Heavenly Encounters: Animals in the Afterlife

By Laura S.

My husband and I had identical dreams on the night we brought home Lofu’s ashes in a little wooden box. As we slept, our beloved tabby cat climbed through the landscape of our unconscious minds with familiar purrs and face bumps and paws in our laps. He was strong and young again and there was no denying that he was utterly content. When we talked about it in the morning, we realized that we had experienced the exact same vivid dream at about the same time during the night.

We had found Lofu many moons ago when he was a feather-weight kitten. He had been wandering down a sidewalk near Fenway Park in Boston. We were college students at the time, and after a fruitless search for a mother cat or other kittens, we swept Lofu inside our apartment and set off for the grocery store to buy cat food and litter and all the usual goodies. He was our very first rescue and the first cat I ever shared my home with. The loss of Lofu was devastating for both of us, yet the synchronized dreams of his well being in the afterlife gave us great comfort.

For anyone who has ever grieved the loss of a pet, there are inevitable questions. Did I do the right thing in letting him go? Is he OK now? Is he in heaven? Does he know how much I love him? The sorrow and longing we feel during such moments is so universal yet our understanding of what comes next is not. And while there are many theories on the existence of an afterlife, many experts swear that animals who have left their physical bodies are very much alive at a soul level.

Our Pets Carry On In Spirit

Daria Justyn is a psychic medium who earned accreditation from the prestigious Windbridge Institute for Applied Research in Human Potential. She is widely regarded as one of the top psychics in America, and although her primary focus in on human relationships, she explains that it is not uncommon for pets to drop by to say hello.

“Animals come through all the time,” Daria explains. “In fact, it’s not unusual for a pet who died 20 years ago to make themselves known during a reading. An opportunity to reconnect with a departed pet has such a healing affect on people and instills a sense of reassurance about our loved ones, both man and animal, on the other side.”

“The most charismatic animal I’ve connected with to date is a pig,” Daria continues. “I saw this pig sleeping happily, quite comfy and cozy in a kitchen. That image completely baffled me. I admit that I briefly wondered, ‘Are they going to eat him?’ But sure enough, the woman I was reading for explained that she had once taken in a pig from someone who had foolishly bought it on a whim and then couldn’t care for it. The woman who rescued the pig knew nothing about raising it, and especially about keeping it in her house, but she soon educated herself and found that the emotional rewards were worth every moment of caring for her new pet. The pig, which ultimately was given the name Queenie, took the opportunity to appear during the reading to show her gratitude for the life of love she’d been given.”

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Kimberley S.

7:54AM PDT on Oct 12, 2011

When my Mother was in the hospital her beloved Chow/Lab died she has mourned him since 08 and I sincerely wish there was some way to give her closure. She blames herself for his passing

October 12
send a green star

Brigid C.

1:05PM PDT on Sep 29, 2011

LOsing a beloved pet is very traumatic. I am hoping to see my animals in heaven, and hoping to have a horse that I always wanted!

September 29
send a green star

Patricia W.

11:43AM PDT on Sep 29, 2011

I just read a comment that this is all ridiculous. When I, and my husband, saw Jake, it was broad daylight and we were awake. I was stooped down to pull out a sofa and Jake kitty-jumped from behind and walked quickly to me and I FELT his head-bump. Jake was solid as I, until he did fade out.

This was NOT wishful thinking. This happened. I was just as surprised as anyone would be. I was the one who held Jake as he slipped away to the other side.

When we're in dream-state, we're more open to other places. I consider us all blessed that we can have a final bit of peace given to us by our loved companions.

Jane R.

3:40PM PDT on Sep 28, 2011

I couldn't read this without crying. I thought about all the pets I've had. I didn't read the replies because I knew they would make me cry more.

September 28
send a green star

Peggy P.

7:01AM PDT on Sep 28, 2011

Beacuse of his failing health, I had no choice but to let my best friend go and it almost destroyed my whole family. Our faith teaches us that heaven awaits. My faith is strong but I don't feel quite right without my boy around. It would be nice if he and I could communicate one more time. Not a day goes by that I don't miss him terribly.

Debbie C.

2:13AM PDT on Sep 28, 2011

I have had many cats and dogs go over the Rainbow bridge, but I will tell of one who came back and told me she was OK now.

Her name was Patches and she was a small Calico cat. She was living 3 houses down and decided one night she liked our house better. She came in and never went back out again.

We had 4 other cats at the time and they all had been fixed. My husband lost his job and we didn't have the money to get her spayed.

By the time my husband got another job and we got caught up on the bills, it was 3 years later that she got spayed. She was about 5 by that time.

By the time she was 15, she stopped eating, so I took her to the vet. She had a mammatory growth and there was nothing he could do for her.

I took her home because I didn't want her to die alone. She lived another 6 months.

A week after she died, I was outside at lunch one day. An absolutely beautiful Monarch butterfly flew by and sort of glided beside me in slow motion.

I knew Patches was trying to tell me she was OK and that I could stop crying for her because she was in a better place.

You see, I am a Butterfly freak. I have them in every room of our house and I plant flowers to encourage them to our yard.

I really believe an animal can tell you they love you with what they do with snuggles or from the grave in some way.

Marianne B.

8:35PM PDT on Sep 26, 2011

I really related to this story. When I lost my beloved Duke (mixed German Shephard), I cried every time I saw one. It took me 3 years to stop crying, but I still miss him, and greatly hope to see him in heaven waiting for me. He was the best dog, I adopted from the Humane Society when he was an adult. My children were very small, so we didn't know what to expect. He was well loved by all. Gentle, yet protective.

September 26
send a green star

Dottie J.

11:53AM PDT on Sep 26, 2011

Yes I have

They are listed on my one pet site http://www.petchaplaindottie.com/

I have lost quite a few (I am in rescue) in the last 10 years.I have had many signs that they have made it to Heaven.

I also do Reiki & have talked to many animals some from Heaven.

There are also many scriptures in the Bible that verify it. Some experiences are told on the site under Do pets go to Heaven but there are more I have to put on there & the most recent one was a real shock for me. It was of my little blind & handicapped PM Schnauzer ( Winnie) I waited for months for a sign from Heaven & one evening out of the blue- I was standing at the back door watching the others I had left out to do their thing. A rainbow (Hugh) formed over the sky in front of me and a cloud came up underneath it. & formed a gray & white form the exact picture of my Winnie. It was so real looking I cried and I knew he made it to Heaven and was OK.

They sure do go to Heaven. They are God's creatures and he looks after them.