Posted on 06/29/2013 5:46:05 AM PDT by kanawa
Best Friends Animal Society in Utah suffered a significant lost last week. Lucas, who was at one time Michael Vick’s grand champion fighting dog, has lived the past five years at Best Friends. Due to declining health, last Wednesday night he had to be put down.
As the prized fighting dog of Vick’s Bad Newz Kennels, the courts ordered that Lucas could never be adopted; instead he would spend the remainder of his life being cared for at Best Friends. Lucas, along with 21 other dogs from Vick’s Bad Newz Kennels that were labeled “most challenging,” arrived at Best Friends Animal Society in January 2008. The Vicktory dogs, as they became known, proved to the world that even the most damaged of them could be rehabilitated.
Lucas, even though he could never be adopted, ended up being the most social and well-behaved out of all of them. Although he never could go home to a family, Best Friends became his family. Lucas’ friendly nature made him a great fit as a greeter at Best Friends.
“He made everyone feel special just by being himself,” said Gregory Castle, co-founder and CEO of Best Friends. “Lucas loved his ambassadorial role and had the next best life to a permanent home with a loving family.”
Lucas was estimated to be around 13 years old when his health began to take a turn for the worse. Lucas suffered from Babesia, a common disease in fighting dogs, as it is carried by a blood parasite and spread through bite wounds. There is no cure for Babesia, though it is treatable. Lucas would occasionally suffer flare ups that would cause anemia and weaken him. Combined with his old age, it was time to say goodbye.
Lucas was an inspiration to so many. He changed the perception of fighting dogs and what they could become. He loved everyone he met and had a huge impact on their lives. He is greatly missed by everyone at Best Friends Animal Society and everyone who got a chance to know him.
“Lucas was indeed a champion,” wrote Castle. “But his greatest victories were outside the ring. He won our hearts and taught the world about the integrity and depth of character that is a dog.”
Woof
My priest and the Magesterium of the Catholic Church can think what they like, but that dog is resting with the Lord now, in whatever Heaven means to dogs.
Ping
I hope we can go where the dogs, cats and horses go, but you probably have to be really good to qualify.
The Catholic Church (to which I also belong) certainly draws very sharp distinctions between the nature of the human soul and animals, but never really states that animals don't go to heaven.
IMHO, Revelation 5:11-13 pretty much convinces me that they do.
Vick is back playing football.
Meanwhile, another lovely individual, Aaron Hernandez, is being accused of FOUR cold-blooded murders. The NFL has issued an edict that no team is to hire him.
Sports people used to be “Role Models”. (SIGH)
RIP, Lucas, and may you only meet the ones who loved you at the rainbow bridge.
Yep. And Proverbs 12:10 confirms that G-d considers those who care properly for their animals are among the righteous, and those who do not are “wicked”.
RIP Good and Faithful Servant
All dogs go to heaven.
Gonna be chasing that big stick in the sky.
PROVERBS 12:10
10 The righteous care for the needs of their animals,
but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.
Yes, there are many scriptures which point to animals being in Heaven — too many to list here, but there are some great books which go through them: Jack Wintz’ books being my favorite so far. Many of the great Christian apologists from centuries past took it for granted, based on Scripture. I consider it a sign of the times and the growth of the human ego among those who should know better that it’s even a matter of dispute.
I just read Rev:9-11 and I am pretty sure the “Lamb” it refers to is Jesus but never mind, my dogs are going into the ground with me. The ashes of the ones who are gone are waiting in jars on the book shelf for that day. I hope and pray that they all end up in Heaven with me.
Amen.
That’s the one. :-)
I’m glad to hear that I’m not the only one who has kept the ashes of their departed pets-their ashes will be scattered with mine when I check out-I don’t want to go to the next life without pets...
11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they were saying:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”
13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”
Yes, the Lamb here refers to Jesus. But every creature in heaven ... implies, well, creatures _in_ heaven.
That people require salvation— the finished work of Christ on the cross— to enter heaven, does not mean that other creatures will be excluded. It merely means that they do not require salvation.
Will there not be angels there? Do only white horses get a pass?
All of creation was pronounced good. God used a donkey to warn Balaam, knows when sparrows fall. Calls those who care for their animals “righteous.”
He is great, merciful, powerful, worthy of praise.
RIP Lucas. Vick will receive his when attempts to enter heaven.
It occurs to me that this most humble, pious of men, blessed with the stigmata and founder of a religious order that has lasted 800 years, would have wasted much of his time preaching to the animals were there not some purpose behind it.
Many Catholic churches still offer the Blessing of the Pets on St. Francis' Feast Day, October 4.
The Orthodox Monks of New Skete, who's Monastery is largely supported by the German Shepherds they breed, raise and train have also considered the question, and leave the answer in the heart and mind of the believer:
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