Do All Dogs (cats, birds, iguanas) go to Heaven?

 As the title suggests, a controversial topic for some today. Not for me so much. I suppose it matters on which side of the afterlife fence you find yourself. I do believe that animals have souls and do continue on after this earthly existence. There are many accounts of folks that have experienced NDEs (Near Death Experiences) who were not only greeted by relatives that had passed but their beloved pets!

This leads me to share a story of my own with a pet who crossed over, though not my pet but my uncle's close campion Moose the cat. He was a large jet black cat with piercing green eyes that was literally my Uncle Hank's shadow. Most times you would find him content in my uncles' lap on the recliner watching the Mets or Jets depending on the season. He was fiercely protective and if he didn't like you he would let you know. My uncle being retired spent a lot of time with Moose, even getting up 4:00 in the morning to feed him breakfast that he demanded at each crack of dawn. 

Moose lived a long life but eventually passed and my uncle's world went on without him. Then one day my uncle now in his 80's became ill and battled the final stages of a cancer diagnosis. I went to visit him in the hospital the day before he passed. As I stood there with my Auntie trying to give some comforting support, Uncle Hank turned to Auntie and said " Don't you see Moose, he's right here on my bed beside me!" I saw him stroke the bed as if Moose was there. Now I can't be certain that this wasn't the morphine they were giving him or if it was it truly happening at the time but looking back I think that Moose was there to comfort Uncle Hank and guide him to the other side.

Have I had experiences with my own dogs/cats that have passed? There were times when I could of sworn I saw my tortoiseshell  cat Glow, in the hallway by my bedroom or heard the sound of Nala's claws clacking on the wood floor when no one was there. Wishful thinking...perhaps but I am not giving up hope that all dogs (cats Etc.)  will reunite with us on the other side of that rainbow bridge!