You've all seen it- the animal cruelty prevention commercials featuring sad looking pets who are desperate for help, meanwhile Sarah Mclachlan sings "Angel" in the background. I have a son who is deeply affected by these and afterwards, he comes running to find me with phone in hand, begging me to call and save the dogs and cats!" He has such a heart for animals. .
Recently this same child asked me, "Mom will Gunner go to heaven?" I looked up from chopping vegetables and noticed my son staring fondly at our dog napping on the deck. Understanding that his question was out of deep love and concern, I stopped my supper preparations and sat down next to my boy. He reminded me a lot of myself. I too loved animals much the same way he did. My list of pets was long, as my parents allowed me to adopt dogs, cats and rabbits and rescue countless wild creatures ranging from an injured cardinal, a blind duckling to an orphaned baby squirrel. My mom and dad certainly were patient! And I fully recognized this when my own children talked me into getting various pets.
Coming back to the conversation with my son, I looked at our dog Gunner who was oblivious to our admiration. I pondered Anders' question before answering. Would God let this stinky, rear-sniffing, mischievous dog into paradise? Just the other day I spent an hour of my time driving around the neighborhood looking for our run-away pooch. When he did finally turn up, he was covered in smelly mud, burrs and his usual wagging tail was sheepishly tucked between his legs. He knew he had done wrong. This dog has been responsible for puking in my vehicle, obnoxiously barking, chewing up brand new baseballs and leaving the biggest pile of you-know-what in places he shouldn't. "Naughty dog!" But on the flip side, he had recently been our savior during a difficult and serious problem.
A year ago, my son Anders and I were involved in a tragic van crash involving 8 people. It left one man deceased and 5 passengers injured. Anders and I were the only ones unharmed physically. But 6 weeks after the accident it became clear that our son had been injured emotionally as he showed clear signs of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). It was heart wrenching to see our once confident, independent and adventurous boy turn into an anxious, paranoid and panic-stricken one. He couldn't sleep, had separation anxiety and lost interest in his favorite activities. Over the course of several months we took him to counseling and it seemed to make a tremendous difference.
But recently he's back-slidden and is struggling again. To the point where we haven't been able to get Anders to sleep through the night in his own bedroom. He insists we pray together several times, the lights must stay on, a CD plays background music and 54 stuffed animals crowd his bed. And yet he still comes trembling and sobbing up to our room for comfort. Nightmares plague him and he can't catch a break. Really, none of us can. And then one day an idea came to me that seemed so simple really. I was reading an article about PTSD and service dogs and I thought:
Why not try incorporating our dog into Anders' life a little more and see if it helps? Obviously Gunner isn't professionally trained in this area, but he could at least be a comforting presence and companion.
This would be a sacrifice however because our dog is not an official inside dog. In fact we actually sent him away soon after Anders was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis in 2013. Our doctor told us to make our home as hypoallergenic as possible due to Anders' CF related accute sinusitus. Thus, the difficult decision was made that Gunner needed a new home. My parents willingly took him in and we were sad but grateful. However, things didn't work out and Gunner eventually came back to us with a strict rule that he must remain out of the house. So do I risk my son's physical health for the sake of his emotional health? At this point I decided it was worth it.
I cleared an area in Anders' room and put down a large pillow and rug to cover it deeming the space "Gunner's corner". And for the first time in weeks, my son was actually excited for bedtime! Blissfully, he slept through the night. We ALL did! And our boy and his dog have been inseparable ever since. Sure I worry about keeping Anders' room clean. But the benefits outweigh the 5-10 minutes it takes to vacuum his bedroom and wipe down walls each day. I doubt Gunner realizes the effect he's having on Anders; A physical presence, companionship and non-judging spirit. Pets love you unconditionally. Maybe that's why people appreciate them so much. Back to my son's question, "Will Gunner go to heaven?" I decided to give Anders some truth from the Bible.
1. God created animals and cares about them. In fact, He made animals before He made people!
2. God wants people to be responsible and take good care of animals. He gave Adam the duty of naming each one specifically.
3. In many of his parables, Jesus uses animals to explain Godly characteristics like faith, obedience and humility.
4.The Bible talks about animals being in heaven.
And with that I gave Anders my answer. "Anders, I trust that God knows exactly what we need here on earth and in heaven. And if that includes Gunner, then yes, I think he'll be there.
