Do Animals Have Spirits?

[LadyCG]

I know many of you don't need convincing that there is life after death or that ghosts exist, but what happens to our beloved pets when they pass on?

I was chatting with my mother on the phone earlier and suddenly was overwhelmed with the smell of what I call "wet dog." My mother suggested Alfie (my dog who died four years ago) came to pay me a visit. It got me thinking about something that happened a couple of days after he died when I was completely grief-stricken - I felt him jump on the bed and curl up next to me. My mother had an identical experience when her beloved Springer died over eight years ago.

Do you believe in animal spirits and have you ever had an experience in this regard?

[Mamyalynne]

Whether I'd term is as 'spirit; is debatable but I believe they leave an imprint on our lives and that never fully goes away but at times comes to the fore.

It can be hugely comforting.

[iluvmargie]

Yes, I believe they do. When a beloved elderly relative was dying, he suddenly perked up and said that his old (long dead) dog was sat at the bottom of the bed waiting for him. How lovely.

[LadyCG]

Oh that's lovely, ILM.

It would give me such comfort to think that Alfie and all the other dogs in the family who have left us over the years have gone to a happy place where they're pain-free and waiting to be reunited with their families.

[allenlondon]

With Hamlet, I feel that “there are more things in heaven and Earth, Horatio, / Than are dreamt of in your philosophy”.

Which means I haven’t a clue, but there have been times when I have felt closer to my cats, alive and dead, a closeness that would pass all understanding.

Oh for the comfort of certainty.

[iluvmargie]

I firmly believe in the 'afterlife' for animals as well as people. I've heard other things too about departed pets. Never experienced anything myself personally with lost pets, but that doesn't change my belief.

[Bobbisox1]

I had an Alfie too Lcg, he was a silver Yorkshire terrier, my daughter had been married for nearly 10 years and wasn't conceiving ,Alfie was nearing 28 yrs old and going blind anc having seizures till we had to say goodby to him, that was in February 2004,I firmly believe he made way for our darling grandson to come into our lives as my daughter conceived just afterwards, I'll always feel that way

[Bobbisox1]

Not 28, *18* years old

[LadyCG]

I was going to say, Bobbi, that's a remarkable age, even for a small breed like him.

Alfie died at Christmas time and the following May I conceived my son. I've heard of stories like your daughter's so many times.

[horselady]

I have most definitely had the experience of feeling something jump into the bed, so distinct that I put the light on to see what it was, nothing there of course, but as far as I'm concerned it was my much loved and missed dog who always sneaked up on the bed when she got the chance. I love the idea of them all lined up waiting for me, would be 2 cats and 5 dogs, lovely!

[Bobbisox1]

I think Alfie is our grandsons guardian Angel Lcg, he was born at just over25 weeks and was in critical care till he was almost full term, then he stayed in hospital a further six weeks, he weighed less then a bag of sugar, now he's a 6'1 handsome 16.5 yr old , who seems to be very lucky in life

[LadyCG]

I'm heartened to hear you've had the same experience, Horselady.

Bobbi, Miles' arrival was a rocky one with the cord prolapse. From the moment the alarms were triggered to the moment he arrived was 24 minutes. I was lucky I had elected to have an epidural anyway, although they were threatening to give me a GA if they couldn't find a heartbeat in the theatre. I wonder if there's more than one guardian angel by the name of Alfie!

[Bobbisox1]

There has to be Lcg x

[Sqad]

Of course i don't believe in spirits and the "wet dog smell" that you experienced was Phantosmia a side effect of Covid.

[drmorgans]

Where would you draw the line with animals having spirits? Beloved pets who have become part of the family? What about farm animals, cattle, sheep and turkey, who, well y'know, are bred for the chop. Or animals in the wild, lions killing fluffy gazelles, polar bears eating anything that moves. For me, it's a load of sentimental tosh.

[LadyCG]

Sqad, it's not the first time it's happened and previous occurrences predated my brush with coronavirus.

You are entitled to your beliefs, drmorgans, but so too am I. I know my dog visited me and jumped on the bed. I was wide awake at the time and not under the influence of anything.

[Bobbisox1]

Sqad doesn't want to show his 'caring' side ( if he has a one )
Not sure about DrMorgan :0/

[LadyCG]

Sqad knows how to get a party started on here. He's a softie deep down though. I bet he's missing Strictly.

[Bobbisox1]

He's very controversial but gets the grey matter and the spittle on the screen going haha

[DTCwordfan]

The Princess Royal dies a week ago (the cat), basically old age and running out of breath, not eating or drinking for the last three days.

When I went to bed, the night before, she was on her last leg....and my guess is it happened around 2.15. I was woken around that time and there was a distinct 'swoosh' noise that went through the house....and it wasn't the wind outside either.

[Bobbisox1]

I believe that DTC