Lola can be your little angel here on earth
Susi Pittman is a knowledgeable and compassionate woman, as well an accomplished author. I began reading her book just two days after Captain Oliver - a pet that I was unusually close to - went on back to his Creator. Having been previously contacted by Catholic Stewards of Creation to write a piece on pet rabbits, I reached out to Ms. Pittman in my grief; she responded with words of comfort, and made it possible for me to have a copy of Animals in Heaven? Catholics Want to Know! in my hands the next day, despite the fact that she was catching an 8 a.m. flight.
Soothing to a broken heart
I skipped right to the chapters on Animals and Grief, seeking solace. I found comfort in Ms. Pittman’s words, which are backed by scriptural references throughout her book. As a Believer, I take comfort in my knowledge that the Word of God is truth; being reminded of the many Biblical references regarding God’s animal creations was of immeasurable value to me.
Ms. Pittman offers sage advice on how to prepare your animal companion for death (to a large extent this is about preparing yourself for your pet’s death; animals are tuned in to their Creator and do not fear death). She offers practical suggestions on how to handle your own grief, what to expect, and how to treat yourself kindly during the grieving process. See her video below for more of her insights.
After several weeks, when I had recovered enough to focus on the rest of her book, it served as a joyful reminder to me that God loves all of His creation, provides for all of His creation, and that all that He created is good and has value. We are reminded of His covenants not only with us but with all of the creatures here on earth. She cites the scriptural references which lend support to the premise that animals do go to heaven.
Of extreme interest to me were the stories of adults and children who have experienced NDEs, or Near-Death-Experiences. (These are situations in which the individual has clinically died, and experiences their soul leaving their body; apparently it is not their time to die yet, as they are ‘brought back’ and live to tell of the experience. They generally describe seeing their bodies from a distance and can usually describe exactly what was going on in the Emergency Room or Operating Room at the time of their death in great detail. In 21 years as an RN, I witnessed enough of these to personally have no doubt as to their validity.). Ms. Pittman reports on documented NDEs wherein the individual reports seeing and touching family pets who died years earlier (these cases include children, who have no preconceived notions of death experiences). This information effectively extinguished any spark of remaining doubt that I may have had, possibly because of being able to relate to the reality of NDEs in general.
Of further interest is the information Ms. Pittman shares regarding some of the Saints that are associated with animals, and the stories of their connections with God. Additionally, she shares her own insightful experiences with her pets over the years; the reader is uplifted and once again comforted.
We are all called to be caretakers of His creation, good stewards of the earth and the creatures living upon and within it. It’s all on loan – it all belongs to the One who created it, and I have no doubt that He has provided for His creations after they leave this dimension.
The web site supporting the book, The Catholic Stewards Of Creation explores the subject in more depth. You can order an autographed copy of Animals In Heaven? Catholics Want To Know! from the site, or download it as an e-book.
Additional sites exploring the idea of animals in heaven
More insights from a Christian perspective
Lola, the little sweetheart in the picture, is wait for a forever home with her husbun, Dr. Awesome. See them both at the Dayton Area Rabbit Network site.
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