[JHavard]

If you acknowledge that there will be animals in Heaven, then why not people's earthly pets? I know of nothing in scripture that prohibits this possibility.

I'm not sure how a Jew can figure out a way through your redemption plan to allow for pets, but in the Christian faith, we are required to have the Holy Spirit which will quicken at Gods command, and with out that spirit, we decay back into the earth and stay there until the judgement.

No Spirit, no eternal life.

[malakhi]

Well, animals do not have free will. The don't sin. So they have no need for atonement. They're just animals. As far as "No Spirit, no eternal life", well, I'll leave that one up to God. It is an open question in my mind as to whether animals will be in Heaven. I lean towards "yes", because their presence would increase our joy. But scripture tells us nothing one way or the other. Certainly, if God wills it, they will be there.