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Do animals live forever?
The Bible does not give any explicit teaching on whether pets/animals
have “souls” or whether pets/animals will be in heaven. However, we
can use general biblical principles to develop some clarity on the
subject. The Bible states that both man (Genesis 2:7) and animals
(Genesis 1:30; 6:17; 7:15, 22) have the “breath of life”; that is, both man
and animals are living beings. The primary difference between human
beings and animals is that humanity is made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27), while
animals are not. Being made in the image and likeness of God means that human beings are like God,
capable of spirituality, with mind, emotion, and will, and they have a part of their being that continues
after death. If pets/animals do have a “soul” or immaterial aspect, it must therefore be of a different
and lesser “quality.” This difference possibly means that pet/animal “souls” do not continue in existence
after death.

The Bible says that the heavens and earth that exist today will be destroyed, and a new Heaven and
earth will be created. What will this new heavens and new earth be like? Isaiah describes it as a place
where there is no more weeping and crying, but rather rejoicing (Isaiah 65:17-19). People shall build
houses and live in them, plant vineyards, and enjoy their fruit. All will be well again, better than Eden.
Indeed, “the wolf and the lamb shall graze together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox,” (Isa 65:25).
Elsewhere, when the prophet describes the blessings of the new creation in Christ, he says, “the wolf
will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and
the fatling together; and a little boy will lead them,” (Isa 11:6).

Revelation indicates that when Jesus comes back to rule and reign in Jerusalem, that he will come
seated on a white horse. (Rev. 19:11). It also indicates that the saints will come with him on horses. So
evidently God has some stables in Heaven to keep the horses.

Another factor to consider regarding whether pets will be heaven is that animals are a part of God’s
creative process in Genesis. God created the animals and said they were good (Genesis 1:25). Therefore,
there is no reason why there could not be pets / animals on the new earth (Revelation 21:1). There will
most definitely be animals during the millennial kingdom (Isaiah 11:6; 65:25). It is impossible to say
definitively whether some of these animals might be the pets we had while here on earth. We do know
that God is just and that when we get to heaven, we will find ourselves in complete agreement with His
decision on this issue, whatever it may be.

So chances are, your pet Bruno, will not be there, but perhaps you can raise another puppy for all
eternity. Who knows?

If I live a good life and do nice things for others, will that be enough to go to Heaven?

Some people think that going to heaven depends upon their good works. Everyone knows that they
“make mistakes” (called sin) so to offset these mistakes, a person must do a few good deeds. They think
that St. Peter stands at the doors of heaven and when they die, he looks through his books and sees that
the good a person has done far outweighed the bad, so he offers entrance through the “pearly gates” to

96 https://www.gotquestions.org/pets-heaven.htm (used with permission)

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