Bernie, I think that all you have to do is look in an animal’s eyes and know that there is a sentient, in the Buddhist sense, being there. We are not separate from them. They feel pain, experience emotions and, as any cat person surely knows, have ideas and opinions about things. So why wouldn’t we grieve when we lose a companion animal? And, in fact, why shouldn’t we grieve for anyone with whom we have an emotional relationship, whether it be a human or an animal? It makes perfect logical sense to me. We’re all in this world together and some of us have the privilege of sharing our lives with animals along with humans.

I was allergic to animals as a child and never got to have a dog or cat until I was in my 40s, so, believe me, I don’t take it for granted. Every day one of our cats or our dog does something that makes me realize again how special it is to share one’s life with another species. And it still tickles me when one of the cats comes when I call her or our collie comes up with a new way to communicate with us.

Last Will and Testament of An Extremely Distinguished Dog

It is “written” by Silverdene Emblem O’Neill, otherwise called “Blemie” - Eugene O’Neill’s dog:

http://www.eoneill.com/texts/blemie/contents.htm

“Heaven goes by favor; if it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in.”

and this definitely is a desire of mine…to see all my pets there.

Moreover, animal-loving Presbyterians could consider Buddhism if they don’t want to convert to Catholicism.

“Animals possess Buddha nature (according to the Mahayana school) and therefore an equal potential to become enlightened. Moreover, the doctrine of rebirth held that any human could be reborn as an animal, and any animal could be reborn as a human.”

No thanks.

In that sense however, I would prefer to take the Native American approach that perhaps there are spirits in the animals and even plants but that each serves some purpose. In their philosophy they have made a bargain with the buffalo to feed their people while allowing the herd as a whole to survive and thrive. The wolf is not seen as a competitor but a brother. When any animal is killed it must not be wasted but utilized fully and an apology made to its spirit for the lending of its life.

Here is another way to look at my question. What do you draw from your pet? Is there an inspiration at work? Does having your dog or cat send you out into the world or withdraw from it? Do they call you to do things you would not have otherwise done? Other than the loss of their companionship how would your life change if they were not there? If they had never been there?

Is it a new element of your life you did not anticipate or a substitute for other things?

Could they be a reminder of some other thing that was and is no more?

Another blogger her sent me a private email with the following quote that I have become quite fond of: “Dogs are our link to paradise. They don’t know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring - it was peace.”

Milan Kundera

So I ask you, what is it about them that can transport us so?