INTRODUCTION
I recently lost my beloved Australian Shepherd and Border Collie mix, Skippy, who was with me for 13 years. Skippy was not just an ordinary dog; he was a part of our family, as most dog owners would agree. He was a remarkable animal; he didn’t require training or discipline. He was the most mellow, gentle, and loving dog I’ve ever encountered—almost human in his demeanor. Many of you who have owned a beloved pet can likely relate to that experience. He was kind to everyone, especially children, and often let them ride on his back.
Skippy was a permanent fixture in our home; wherever we looked, he would be sitting or lying down in the room. Only at an advanced age did he occasionally leave the room to rest, but for the most part, he was always nearby, close to the family. I have never known such loyalty from any living creature. The Lord was kind, allowing him to pass away peacefully. He lived a full life and will always hold a special place in our family. Skippy will be greatly missed.
In this article, I hope to discuss what the Bible says about dogs, explore God’s view of dogs and animals in general, and consider whether dogs go to heaven. Ultimately, I aim to explain that we should rely on God’s character and principles when the Bible is silent on specific topics.
WHY DO WE HAVE PETS?
So what is the role of an animal, especially a domesticated pet, and where do they go after they die? Are they here to enhance our lives, or are we just existing together in this world? For many, owning pets is a wonderful experience, and once you get a taste of taking care of another living creature, it will be difficult to cease from that practice. What I mean is, there is a special blessing and role in caring for another, even if it is an animal. Most people would agree that the greatest sacrifice is giving one’s life for another human being. Even Jesus declared that in John 15:13 (ESV)
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”
No other act in humanity would be considered a greater sacrifice than someone laying his life down for another. We see this act of bravery and courage in our military, where a soldier would jump on a live grenade to save the lives of his comrades. This act of self-sacrifice is glorified in movies such as The Matrix and The Lord of the Rings. In the Matrix, Neo, the main character who was a hacker, became The Chosen One and realized at the end of the movie that his life would need to be sacrificed for the world to be restored. In the Lord of the Rings series, Frodo Baggins, an average hobbit who lived in the town of the Shire, took upon himself the burden of carrying the ring of power to Mount Mordor to be destroyed once and for all. 
The entirety of the story focuses on the weight and burden of carrying that evil ring, fighting off temptations along the way. Frodo sacrificed himself to save Middle-earth. Not only do we see this display of honorable sacrifice in movies and the military, but we also see it in our daily lives. It is the self-sacrifice of an individual that gains respect from someone. The greater the degree of sacrifice, the more honor and praise they deserve. For instance, during the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center in New York, many firefighters and police officers ran into the falling building to try to save people’s lives, not considering their own. These are the heroes of our day who are willing to lay down their lives for another. But ultimately, there is no greater sacrifice than the sacrifice of God’s own Son going to the cross to die for the sins of all His people. No one else could and would accomplish this great task except Jesus Christ.
What am I getting at? The act of sacrificing oneself for another is built into humanity. We were created and made to care for others. In Genesis 1:28-30, God gave the first couple a command to have dominion over the earth and everything in it. This included the land and animals. The command was built into humanity to care for all creatures, which is why self-sacrifice is magnified in our perspective. We were made to care for another, and if we are not, then we are going against our very nature. 
Have you ever wondered why zoos and aquariums always have feeding stations? Why do they offer visitors to feed their caged animals and fish? Why do people have this desire to feed the animals, and why do they feel good inside when they do? You will never see a person feeding an animal and not smile afterwards. Maybe not on the outside, but trust me, they are smiling on the inside. It feels good to feed an animal.
The sense of providing for another creature is the same feeling we get when we cook for our families, or a mother feeds her babies. It is a special feeling inside that tells us we did something good. We helped another being. That is why we have pets. People decide to adopt and care for an animal throughout its life, feeding and nurturing it. Some even treat their pets like actual children. They find joy in nurturing and caring for their dog, cat, or whatever pet someone may desire to care for. 
There is no limitation. The only consistency is the command from God to have dominion over the world. Dominion is not to dominate and overrule as a tyrant. God did not give us free rein to do whatever we want to with the earth. Contrary to this, God’s command is to care for and nurture the living things on this planet, just as God cares for and nurtures us. We were made in the image of God, so we are to care for as God cares for His creation. That is why we have pets and find joy and fulfillment in feeding and caring for them. They become part of your family because they are under your care. You are their provider and nurturer. And in return, you find joy in helping another living creature. You are fulfilling the command of God.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT DOGS?
The question of where dogs go after they pass became a reality when my dog was nearing the end of his life. My mind was pondering this question as we were driving our dog to the hospital for the last time. 
