Do animals have souls? Emotions? Read on and draw your own conclusion...
"Beware how you take away hope from any human being." - Holmes, Oliver Wendell
I was talking with a co-worker the other day and he informed me that animals do not have emotions. This is just after he told me (the day that I put my dog of 17yrs down) that animals do not have souls and therefore will never enjoy the concept of heaven. Now, this co-worker has the disadvantage of being, what I refer to, as a "bible-thumper." He is, in fact, a born-again Christian. Please bear in mind that I have nothing against Christians, nor do I have anything against religion in general. I do, however, have a problem with this co-worker passing along faulty information.
Animals do have emotions and they also have souls, and I'll tell you how I know that.
In over twenty years of working with animals, I have never seen a kitten duct-tape a live human baby to a freeway. I also have never seen a cat find enjoyment from setting a human on fire. I've never gone hiking in the desert to find a child that dogs have left tied to a stake, without food and water, subjecting it to a painful death in the desert heat. I have never seen a chicken force two unwilling humans to fight in a ring with razor blades attached to their feet while the chickens place bets on who will be the first to die. I haven't seen a puppy place eight children in a gunnysack and drown them in a river. Neither have I seen an eagle aim a shotgun at an unarmed human. I have yet to see a bear kill a human simply to place a head on the wall of their cave. And to this day, I have not seen a pigeon drive a car down the road and aim for humans who were walking around the park.
Let me tell you what I have seen. I have seen my own cats sleep next to me so they may keep me a little warmer while I was ill. I've seen my dogs play games with me just to force a smile to my face. I have seen a cat rush into a burning home not once, not twice, but six times to save her kittens, nearly losing her own life in the process. I have seen a ferret pull a frightened kitten out of a deep hole in the ground. I have seen a coyote fetch another dog so that it may get the proper medical care that it needs. I've seen a dog, who loves to jump on people, avoid jumping on me when I injured my back. I've seen elephants cry. I've seen monkeys scream in empathy when one of their own were injured. I've seen puppies whine all night long when they were separated from their mothers. I've seen a dog pull a child away from a fire.
These are only a few of the things that I've seen. To list them all would take a lifetime, and I think you get my point. As for the soul thing? Well, it is my humble opinion that if you have emotions, any kind of emotions, then you have a soul. Ironically, the pope of the Roman Catholic Church recently stated that he feels the same way.
Now, I can't prove that animals have souls. But then, I can't prove that you or I have one either. And for all those people who firmly believe that animals don't have souls - well, I suppose if there really is a heaven, you'll probably have the job of cleaning out all the litter boxes...
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Reviewed by David Perry
8/24/2007
It might be a good thing to remind arrogant humans that it was WE who fell from grace, not the animals. In their innocence, they are GUARANTEED a place in Heaven, which is more that we can say.
how empty they are who do not enjoy critters, sadest of all is the fact that they are not aware just how empty they are. enjoyed the read
Reviewed by Jill Carpenter
12/28/2005
Stacy, this has always been one of my favorite articles of yours. It is beautifully written, and you have expressed your heartfelt views very nicelyl. The only part I might comment on would be about the pigeons. Of course you have never seen pigeons driving cars to run humans down on the streets. If you think about it, pigeons likely would scoff at such an idea. They have, after all, the wonderful freedom of wings and flight. Why would they wish to stick to cars, restricted to roads, when they can easily fly over (and bombard) any human they choose, in any outdoor location the human target might be found.
Pigeons might not be too bright, but they know the value and power of the freedom of flight. I bet if you asked one it would laugh and say "We don't need no steenking cars." :o)
Seriously though, this was a Beautiful, thought-provoking article...thank you for writing it.
Jill
Reviewed by Alvin Din
12/28/2005
Well written and to the point. However, please allow me to offer alternative explanations as to the behaviors you mention in the "things you have seen".
A cat warming you up when you were ill... I've owned cats for most of my life and in my opinion the cat was probably warming itself using your elevated body temperature, not the other way around. Your view strikes me as being slightly self-centered, or more accurately, human-centered. I'll admit that I'm not sure if this is true or not, but I've heard of cats that eat their deceased master when they have no other source of food... nice behavior for an animal with a soul.
A dog playing games with a depressed owner. Dogs have probably learned long ago that a happy master is a master that is more likely to give it more food... and probably the better stuff too.
A cat going into a burning a house to rescue her kittens = survival... nothing more. My aunt did the same thing 20 years ago... and she's a nasty nasty woman - I'm not sure how this last tidbit relates to the issue, but whatever. "Progeny survival = my survival" saith Darwin. Ummm... I may be paraphrasing a little.
A ferret taking a kitten out of its hole. C'mon! If a squirrel gets into my house, I'll do what I can to get it out too. Just removing an intruder. But I guess because kittens are so cute, that the kitten's cuteness must be the reason the lovely ferret performed such a noble act. Please.
A monkey screaming in "empathy"... not "crisis" or "warning"? Again, survival.
I don't want to just negate your points, because I do understand your view and in many ways, I agree with it. Animals should be loved and protected... just not humanized. The root of the problem with this question is whose definition of "soul" do you use? I'll definitely agree that animals have feelings, I just don't think that necessarily means they have souls. I mean, it has been proven that plants grow faster and healthier when in a "happy" environment. Does that mean plants have souls?
In the end though, the main reason I felt compelled to write is because I just can't stand when people humanize animals by giving them human characteristics like human names and human-like souls. For example, my neighbor named his dog Bob. My father's name is Bob and it is incredibly offensive to me to hear my neighbor refer to his poo-eating, cojones-licking mutt by my father's name. It just seems very disrespectful. Also, some dogs were bred to display upturned "lips" that seem like a smile, just so we can be around "happy" animals. It is a bogus smile developed by humans for humans... the same thing can be said for animal souls. I simply don't understand the necessity for it... except perhaps loneliness.
(Btw... all this aside, your co-worker is a total pinhead for saying what he said to you on the day you put your pet down. Sometimes it's hard to believe humans have souls, which I guess, is the point you were trying to make in the second paragraph of your essay.)
How extremely true! I couldn't have said it better myself. I agree with every word you said. I know animals have emotions. I've seen so many things that can prove it. Thanks for writing and sharing that very provoking piece!
Tell your Christian co-worker to read Proverbs 12:10 which reads, "A righteous man regards the life of his animal." Well written thought provoking piece!!!
Good, reflective piece with astute observations. Anthropocentric thought (or non-thought) is and has been responsible for much of the pain in the world.
I believe animals have souls, and I believe animals have emotions. They may not express them as we do, but they know when they feel happy, sad, hurt, pain, or whatever. I had several cats growing up and recently, and they told me in no uncertain terms how they felt. Good thoughts here; enjoyed! (((HUGS)))
Puffy strays and something happens to make him decide he will never run away again. Judged "Outstanding" at the 2013 Writers Digest SPB Awards. Named among the best in family-friendly media, products and services 2019 by the Mom’s Choice Awards®.
