Our 8 year old daughter is in mourning this afternoon. We had to bring her dog, Lucy, "to the farm" today. I am heart-broken, but she is just grief-stricken. She keeps asking me questions about if Lucy will be in heaven when she gets there? I have said that of course she will be. But this brings up a a problem. I realized that I haven't really moved on from TSCC. I don't trust anyone who is particularly religious, having been deceived many times. This has crippled me spiritually, from moving on to something else. I feel woefully under prepared to answer her questions, and hate that I have to resort to lying to make her feel better. Advice?

I am so, so sorry. Losing a pet is as bad as losing a relative, and to combine seeing your daughter in such pain, that's so tough.

I would tell her (my) the truth.
I'm sorry honey, I don't know where Spot is now that he's died. I like to think he's in a special heaven meant for animals, but no one knows for sure what happens when any of us die. If there is a heaven, I'm sure he'll be there with us and that it's the next best place for him now that he's no longer with us. I see no reason why he won't be with us after we die, too, but no one knows for sure.

I second that

Somebody here told me about it years ago, and it has helped me through the losses of MANY beloved fur-babies, and I just gave a copy of it today to my son, whose beloved 16-year-old cat died yesterday. He teared up and said he would share it with his little daughters.

I have more faith in the Rainbow Bridge than I do in any stuff along religious lines.

I have often told my husband that if I die first, don't waste time looking around for me. Just ask around for the Rainbow Bridge. I'll be there with my beloved furbabies. It's a lovely thought.

I found it useful to have a little burial service in the back yard.

You can still believe in an afterlife even if you are no longer religious. It is a common belief for many different religions, cultures and time periods. So you could just tell her that he is in heaven and will be waiting for her one day.

This short essay about "The Rainbow Bridge" may help her:

http://petloss.com/rainbowbridge.htm

Thank you for the advice, and words of encouragement. My daughter loved the poem!

Video of it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcQvYh_3Atw

One of the hardest things I've been through--losing my dogs.