When I was in Junior High School, I had a little parrot named Rodney.
Even though Rodney bit and screamed at everyone, including me, he would
fly to me and take food from my hand. And he would only do that to me.
I loved him very much. But when high school came, but I was into other
things, and Rodney faded away and died. I just figured he had a cold,
but he never woke up. I felt I have abandoned him. The guilt and pain
was immense.

3 years ago, my best friend Nimoy passed away. Nimoy was a terrier that
lived to be 15 years old. She was given to us by a elderly neighbor who
thought she is best to be around young kids who can keep up with his
puppy energy. I was pretty lonely in junior high school and high
school, and didn't have many friends at all. But after a tired and
depressing day at school, she would be at the door with her tail
wagging. The last year of her life was terrible. She became very sick
and we had to force feed medications down her throat. It was not
pleasant at all to see, let alone to do.  I was again, so into my
own life..I had a herniated disc and going to court with workers
compensation. One day I was supposed to force feed her meds. I told my
parents I gaved it to her, but I didn't. She died in her sleep the next
morning. I was at peace in a way,  not having to see her suffer
anymore. But when I came to take her body to the animal hospital, I
wept bitterly. She was my best friend for 15 years, and suddendly
flashes of memories spent with her came.like a clash of waves. I
abandoned a friend again.

I remember when I was a very small child in a puppy store, trying to
manipulate my mom to get me a puppy, I looked into this baby collie's
eyes and thought "someone made you to be loved and to love". Well, not
in those words, but my feelings stated that. I beleive it was during
this time, I started talking to myself...but I think I was really
praying. That something greater then myself made those puppies, and
whoever this person was knew how to catch my heart and sink into my
soul.. If you ever been to a puppy store and see these tiny puppies
stare at you, wanting to jump out of their cage to be with you, you
will think the same way too. Animals kept me from being an atheist. Or
maybe my feeble human brain cannot comprehend that such coincidance of
love is very possible and only chemically based. Or maybe if I was
attacked by a scorpion, I may think differently of animals.

I asked several Christians about animals being in heaven. Without
hesistation, they gaved me a "NO". "Animals don't have a soul". I
wondered if these people ever had a puppy, or a cat. They said "well,
if puppies go to heaven, what about cochroaches and amoebas?" Just
because a class of animal is not significant to you, doesn't mean they
should be ruled out in heaven..right?

I think the church's response to this dilemna has to be more then that.
The sorrow from a loss of an animal friend is a very real, significant
and relevant emotion. Its a human experience we can't ignore. Its not
irrational, selfish, or just plain crazy. I know many people, including
and especially Christians, look at us animal lovers as if we are
liberal hippies who do not understand the Gospel. But I wondered what
Jesus would have said to a little boy in the streets of Galilee crying
over the death of his pet goat or dog. "This emotion of yours is not
valid . You are selfish because you don't love people, so all you could
do is love animals.You are taking the easy way out. Its much easier to
deal with animals then with people. Go read your torrah, ignorant and
selfish kid."

I think Jesus would have comforted that boy. I think Jesus would have
been heartbroken. While everyone around him screaming about religious
self-importance, money, and stoning people....here was a boy with his
dead puppy in his arms. What about him?

I mean, I get it. There are people out there who loves animals alot
more then they love people. That is not right. If you seen the
sterotypes of mean, grumpy old ladies who scream at everyone at the
streets, yet she has 100 cats at home whom she loves very much. I met
really cold, antisocial people who seems to break out of their shell
when they are presented with a animal to love. I think animals have a
very mystical and (dare I say it) holy quality. While the rest of
humanity marks this jerk in the streets who doesn't look at anyone in
the eyes, he comes home to his puppy whom he pours affection over.
Animals bring out that quality in people. Animals don't judge, don't
measure you up, like humans do. Before you label your grumpy, creepy,
antisocial neighbor as being a "jerk" and someone not likely to
understand the love of God, go get him a puppy. You will see a need to
love and be loved just sprout out, that was buried so deep in the
compost of years of  human judgement and demonization.

I read a online sermon that address the issue very well. This pastor
said, "Go love your animals the best that you can. In the end, it will
all make sense in God's prefect love."  He said the bible is
silent on the subject, but he doesn't label animal lovers as irrational
and irrevelvant.

I like to close my prayer this way. "All good things come from you, all
good things go back to you". Trust that God, the manifestation of pure
and perfect love, has got the animal love thing covered.

I am not sure if I will see Rodney or Nimoy in heaven one day, but I
know God doesn't forget them. I like to think they are little angels
that ministered to me, when even the Catholic school I went to couldn't
help me understand the love of God when I was in junior high. Animal
evangelists...cool huh?