An athiest friend of mine posed a similar idea about whether or not his christian parents could really go to "Heaven" if their unconditionally-loved son wouldn't be there with them. It can be altered a bit for this topic, though.

It may depend on the animal. If a person dies and goes to Heaven, would their eternal happiness include playing with Scruffy, the childhood dog? I don't think I'm equipped to determine if an animal has a soul - if not, or if it had a benevolent soul, the dog could easily be reincarnated in Heaven. If the dog had a malevolent soul, though, it would go to Hell.

But can animals without the mental capacity to make reflective decisions be promised an afterlife anywhere but in Purgatory?

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