I’m pretty certain that I’ll be counted among the three percent of the world-wide population that will be raptured sometime later today. However, does Starbuck have enough righteousness to make the cut? He’s very loving and forgiving. But he doesn’t pray. He’s content with his simple life. But he doesn’t go to church or read his Bible. He abstains from drinking alcohol and sex out of wedlock, although I don’t think the latter is by his choice. He’s a bit of a sluggard. If it were up to me, I’d let him into heaven. But, his salvation is clearly in question.
All of my nearby believing friends and family members will also be surfing the clouds with me later today (I hear 6:00 p.m. is liftoff time). And, to be honest, I really don’t trust any of my non-believing friends with the care of my precious pooch. My cousin Dave in Florida would be perfect –he has a couple of dogs already—but logistically, how do I get Starbuck there in short notice?
Thankfully, there’s a perfect solution: After the Rapture Pet Care (aftertherapturepetcare.com). For a mere 10 bucks (PayPal only) the canine-caring folks who run this site will find a local heathen …er, non-believer to take Starbuck into their home.
After the Rapture Pet Care (ATRPC) is run by a Christian named Sharon Moss. The story of how and why she started this service is clearly explained on her homepage. She has formed a “network of non-Christians who have agreed to rescue and care for the site-members’ pets if we all disappear.” She has a database that is “stored on multiple secure servers, with multi-location online and offline password-protected backups.”
The pet-care volunteers are atheists or members of another non-Christian religion. They love animals enough to register with ATRPC even though they do not believe there will be a rapture (or are agnostic about it). They are not paid and have agreed to care for the pets they rescue as their own, including being financially responsible for them.
ATRPC specializes in caring for dogs, cats, birds, and fish. They will try to find homes for larger critters, such as horses, if you’re in a bind. This is an important endeavor. Pet care in times of need is quite necessary. For example, thousand of animals were rescued by volunteers in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina. ATRPC is serious about their work. So please do not bug these fine folks with your sarcastic cracks like, “I have an elephant, can you take care of him?”
Pets and spirituality reminds me of a great little book I read recently called, “A Dog’s Purpose” by W. Bruce Cameron. The premise is that each dog has a specific purpose here on Earth and a dog may go through numerous lives before realizing it. In the book, one such dog lives four different lives. He is able to remember events, sights, smells, locations, and people from each previous life. Written from the dog’s perspective, Cameron humorously uses the lessons that the dog learns to weave a wonderful story that comes full circle in a thoughtful, believable manner.
It made me wonder about Starbuck. What life number is he on? Will he remember me in his next life? How am I helping him discover his purpose? Based on his behavior, I think he still has much to learn. Therefore, it’s imperative that he land in good care come Saturday. On the other hand, maybe his purpose is fulfilled. He’s become a loyal, loveable friend. He’s taught me about unconditional love and what sheer joy looks like. He’s opened up my heart and brought laughter to my life when it was needed most.
It’s going to be tough walking the streets of gold without him. Maybe if I tie his leash around my waist he’ll get swept up in the jet stream with me. I could ide him in a backpack. Will the angels be using airport scanners at the pearly gates? I guess in the long run it doesn’t matter. When Starbuck discovers his purpose and his lives are used up, I’m sure he will end up with me in the afterlife. Because, don’t all dogs go to heaven?