My initial reaction was yes, of course, they go to heaven. They don’t sin; Only people sin. But then I thought of Adam’s sin, which caused a curse on the earth. Adam, representing all creation, committed one sin, which changed the world forever. Adam’s sin not only brought death and suffering upon himself and his wife, but all of creation must suffer the consequences of the original sin and experience death (Gen 6:7). Does that mean all creation is doomed to Hell? I would say no. The Bible explains that God created Hell for Satan and his demons. God did not make Hell for people. Hell is a place of eternal damnation and judgment. It is an absolute separation from the benevolent grace of God. Hell exists for the disobedient and fallen angels.
People end up in Hell because they would instead follow the devil and his lies, rather than God and His truth. 
Animals, on the other hand, are a different story. Animals do not sin or have spirits, but they obey God. How do we know that animals live in obedience? God gave the Law for Adam to follow. God placed the laws of nature within each animal species in its kind, as Genesis 1 says. Animals act according to their design. Animals do not rebel or turn from God’s command because God never gave them a law apart from their own nature. With Adam, God not only commanded him to care for the earth, but also added one additional Law, which was not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil (Gen 2:16-17). Adam intentionally disobeyed God’s command in favor of satisfying his flesh (Gen 3:6). He chose himself over God, which is what summarizes original sin. Dogs, on he other hand, are being dogs. They don’t act in opposition but live out their natural state according to God’s natural law.
With this background, let’s examine what the Bible says specifically about dogs. In Proverbs 26:11, the writer explains the pattern and behavior of sinful people using dogs as a metaphor. “As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.” Philippians 3:2 says, “Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers…” about false teachers and hypocrites. They were wicked people out to deceive and take advantage of others. Revelation 22:15 explains, “Outside are the dogs…” using dogs as a metaphor for the morally corrupt. These verses describe dogs in a negative light. Dogs were known to be wild, vicious, and sometimes dangerous. But that was not the case for all dog species.
In the Middle Eastern world, calling someone a “dog” is a great insult. However, this negative view of dogs is not the only description in the Bible. Dogs are practical, helpful hunters and shepherds, serving society in many ways (Job 30:1, Isa 56:10-11). Dogs played a significant role in society. Their companionship and loyalty surpassed other animals. Significantly, dogs would help round up the herd when shepherding. In Luke 16:21, we read of a dog licking Lazarus’s wound. Dogs would do this to heal and help. Like humans, there are good and bad dogs, but this begs the question: how are dogs saved, and do they need saving? Does the blood of Jesus cover the sins of all creatures? We need to look at how God views His creation to answer this.
GOD LOVES ALL OF HIS CREATION
We all know God is love. Even the hardened atheist, if they were pressed to describe what God should be like if he existed, would automatically conclude that God should be kind and good. People expect God to do good things because He is good. In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth. After God completed each day of creation, He blessed what He had made and said it was good. Only once did God say it was “not good,” and that was when Adam did not have a companion. God made Adam a companion suitable for Him by creating Eve, not from the dust of the ground, but from Adam’s own rib.
The keyword is “suitable.” Before God created Eve for Adam, Adam’s companions were animals; as he named them, he spent time with them. It may be speculation, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Adam had a dog companion before Eve. 
Why do I say this? Because God saw that Adam had companions, but none were suitable for him. Companionship can happen between different species, such as humans and dogs, but they will never be suitable for each other. Only within the same species will they be fit and suitable. What does suitable mean? Suitable means more than companionship. To be a companion, you have to agree to some degree. A companion is loyal and respectful, stays by your side, and is always supportive. Suitability goes beyond companionship. Suitable means fit for one another. This means they are to be of the same species, live together in harmony, and reproduce. The point is that Adam must have had relationships or at least companionship with animals as he discovered the new world. Being loyal and helpful, dogs would be good companions for the first man.
All creation is loved by God equally, except humanity. Humans are the only creations in which God has uniquely imprinted His image. This is why God has a special love for humanity. God gave Adam the Spirit of life by breathing into his nostrils. There is no record of any other creation receiving this unique breath of God. We have a special obligation to bear this image of God. We are to imitate and behave in godlike manners. We must use our creative minds to create things that benefit life. Every time we create something new, it reflects God’s creative genius as image bearers.
Animals do not have this image of God imprinted upon them. God commands us to rule and reign on this Earth as God rules and reigns over this universe. Our responsibility is within the scope of this world. We are to care for and preserve the animals in this world. We are to oversee the well-being of all creatures. We are to love them as God loves them. God created in six days all that exists to give to humankind for their enjoyment. People were not an afterthought. God intended to prepare the world for humans to live.
