Pet cemeteries reveal belief in pet afterlife

[Still Waters 50,876]

The definition of dog heaven is straightforward enough: bottomless biscuits, walks on demand, squirrels you can actually catch.

Whether it exists is a thornier question. But according to a new study, owners of all kinds of domestic animals have become more likely to believe in a pet afterlife – and have used gravestones and memorials to express their faith that they will one day be reunited.

A new analysis published in the journal Antiquity, examining the history of pet cemeteries in Newcastle and London over 100 years from 1881, found an increase in the proportion of graves that reference the animals’ immortal souls.

“Few 19th-century gravestones reference an afterlife, although some may ‘hope’ to see their loved ones again,” said Dr Eric Tourigny, author of the study, who looked at more than 1,000 animal headstones. “By the mid-20th century, a greater proportion of animal gravestones suggest owners were awaiting a reunion in the afterlife.”

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/oct/27/do-all-dogs-go-to-heaven-pet-owners-increasingly-think-so-says-study

https://www.inverse.com/culture/pet-cemetery-study

[psyche101 41,413]

I wouldn't accept any concept of an afterlife without dogs!!!!

What sort of an afterlife would that be!

 

 

See.

[RoofGardener 17,272]

1 hour ago, psyche101 said:

I wouldn't accept any concept of an afterlife without dogs!!!!

What sort of an afterlife would that be!

One run by cats

 

[Bendy Demon 5,144]

How is a belief in an afterlife for a non-human any different than one for humans?

[Tatetopa 17,067]

17 minutes ago, Bendy Demon said:

How is a belief in an afterlife for a non-human any different than one for humans?

For some, the concept of an immortal soul is restricted to humans and is what separates us from beasts.

[OverSword 55,155]

My bird hung around for a while.  Still rides my shoulder frequently in my dreams, but that could just be a dream.  For about three or four years after he died I would find his feathers.  I tore up the carpet and refinished the hardwood floors and still found his feathers.  He used to run along the back of the sofa while I sat there, I got a new sofa and love seat and would still find his feathers on the back of the new sofa.  His empty cage still sits in the corner where it always has because I want him to feel like he's still welcome to hang out.

[openozy 2,900]

11 hours ago, psyche101 said:

I wouldn't accept any concept of an afterlife without dogs!!!!

What sort of an afterlife would that be!

A sh-- one,don't worry 101 they will be there waiting for us.

[Mr Walker 6,373]

13 hours ago, Tatetopa said:

For some, the concept of an immortal soul is restricted to humans and is what separates us from beasts.

true

There is a (philosophical/theological)  difference between having your pet animals reincarnated with you after death, and there being animals in the after life 

Traditional christianity allows for the presence of all animals in an after life (on the new earth)  which means you could have companions,  but it doesn't allow for the reincarnation, or rebirth, of a dog's conscious self awareness, because that is not recognised to exist, as it does with humans 

If my wife and i encountered all  our "pet" animals after rebirth it would be interesting. There would be two dozen dogs, a few dozen cats,  13-20 sheep, half a dozen cattle,  and numerous guinea fowl, bantams, peacocks, rabbits, guinea pigs, silk worms,  bantams, ducks, native birds like magpies and wattle birds,   and lizards, as well as a dozen goldfish . We would need one of the bigger mansions to accommodate them all    

Even then, with plenty of space,  it would be interesting to  watch them all establish the new "pecking order."  Cats on top, of course, but WHICH  cat ? Mufti the Chinchilla Persian, or Christmas, the jet black   stray, who arrived as a starving kitten on our back ramp on the farm  on christmas day and lived for a record setting  26 years   (longest lived cat treated and recorded  in our state according to the vet)

Possibly even our latest, "Precious," who survived a dog attack which killed his siblings when they were very young  by taking refuge in the engine of a motor car, and now bosses our two golden retrievers/labs Beau and Misty, and even the boisterous   kelpie,   Ruby.

Interesting to watch a 5 kg cat push around a 30 kg dog, or one evolved to hunt and round up other animals.I am not surprised the labs allow themselves to be bossed around as  they have a good temperament but The kepie should be harder to dominate   

The kepie chases the cat across the yard , then the cat turns around and biffs her on the nose , and Ruby runs away.

The dogs have two rugs to lie on, but if the cat demands one for herself, it  gets it, no argument. The   3 dogs then have to try and fit on the remaining rug.  

Edited October 28, 2020 by Mr Walker

[eight bits 13,361]

For those who want to read the original article, it's open access (free to read):

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antiquity/article/do-all-dogs-go-to-heaven-tracking-humananimal-relationships-through-the-archaeological-survey-of-pet-cemeteries/F44BE9BC2990709675C9A15D340D7F5F/core-reader#

Although the study concerns modern expressions of human attitudes about other animals via funerary arrangements, there is a strong suspicion that some ancient people have done similar things.

https://uncertaintist.wordpress.com/2014/07/23/did-long-ago-people-think-that-dogs-have-souls/

 

As to the title question of the new article, Do all dogs go to heaven? If any dog can't get into heaven, then the rest of us are in big trouble.

[psyche101 41,413]

20 hours ago, RoofGardener said:

One run by cats

 

There's motive there......

 

 

 

[psyche101 41,413]

10 hours ago, openozy said:

A sh-- one,don't worry 101 they will be there waiting for us.

Well if there is and I get there and no dogs....

I'm leaving.

In a huff!

[RoofGardener 17,272]

2 hours ago, psyche101 said:

There's motive there......

 

 

 

[psyche101 41,413]

8 minutes ago, RoofGardener said:

[RoofGardener 17,272]

13 minutes ago, psyche101 said:

[psyche101 41,413]

2 minutes ago, RoofGardener said:

[openozy 2,900]

7 hours ago, psyche101 said:

Lucky guy,lol.