Are dogs religious/spiritual beings?

Such a question may seem silly, sacreligious and/or sacred, depending upon your point of view… people have their own beliefs and opinions about animals/pets and they run the gamut as you will see below…many pet owners/animal lovers believe our pets to be angels, divine creatures, and/or treasured family members. But are they sentient beings with a soul?

Can Animals Be Religious?

http://bigthink.com/ideas/20164

One Episcopal church in Connecticut has had a “communion service” in which both cats and dogs were granted the privilege of partaking of a “host” bread (a dog biscuit, we assume; or perhaps Meow Mix). Some churches and synagogues are inviting members to bring their cats, dogs, guinea pigs, and even pet snakes. One Jewish synagogue has a song in which a “pet prayer” is offered in these words: “May God always shield you from fleas.” What about the fleas? Aren’t they God’s creatures too? This is intolerable “flea discrimination.” Surely there must be a passage somewhere that admonishes, “Flee flea-fighters.”

religious ceremonies for animals?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/28/animal-ceremonies-from-ar_n_269583.html

ceremonies such as blessings of the animals…

http://www.americancatholic.org/features/francis/blessing.asp

http://www.godblesstheanimals.com/tp40/page.asp?id=33522

bark mitzvahs

http://gothamist.com/2012/01/04/muzzle_tov_the_bark_mitzvah_dog_tre.php

http://judaism.about.com/od/americanjewry/a/bark_mitzvah.htm

http://www.hinduwebsite.com/hinduism/essays/animals.asp

http://www.religionfacts.com/big_religion_chart.htm

and then there is Iran… if you think breed bans are discriminatory, there are some in Iran who want to ban ALL DOGS … for pseudo-religious reasons

http://www.chicagonow.com/steve-dales-pet-world/2011/04/effort-to-ban-dogs-as-pets-iran/

http://www.danielpipes.org/comments/120798

Dogs are 100% impure, whether you agree or not. On medical grounds and several reason which could only be understood when your spiritual purity is intact. Yes, Islam doesn’t allow to kill dogs or torture them. Islam allows to keep dogs but outside your premises. You can feed them you can take care of them but you have to be careful for yourself too. Saliva of the Dogs is believed to be highly dangerous for human and causes extreme impurity. It is a Satanic tool to keep angels away from you who are always praying for your salvation and saving you from possible threats (much to do with the reflexes). People loving dogs are doing no sin, but when they cross limit and allowing dogs to lick them then the problem begins. We all know that if bitten by a mad dog how dangerous the condition of the victim would be if not treated timely.

and completely the opposite view is that we can learn from dogs, that dogs are even spiritually advanced and can teach us about Love…and

Dogs are intuitive, even psychic. They know when you are coming home and wait by the door. They know when a stranger visits whether it is a friend or foe. Dogs protect us and use their sixth sense to find their way home when lost.

A judge in Texas just decided that dogs are NOT property…

In Texas a state appeals court has made a groundbreaking ruling that a dog’s value is greater than the market value.

…The Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth overturned a lower court’s ruling that a couple whose dog was wrongfully euthanized was entitled to damages for only the dog’s monetary worth. The new ruling allows for a dog’s true worth to be considered.

http://dogblog.dogster.com/2012/01/05/groundbreaking-court-ruling-takes-dogs-beyond-property-status-major-pet-industry-groups-not-happy/

and another judge in NYC is to decide if dogs have souls?

http://www.takepart.com/blog-series/paw-and-order/2012/01/06/do-dogs-have-souls-judge-decide

If the judge rule that Umka is a sentient creature with a soul, rather than defective property, the decision could radically alter not only animal welfare laws, but cultural attitudes towards non-human animals.

There is a puppy Lemon Law???

http://www.theawl.com/2010/10/sacred-music-are-animals-spiritual-beings

“For now,” he says. “Let’s keep the door open to the idea that animals can be spiritual beings and let’s consider the evidence for such a claim.”

Spiritual Teachings from our Dogs and Cats

http://eckharttolle.mybigcommerce.com/products/Guardians-of-Being%3A-Spiritual-Teachings-from-Our-Dogs-and-Cats-(Paperback).html

The Story of Adam & Eve’s Pets

http://learningfromdogs.com/tag/religion-spirituality/