Are Animals Afraid of the Afterlife and Death?

Ever wondered what animals think about death? Or, if they know anything about the afterlife – if it exists? How it works?

I was undecided how I felt about this issue for many years, until I met an injured wild deer at Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation where I worked on staff. I was delighted when the deer began talking with me.

One deer became a dear friend (no pun intended) and I always looked forward to feeding time when I got to sit and chat with this very special being named Roland. I always took his favorite foods to eat and sat down with him while we communed together.

I was very concerned about him because his broken leg wasn’t healing well. One day I asked him if he knew anything about death and what happened, if anything, after one left their body. He told me his experience – and it changed my life.

I’d like to share his story with you. Please know that I am not offering a religious belief – only to share a profound experience. You can make up your own mind about what you decide to believe… or not.

All I ask is that you be willing to consider other viewpoints. As you learn to talk with animals, it is important that you keep an open mind so animals can expand your consciousness.

My deer friend, Roland, said he had once been a wealthy gentleman landowner in England in the mid to late 1800’s. He showed me how his body had looked, his favorite pipe, his gold watch, his expansive home, and he even imaged for me the land he loved so very much.

He was excited at the chance to ask me about current human advancement and we discussed how so much had changed since he’d last been a human. He amazed me with his questions and knowledge about society back then, what was current in his day. He talked about important events and people that I knew very little about (which disappointed him). And I amazed him by explaining our technological advances.

In his time, he had hunted animals when he’d been a young man, but as he grew older, he began to grieve their deaths to the point that he stopped hunting completely. In fact, he discovered that he was weary of living a human life with all the cares and concerns and stressors that entailed.

He loved watching the deer and envied them their ability to leap and run, their remarkable grace, and their gentle spirits. When he died, he decided that if he could, he wanted to come back as a deer. And so he did.

He was calm and peaceful as he told me that he wasn’t afraid to die, and that the experience was different every time. I was eager to continue the conversation the next day, but when I went back to work, he had passed away.

I grieved him for a long time, but I’m also sure he was ready to move on. He knew his leg would not heal, and so decided to leave the body behind and start again.

That opened up a whole new world for me, and I’ve now worked with thousands of animals in all stages of life.

In my experience, I’ve found that most animals are not afraid to die. They often welcome death like an old friend, and when they are ready, they gratefully surrender to it and step joyfully out of their body.

Often their final gift to us is this experience. Especially if we are afraid of death or dying, then going through this process with them can teach us how to face death with dignity, compassion and respect, and with much less fear.

The only animals I’ve found who were afraid were the ones who had extremely fearful, anxious humans who were terrified to let them go. Through their intimate connection with their person, the animal mirrored their human’s emotional state.

So take a moment now to reflect on how you feel about death.

If you are not in a neutral, balanced, peaceful, accepting place, then you won’t be open to whatever they have to say. Be willing to get the help you need, so your animal friend won’t have to reflect or carry your emotional wounds.

Because what they tell you may go way outside your experience, teaching, beliefs or understanding. They have access to a lot more information than we have, especially when it comes to energy and their amazing senses.

Remember that Spirit often uses animals to communicate with us, to touch our hearts, to teach us, and to heal us.

In fact, our connection with and love for our animals helps us learn the lessons they came here to teach us, and that makes us better humans.

When you’re ready, sit quietly with your friend. Invite them to teach you. Ask the questions you have on your heart.

And then just sit back and listen with open attention. Let whatever impression, image, or feelings they may want to share come to you. Be easy and calm, while you sit with it for a while. Thank them for whatever you get.

Don’t be too anxious to get the answers quickly… That kind of energy always pushes them away from you.

Allow the meaning to unfold in its own time. What you get just may change your life too.