Cold Noses at the Pearly Gates: A Book Review

In the early 90's, I lost a very precious pet and, several years later, still hadn't come to terms with the loss. I continued to search for the comfort that is spoken of in the fourth chapter of I Thessalonians. But in my religion, this passage is generally interpreted to mean just humans and I needed that comfort in the loss of my pet. My religion generally taught that animals did not go to heaven and that when they died, that was the end for them. I felt in my heart that this just didn't add up and no amount of well-meant sympathy, no soothing poems, no lockets with photos could satisfy my lack of closure. I missed my pet, and my broken heart needed some real comfort. Had God abandoned me in my grief? I just knew that there must be answers somewhere in His Word.

I first saw Cold Noses at the Pearly Gates advertised in Best Friends magazine back in the mid 90's and knew that, at last, I'd found what I had been looking for. I ordered the book and devoured it in one sitting, when it arrived.

I learned that Gary Kurz, a retired Coast Guard officer and Baptist minister, writes with compassion from a heart that understands the pain of pet loss. He writes in a reasonable manner from more than 20,000 hours of personal Bible study. His research on what the Bible has to say concerning animal afterlife shows, clearly, that God has not abandoned His animal creatures or left us in our grief for them. As I read Cold Noses at the Pearly Gates, answers to all my questions fell into place and my emptiness turned into solid hope.

The author begins with an insight to reasons for writing the book. Seeking comfort for his own loss of a very special pet friend, he wanted others to benefit from his own research and because, at that time, there were no other books on the subject of animals going to heaven. He encountered many negative opinions that the book would not sell but was not discouraged. In his own words, he was not interested in writing a "cash cow" but a "comfort cow". As it turned out the book has filled a need for those who love animals, and has been well received.