Rehoming a PetVzorec

Day 2: Looking Inward for Sanctification

In the midst of my sorrow at my impending goodbye, I turned toward the internet—surely, someone, somewhere, had something to say about God in the midst of this type of loss. But I did not find any biblical guidance for my story, which is not to say it doesn’t exist. I knew God had something to say, so I decided to dig deeper myself.

The first lesson I ended up learning was about the judgmental condition of my own heart. I used to criticize and blame those who gave up their pets for what appeared to be trivial or self-serving reasons—a new partner, a long-distance move, destructive behavior like chewing furniture or having accidents indoors.

But now, I’ve come to realize that the decision to surrender a pet is far more nuanced than I once believed. As news of my own situation spread, I was surprised by how many friends, neighbors, colleagues, and even distant relatives opened up with their own stories of having to part with beloved animals.

Now this isn’t at all to say that animals are disposable, like faulty products that can be returned when they become inconvenient. If God shows care and concern for animals, then we ought to do the same. In fact, our deep desire to keep and care for pets is best understood as a reflection of God's own compassion for His creatures. Since humanity was made in God's image, we have inherited a part of His nature—one that includes a genuine care for animals.

There is no room for cruelty toward animals in the life of a Christian. But at the same time, Scripture expresses a clear priority for human life over animal life. As pet lovers, we want the adoption of a pet to be a lifelong commitment, and it should be whenever such a decision safeguards the biblical standard of stewarding human lives with greater value. However, with maturity comes the realization that few things in life are truly permanent, outside of our relationship with the Lord. Instead of being people quick to judge, we should hold space for trying to understand why a commitment to a pet may not have gone as planned.