The Bible does not specify whether animals will go to heaven. When perusing the Book for answers, we can only look for verses which appear to shed some light on the subject of heaven, whether animals have souls, and how mankind and animals are alike. Verses presented below are from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.
Potential
The closest the Bible comes to commenting on whether animals go to heaven may be in Isaiah. In chapter 11 he prophesies about a peaceful time when all men and animals will live in harmony. However, we don't know whether this refers to life on earth or in heaven, and if the animals referred to are resurrected from the dead. Isaiah 65:25 also presents a prophecy that one day "the wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox."
Time Frame
Some Bible verses refer to the restoration of "all things" or "everything" after the last days, which may include animals who previously were alive. For example, Acts 3:21 explains that Christ "must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through His holy prophets."
Significance
The Old Testament makes comparisons between the eventual destiny of humans and animals. Ecclesiastes 3:19 declares, "Man's fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; man has no advantage over the animal."
According to a song of praise in Psalms 36:6: "Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep, O Lord, you preserve both man and beast."
Some New Testament verses speak of all creatures experiencing salvation or life in heaven. Luke 3:6 states in the King James Version that "all flesh will see the salvation of God." More modern Bible versions change the word "flesh" to "mankind", appearing to change the meaning of the verse to not include animals.
However, Revelation 5:13 says, "Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: 'To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!' "
Identification
The Bible does not specifically state that only people have souls or that only people go to heaven. However, it is generally accepted by Christians that only believers in Jesus will be saved. Whether or not a being which is incapable of believing in Jesus can go to heaven is not addressed in the Bible, but most Christian denominations believe that people who have been baptized do--including infants, who are unable to learn about Jesus. The question of whether animals are eligible remains a subject for debate.
Considerations
Sometimes the possibility we find depends completely on the translation. For instance, the NIV version of Genesis 1:30 quotes God as saying, "And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground---everything that has the breath of life in it---I give every green plant for food." The translation of the Hebrew word "nepesh" as meaning "creature" is common in biblical translations.
In contrast, the Darby version of Genesis translates "nepesh" as "soul," because its root is the Hebrew word for "breathe." In that version, Genesis 1:30 reads, "and to every animal of the earth, and to every fowl of the heavens, and to everything that creepeth on the earth, in which is a living soul, every green herb for food"--definitively indicating that animals have souls.
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