We see places in Scripture where God displays his love for animals. In the days of Noah, God preserved all of His creatures so they could reproduce and repopulate the Earth again. He made a point to have Noah build a massive Ark to hold all kinds of animals. God could have wiped them out and started over, but he preserved and kept them because life is precious to God. God had Noah build an ark, a process that took many years. He could have made a smaller boat just for Noah’s family, but instead, he had him build a gigantic ship. The preservation of Noah’s family and all the animals displays God’s love for all His creation.
In the new Kingdom, the Bible describes how animals will be a part of the new world order (Isaiah 11:6–8; Isaiah 65:25). Isaiah’s passages describe animals dwelling with children and playing together. Although dogs don’t appear in the text, I would assume dogs would be one of the animals.
If dogs are such a large part of people’s lives in our world, how could we assume that there would be no dogs in Heaven? Living creatures are what make up this world, and it would be an enormous mistake to believe that Heaven only includes dead saints and angels. In my opinion, that is grossly undermining God’s creative benevolence and beauty. Heaven is supposed to be better than this world, so any image that Heaven is dull is an insult to God. Since God preserved animals through the judgment of the flood, it is safe to believe that God loves animals. Also, the Bible clearly states that animals will dwell in Heaven and in the new world, as we can see in the Isiah passage.
ARE DOGS SAVED?
Let me be clear on this point before we continue. Jesus did not die to save animals, but only people. The sacrifice and blood of Christ are only for humanity because His blood was human blood. Jesus, however, loved animals as He taught about seeking the lost sheep, and feeding the birds of the air (Matt 18:12; 6:26). 
Animals were not ignored but an integral part of human life during biblical times. Salvation is only necessary for the rebellious sinner. Dogs and animals are living under the curse of Adam’s sin, but are not technically sinners. Animals live in obedience to God. They live according to their created nature. I don’t believe animals can disobey God’s commands and the laws of nature, but this is just my opinion. Any evil that we consider evil in animals is just a reaction to their inborn behaviors. For example, a shark attack is horrible and scary for anyone, but is the shark committing an evil act against God’s will? Or is the shark just doing what it does: swim, eat, and survive? The shark is unaware of doing good or bad, and they do not make decisions based on morality. If they are hungry, they will eat; If a person swims near them, they will eventually think the person is food. We cannot blame animals for their behaviors. They are living in obedience to God’s natural order (Job 38:39-41). As we discussed at the beginning of this article, God created Hell for the devil and those who follow him, but animals are not living in disobedience. There is no other law given to animals other than being what they were created to be. My point is that Hell is a place for rebellious sinners and angels. Because animals live in obedience, no salvation is required. Logic follows that sinless animals would be allowed in Heaven. The question is, do they have souls? But we won’t get into that just yet.
CONCLUSION
So what do we make of all this? Can we conclude that dogs go to heaven? It would be wrong for me to say that all animals go to heaven without solid proof. It would also be wrong for me to presume that no animals go to heaven because heaven was not made for animals. So what should we make of this? Are we back to square one? Can we expect to see our beloved pets in heaven, or will we be disappointed? I highly doubt disappointment is even an option in Heaven. 
I will be honest by saying I cannot say whether dogs go to heaven, but I can say that I know my God, and He is good. And because God is good, He gave us our Skippy in the time that we had him. Skippy enhanced our lives in many ways, and everyone who has ever met him will agree that he was a special dog. Do I hope to see him in heaven? I do. Will I? I don’t know the answer to that. If God cares enough for His creation, and God never changes, then who are we to say He would not preserve animals in His own way? Ultimately, Heaven will be a place too glorious and wonderful to imagine. Regardless of our pets being there, I don’t believe we will ever be disappointed. Heaven would not be heaven if we hold on to the things on earth. We must be willing to let go of everything here on earth to see the beauty and joys of the new world order. Whatever heaven will look like, it will be far grander and more magnificent than any imagination we can conjure up. Heaven cannot and will not disappoint.
Taking care of our rescue dog was our human responsibility to fulfill God’s commandments. God commanded us to care for the land and all the living things. My family was allowed to care for and love Skippy with godlike kindness. He was there to help us learn more about God’s love for His creation, even a simple mixed-breed dog. God’s heart is close to those who show kindness and compassion to His creation. I don’t know if I will see my Skippy again in heaven, but I know that in the presence of my Savior Jesus, it won’t matter. All things will work out for the good of those who love God (Romans 8:28).
