The Bible says very little about domestic animals…(they are referred to as "beasts of the field "). Inother words, they are just gifts from God, to be used by us (we have domination over them). Later (Catholic) theology tackled the issue…and theologians decided that as subjects ofhumans, we owe the animals no duty of charity or humanity.
Yet, given the closeness of the man-dog relationship, is it possible that the dogs will share in man’s transfiguration?
I find it a depressing thopught that heaven will not include out 4pawes friends!
As the dyslexic agnostic said, one cannot know whether there is a dog.
If there aren’t dogs and cats in Heaven, I am not interested in going.
CS Lewis had this formula- God raised Christ, Christ raises us, we raise our beloved animals
A recent conversation with my sister went along these lines:
Sis: Animals do not get into heaven
Me: Why not?
S: Because they don’t have souls
M: Can something live without a soul
S: Maybe I mean spirits, yes, animals have souls, but not spirits
M: Why would that mean that they don’t get into heaven?
S: Because you need a spirit
M: They seem to manage fine on Earth without a spirit, why wouldn’t they manage fine in Heaven without one?
S: But the Bible says… <Realises that she doesn’t have an appropriate verse to quote>…
M: I think heaven will be terribly disappointing for some people, if there are no animals, electric guitars, beer and Stilton cheese…
S: No, because you simply won’t desire any of those things in heaven.
M: Then I simply won’t be me.
S: <says nothing, but the look in her eyes tell me to expect a visit from one of the leaders in regard to my heresy>
“One of the leaders”?
We have a superintendent minister, who looks after a circuit of seven churches, then we have a number of elected lay leaders, stewards, etc.
I sense heresy. A cat already considers itself god. 
Why would animals require salvation? They never fell as man did.
Excellent points, Grey.
Isn’t there some old saying that when we arrive in heaven, all the pets we owned (that passed away) will coming running up to greet us?
Sure hope so…
Oh Lord… I can expect a visit from some put-out Goldfish and an angry Hermit crab.
Ooops. I had an ant-farm when little.
Did I ruin Heaven’s picknicks for everybody?
And all those ants you fried in the sun.
Mu.
I know mine’s not,
He KNOWS he’s not supposed to chew my socks, and he does it anyway… so that’s a moral failure on his part right?
Does the fact that he comes and licks my face when I yell at him constitute repentance?
Does that make me his priest?
seriously though, The way I read the bible, the earth and all the beasts pretty much are here for us, I don’t think they’re sentient.
Too bad, I was just kidding about my dog being a sinner, he’s really good.
Dog spelled backwards, of course, is God.
But the mirroring does not end with this simple spelling reversal! Note well the canine inclination to coprophagy: dog eats its own creation. Now note the dog/god inverse: God is himself eaten by his own creation, in the form of the eucharist.
And dogs bury bones, while in the story of Lazarus, God performed the exact opposite. And at birth, puppies have to be chewed out of their birth sacks, while at death, we have to go back shrouded.
I could go on, but I better stop now and catch my breath after the profundity of this much so far.
Short answer: I dunno.
Long discursive informative-but-pointless Poly-type answer: According to the medieveal theologians, plants have “vegetable soul” more or less equivalent to what we mean by "they’re living things. Animals have “sensitive soul” meaning that they are living things possessed of movement. Humans have “rational soul” which means that in addition to the others, they have reason and a moral sense, and free will.
It takes free will and a sense of morality to be able to sin; just because something is a “bad” act by our standards does not make it a sin. We fear leopards and great white sharks, because they will kill and eat us if they can, but we do not attach to them the moral repulsion that we do to Hannibal Lector.
So, Ralph, with no insult intended, your dog has a much better chance of salvation than you – he never lost it, and he is incapable of fucking up, which is not true for you, regardless of your current moral state.
I agree wholeheartedly - I am agnostic, and yet believe in the “happy hunting grounds.” Illogical as it sounds, it’s my hope.
According to that theology, ***I ***won’t even get into heaven; why should I care about your damn dog?
You shouldn’t. I’m sure you have your own theology, and are at peace with your vision of the afterlife. Don’t be bitchy.