Dear Doves:

I had a little dog that died on August 17th.  I had him for 9 yrs. & I really expected to have him at least another 5-6 years.  I loved him sooooooooooo much, I am having a very hard time trying to get over him.  He died very suddenly by bleeding to death in a matter of hours on a weekend.  I never even had a chance to get him to a vet.  I am so devastated by what happened!

I believe that there will be animals in heaven, and I have always kind of thought that our pets would be raptured with us when it happened.  But I am really struggling with my Little B's passing away like that & wondering if he will be in heaven when I get there.  I've read stories about people having near-death experiences and their pets running up to greet them in heaven.

I also read a post on the Doves recently about a scripture in Enoch about the animals going to a special place until the judgment because they will be testifying about the treatment they received from their owners.

I hope that some of you Doves might be able to show me some more scriptures, maybe relate a personal story, that might help reassure me about my little dog.

I've had many, many pets over the years from childhood to the present, but none of them were like B.A.  He was given to me to "babysit" when my son-in-law and daughter were gone for about a month.  I didn't want anything to do with the little mutt!  But by the time they got back, he and I were inseparable!  It was OBVIOUS that God had brought him into my life for a purpose.  He knew he was mine alone.  And I knew he was mine.  My son-in-law was gracious enough to let me keep him!  He survived parvo as a pup.  I got him through that.  Then he got me through my son's sudden death a few years later.  Now I am just lost without him.

Can anyone please help me to understand?  God wouldn't give us these precious little animals in this life and not make some kind of accommodation for them in the next life, would he?  My faith in the Lord will never be shaken, but if anyone has any answers, I will be so grateful!  Thank you so much for your input.

M.A.P.