[purplewings]

Awww. I love Indy. What a sweetheart!

[starbuck8]

Nice pic of Indy! Niki sends schmoozes and licks to her Indy cousin! Kisses Indy! Kisses Jasper!. Oreo, Thumper, Kelala,. oh gosh... I'm forgetting a bunny! Gentle kisses to Marty, yes Niki, he's a little bird, and oh... can't forget Goldie... no fish for you Nik, goldfish aren't good eating! ;)

[JoeCanada76]

Very beautiful dog, and beautiful soul within Alty.

[Alty]

Thanks all, and yes, he is. Indy is the sweetest gentlest dog I've ever known. He is great with our kids, so is Jasper (my little shelter rescue, gets into everything, stinker) :)

Love them all so much.

Starby, you missed Cotton, my sweet little fluffy bunny. Yes, I have four bunny's as well, and a cockatiel and a gold fish. I am the house of pets, I really should charge admission. ;)

Here's Jasper;

[starbuck8]

Woof woof woof Jasper! I'm so sorry Cotton tail bunny boo, please forgive me? Auntie Starby had a brain freeze moment!

[blackblue]

Well I know you love your animals and that is great, they are wonderful friends, but no, in the Christian faith, animals do not have souls, and if they did, since they can't accept Christ, they could not be saved anyway.

Babies go to Heaven don't they? They are innocent just the same as animals and cannot be "saved".

[blackblue]

Animals do have souls and they do go to Heaven.There have been many reported cases of animals "stuck" just the same as a spirit would be stuck.(Ghost)

Not only that, what kind of Heaven would it be if animals were not there? Not the kind I would want to live out for eternity! My animals are just as important to me as a human is.In life and death.

[IM4U]

Interesting question. My source for the matter is the Bible. God speaks the message of eternal life to humankind. I know of no Biblical reference to animals as having the same provision. I would be interested if someone finds such a reference.

[linnealand]

Well, I am a spiritual person. I also have a lot of respect for organized religion.

Although it might ruffle some feathers, I certainly don't believe that animals don't have souls because it says so in a translation of a translation of a bible.

Animals DO have souls, and anyone that can intimately share their lives with one AND even imagine that they don't have a soul makes me think that they're missing a big part of the experience. This is especially true if the reason they think so is because it's written somewhere in a book. Any book.

[Alty]

I agree 100% linnealand, I believe my bunnies have souls too, so does my bird. The gold fish, well I'm not sure, all he does is eat. ;)

People, I have the opportunity to get a third dog. We are taking care of my friends dog Bear, she hinted that she doesn't want him anymore, they are having a third baby and she doesn't have time for Bear now. Where I live you have to get a special license in order to get a third dog, it can take months, only to find out that you've been rejected. I think I can bypass the system, leave Bear in her name but pay for all his expenses and keep him with us as our third dog. Should I do it? Three big dogs, 4 bunnies, a bird and a fish, am I crazy? Here's a picture of Bear. What should I do?



Keep in mind that my oldest dog is 13 years old, he's okay, but going down hill health wise. I have a 7 year old border collie cross and he and Bear get along great, have a great bond. I can save this dog, give him a better home, and help save my Jasper (7 year old) from heartache when Indy (13 year old) goes to the rainbow bridge. Jasper and Indy are very close, I'm worried how Jasper will handle Indy's death. Also, I adore Bear, he's such a good dog, he just needs some love and attention, and he'll get it here. My friend says he barks all the time, not here, she says he's hyper, not here. She keeps him outside all day long, doesn't get the fact that dogs are social animals, here he's part of the family, and we love him so much. I can't bear (hee, hee) the thought of giving him back, I love him so much. Help!

[starbuck8]

I told you Alty... hide himmm! Say he ran far far away from home, and he took lots of food with him, so it doesn't look like he'll be coming home soon! Tell them you think he met a poodle on the internet, so you think he went to find her! LOL!

[Alty]

Hee, hee, tempting Starby.

The sad thing is, I don't think it would be hard to convince them to let us keep him, she's already hinted (not so jokingly) that she's done, stick a fork in her.

He's such a sweetheart, such a big fluffy lovey, he deserves a good home. My friend is a good person, she just got in way over her head when she got Bear. It was a case of "Oh, look at the cute puppy, gotta have him", and then "I don't know what to do with him, he won't listen", and then "I yell, I scream, he doesn't get it". They really have no idea how to raise a dog, it's not meanness or uncaring, it's a matter of lack of education and understanding. He's been here a week and has learned more than he has in 3 years with them, that has to tell you something. Patience and understanding, caring, love and companionship, that's all this pup needs, and he's getting it here, he deserves all that.

He needs to stay with us. Oh, Starby, Bear could be Niki's big furry brother, don't you think? ;)

[bushg]

Alty Your heart has already decided... "just do it":D

Btw you are a understanding friend... I hope she learns form this dog and doesn't jump to get another one without thinking about it.

Your right he is very cute and would make Nikki a very handsome boyfriend.

[Alty]

Bushg, you actually mentioned my main concern, her getting another dog.

I've only known her for 3 years, they got Bear because of our dogs. We went camping together, and they saw how well behaved our dogs are and decided they wanted a dog too.

Now, around 6 months after I met her she got rid of her two cats, gave them away, they were spraying everywhere and she was done. She swore that she wouldn't get another cat or cats, she'd learned her lesson. Well, she's had 4 cats since then, one died and she has three others, bought as kittens, and they are quickly becoming a nuisance now that they are full grown. I do worry that she'll get another puppy, she loves baby animals, but isn't capable of putting in the time and effort required to raise them.

