Do dogs go to heaven? We ask again because we just bade goodbye to Toffee — our canine companion, the doggy member of the family — on Tuesday night. I had just come back from a conference in Bangkok the day before. Bernice was on the way back from Melbourne, arriving home on Wednesday. I had one day to connect with Toffee. She was her usual self. No sign of pain or discomfort. We were looking forward to her welcoming her favourite human back. (I am her third most favourite. Our helper, Maria, is second.) And now it was not to be.
 
When we lost our previous dog, we grieved for two years before we dared to open our hearts to a canine companion again. This time we thought we’d adopt a rescue dog, a “Singapore special”. Friends at the rescue centre thought Toffee would be good for us. Because she was a large dog, she couldn’t be adopted by folks in HDB flats. We had a house with a bit of a garden so we could have her.
 
In our initial encounters, she always looked down but allowed us to give her pats. She had many scars, and we could only speculate as to how hard her life must have been as a stray living in the streets. We wanted so much to give her a chapter of life where she knew she was loved and could experience some joy in this world.
 
When she came she was very quiet and guarded. Slowly she began to wag her tail. When she came she didn’t bark. Slowly she barked, first softly, then a half-loud bark that sounded like woof, woof, and finally she could do a full-throated barking. She became an excellent guard dog. She would bark at visitors, but when she saw us welcoming our guests into the house, she would stop barking.
 
Toffee was a very gentle dog. Children were safe around her. She loved her treats of course and had mastered the art of looking at us with pleading eyes so she could get extra treats. She really loved car rides and would quickly scramble into the back seat whenever she had a chance. The highlight of her day was her daily walks. We walked her twice a day, and when she knew it was time for a walk she would excitedly prance back and forth. Often, we had to chase her to put on her leash.
 
We will miss her terribly. We had a brief sending-off moment yesterday, which Bernice and other family members could be part of.
 
So do dogs go to heaven? There is no direct teaching on this in the Bible. But I have hope for two reasons.
 
1. God cares for animals. In the Sabbath commandment (Exodus 20:8–11) the Lord wanted the animals to receive rest as well. God was aware of the animals and was concerned for their welfare. Psalm 36:6 explicitly states, “You, Lord, preserve both people and animals” (NIVUK).
 
2. We look forward not just to heaven but new heavens and a new earth. A new creation. There we will enjoy our best life ever (Revelation 21–22). If our best life includes the pets who loved us and whom we love, they will be there.
 
We also note that imagery of the coming perfect kingdom includes animals living in harmony (Isaiah 11:6–8). Are these symbolic or literal animals? We can’t be sure. But if there were animals in the first creation, why shouldn’t there be animals, including our pets, in the new creation?
 
Good theology is important, but it cannot take away the grief that comes from loss. We look forward to seeing Toffee again, but in the meantime, we will miss her terribly.