The Fate of Animals

 Continuing the them from yesterday, I think the scriptures and modern prophets show that animals are to be treated with kindness and consideration.  Even though man in the beginning was given “dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth”—and that dominion surely includes the ability for man to use animals for food and divinely appointed sacrifices—it does not give any license to unnecessarily harm animals (Genesis 1:26).  In modern revelation the Lord gave us the kind of balance we must have: “For, behold, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which cometh of the earth, is ordained for the use of man for food and for raiment, and that he might have in abundance….  And wo be unto man that sheddeth blood or that wasteth flesh and hath no need” (D&C 49:19, 21).  Animals are meant for the use of man as food and clothing, but they should not be wasted.  The Lord who notices even the fall of a sparrow created the animals, and our dominion should not equate to disrespect (Matt. 10:29).  In the Old Testament we even have the story of Balaam who beat his donkey.  The animal’s mouth was opened so that he could rebuke his master: “And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?”  However literally we are supposed to take that story, it certainly teaches that animals have some level of intelligence and deserve to be treated with respect.

               The exact fate of animals in the next life is not entirely clear, but D&C 77 does suggest a continuance of their existence.  We read in the inspired description of John’s revelation that the four beasts “which were shown to John, to represent the glory of the classes of beings in their destined order or sphere of creation, in the enjoyment of their eternal felicity” (D&C 77:3).  Elder McConkie’s chapter summary puts it this way; “Beasts have spirits and will dwell in eternal felicity.”  As an apostle Joseph Fielding Smith said this about animals in general conference: “So we see that the Lord intends to save, not only the earth and the heavens, not only man who dwells upon the earth, but all things which he has created. The animals, the fishes of the sea, the fowls of the air, as well as man, are to be recreated, or renewed, through the resurrection, for they too are living souls.”  What kind of connection we will have with the animals we may have cared for in this life isn’t revealed, but the Prophet Joseph apparently did believe, according to Elder Orson F. Whitney, that he would “have his favorite horse in eternity.”  What we do know, though, is that God’s work and glory is in the salvation of man, and that we are “of more value than many sparrows” (Matt. 10:31).