What Does the Bible Say About Caring For Pets and Animals?

[Murph]

What Does the Bible Say About Caring For Pets and Animals?

What does the Bible say about the care of pets and animals or rescuing animals?
It Was Good

What does the Bible say about the care of pets and animals or rescuing animals? We know that God loves His own work including the creation, but even more specifically, He cares about His creatures. Animals are part of His creation and He said of all creation, that it was “good.” The Bible says that “God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good” (Gen 2:25). God saw that it was good and so must we. We must see God’s creatures as good too, and treat them as such. My wife has rescued many animals in her lifetime and cares for those who are abandoned in the neighborhood providing water and food. She even uses a heated water bowl for the cats, birds, squirrels, skunks, opossum, and many other creatures, so she lives out what God says “was good,” including caring for God’s creatures.


Mankind’s Duty

Since we know that God cares for His creatures, we too must care for them. God made man steward over His creation (Gen 2:19-20), and that includes caring for or taking care of every creature that we have. God gave mankind authority over the creatures, but not to take advantage of them or to exploit them or abuse them. There is no excuse for animal cruelty and that’s why there are laws that can fine or imprison those who abuse animals. And I’m not just talking about dogs or cats, but no creature should suffer at the hands of man or woman. God will hold them accountable. God’s concern for animals shows up very early in the Bible. God commands us all: “You shall not see your brother’s donkey or his ox fallen down by the way and ignore them. You shall help him to lift them up again” (Deut 22:4). Who is our neighbor? It’s anyone we see, so loving our neighbors as ourselves means we love our neighbors enough to care for their animals if need be.

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