I can't think about that right now though, I hope she won't get another, but I can't stop her if she does. My main concern is Bear, he deserves better. Here he is loved. I've spent the last week working with him, and he learns quickly, just needed someone to spend the time to teach him. I've also been brushing him, he is a long haired pup and is full of mats, I've had to cut allot of his hair because there's no brushing through it. If he becomes ours he's going to a groomer, and then I can start from scratch with daily grooming. I don't have the tools to brush away all the mats he has, poor pup.

He's a high maintenance dog, not because of his behavior, but because of his coat, he needs daily brushing, and she doesn't do it.

I have already decided, he's mine, now I just have to convince her 100%. ;)

[linnealand]

What a face! Fantastic! It sounds to me like bear is heading towards a bright future as a member of the altenweg family. It also sounds like his current owner is like a crack-mom with pets. She just keeps getting "pregnant" with them, and then she doesn't take care of them like she should. Although you are certainly not to blame for her getting a dog because she liked yours so much, I bet you feel especially concerned about his well-being. You've got a huge heart, and it's in every one of your posts.

I've never heard about a 2 dog limit. Why does it exist? Unless you have some really horrible neighbors who are after your jugular, I don't think you will run into any major problems. If the unofficial "adoption" goes through, you might want to establish some agreements with her in case of legal complications. For example, if the wrong people start poking their noses where they shouldn't, you can use her as a back-up, like you said.

I don't know this woman from eve, but you might want to get something unofficially in writing so that after a year with you, when his manners are famous, she doesn't decide that she wants him back. That happens every now and then with baby adoptions, which is a total nightmare.

Maybe there's a way to sway her into not getting another dog, but in an artful way that makes it look like it's her own idea. Don't say anything offensive - maybe you can tell her how difficult it is to go on vacation, or how they pee in the house or something. That might make you sleep easier at night. :)

Kudos to you for being such a hero to your fuzzy soulmates!

[Alty]

I don't know why they have the two dog rule, I find it a bit weird myself, but I guess some people do go overboard and this rule helps prevent that.

I will put something in writing, because like you said, after a year with us she might decide that she wants him back. Also, I want to make sure she knows that we will be responsible for all his costs, he will be ours, even though he'll stay registered under her name until I can make it official.

She does love to buy new pets, loves baby animals, but they grow up and she starts yearning for a new baby animal. I hope she doesn't get another puppy to replace Bear, and I will try my best to persuade her to not go that route. I'm hoping that the fact that she's pregnant with her third child will dissuade her from adopting any more animals, she has her hands full as it is.

Bear is just a big sweet softie, and he fits in so well with our family, kids and other fur babies alike. He even likes my rabbits. He's afraid of the bird, which is a bit funny, but he's slowly getting used to her. I think in his puppy mind he's probably wondering what the bird is and that it must be vicious, that's why it's in a cage. ;) The bird loves Bear though, and will climb to the bottom of her cage so that she can see him better, it's very sweet.

He belongs with us, and I'm going to do everything in my power to keep him here.

I really am the crazy pet lady, I need a farm. :)

[Peter Wilson]

I don't know if dogs have souls, but my dog, who has been gone for 18 yrs, certainly had a personality. She would obey with a nod or gesture of my head, you didn't even have to speak.
In Genesis 9:5, it says that even animals have to give account before God, and in Isaiah 65:25, it says that the wolf will graze with the lamb, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
They may not be in heaven, but they will probably be on the new earth.
There will be 2 resurrections, make sure that you make the first, that is, consider your life now and determine that you cannot make heaven by your own works of goodness. (Eph. 2), (Rev 20:4-6) If you make the first, you judge yourself as in need of a Saviour now, and submit the rest of your life to Jesus. Or you wait until the 1000 yrs are up and are judged on your works.
Make sure you are born again, (John 3) it is the only way to see or even enter the kingdom of God. Get baptized by full immersion and then seek for the baptism in the Holy Spirit with signs following. ( Read Acts) (Rom 10:9-10)
You may already be born again, but this is for those that may read this.
Love, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost be yours in abundance.

[pattijo55]

Fr Chuck. If there is no animals in heaven like you say. Then we'll just say they are in another kind of Heaven. We'll just call it Animal Heaven and be done with it. :) p

[cozyk]

Well I know you love your animals and that is great, they are wonderful friends, but no, in the Christian faith, animals do not have souls, and if they did, since they can't accept Christ, they could not be saved anyway.

Animals were created but not given the soul that God gave man. Now God created the animals by his word, he spoke them into being.
So there is no reason that God could not have animals in heaven. But please remember your idea would be all of the animals, but for many, having a cat or a dog around would be hell for them.

Once again, you know what you READ, but have no first hand knowledge. None of us KNOWS. I was taught by my christian up bringing that dogs do not have souls. Now, I LOVED my dog Dixie that was my only support through my parents divorce when I was 10. When she died, I could not imagine that this vessel of pure love just dissolved into nothing and if she wasn't with me again, in "heaven" I'd be very sad. ( I put " " around heaven because it sounds like I believe heaven to be a location and I do not. )

When I started having my own mind, and quit falling for everything they told me in church, I came to believe that all dogs have souls, and they are the purest souls on earth. I look into my dogs eyes and I see God. There is nothing jaded or judgmental, or pretentious, or conditional, there's no resentment, no vengeance, or hatefulness in any way. If we revealed our souls half as much as a dog does, and leave our ego at the door, this world would be so much more "heavenly".

[pattijo55]

Cozk, I couldn't have put it any better than you just did! You described my dawgs exactly. Thanks for writing. Hugs patti