My son Jeffrey’s dog, Bella, passed yesterday. Patty and I were dog-sitting her as Jeff and Nicole are presently in Greece. Everybody who knew Bella loved her … a great dog! She was a golden doodle. I lifted the following commentary to provide some thoughts on the death of pets.

Although we cannot definitively say “all dogs go to heaven” based on biblical teaching, we can affirm several important truths:

1. God values and cares for all His creation, including animals.
2. God’s ultimate plan involves the renewal of all creation (Romans 8:19-22).
3. The love we feel for our pets is real and valuable, reflecting God’s own love.

While “all dogs go to heaven” is not a biblical concept, we can trust in God’s goodness and His care for all His creatures. As we comfort those grieving the loss of a pet, let us point them to the God who knows when even a sparrow falls, and whose love encompasses all of creation. Let us encourage them to entrust their beloved -*companions to the merciful care of our Creator, confident in His wisdom and love.