Theresa,
We don't have the full information on animals (C.S. Lewis [Wikipedia][CSLewis.com] would say God didn't give us that box to open), but suffice it to say that they do not have the same kind of souls as we do. We are made in the image of God, with an immortal soul — that we know.
- Can animals be in Heaven?
While their telos can easily be seen as one in the natural order, what God has in mind beyond that simply isn't spelled out.
Many (believe/hope) our animals will be brought to Heaven by God, for he wants Heaven to be superabundant in joy, and the Bible has a good deal of imagery of animals, in Revelation, and even Jesus' riding on a white horse (cf. Revelation 19:11).
I certainly love my dogs and think it would be super cool if God had a plan for them.
What we can say with certainty is animals don't go to Hell or Purgatory for they can't have any culpability for sin. Sin requires freedom of the will and intellect, which is unique to humans (and angels, etc.) so maybe we can hope, but we just don't know.
Peace,
Bob Kirby
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