Pets and Sikhism are two subjects very near and dear to my heart. I grew up as a small child on a farm in Kenya and was constantly surrounded by animals in my youth and I've always continued that practice. In my life I have kept almost every kind of pet that you can imagine from fish, dogs, birds, cats, deer, tortoise, hamsters, rabbits, lizards, snakes and even a pet tarantula spider. I really can't imagine how empty life must be for people who have no connection with pets or nature.

To give you a bit of historical context first before discussing Sikh writings. Of our ten living Gurus who founded the Sikh religion, we know from history that our Seventh Master, Guru Har Rai (1630-1661) loved animals and was a avid pet owner who kept a zoo full of animals. The Sixth Master Guru Hargobind (1595 to 1644) was a avid hunter who enjoyed the royal sport of falconry. Our final Living Guru and Tenth Master, Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708) was also a keen hunter who enjoyed the outdoors and nature as can be seen from his writings:

Guru Gobind Singh, Bachittar Natak pg 167

"When the work of governance came unto me, I spread religion as much as I could do.Through various sports I hunted in the forest and killed bear, nylgao and stags etc [1] . Witnessing many a wonderous feat there we camped on the bank of the Yamuna river. [2] Selectively we killed many lions, bears and nylgao. King Fatehshah got annoyed and without any reason picked up a quarrel with us."

Most early paintings of Guru Gobind Singh dating to the late 1700's and early 1800's usually show him with his pet hunting falcon perched on his arm or if riding on one of his horses, one of his pet hunting dogs is usually shown nearby. So Sikhs have a long tradition of a close relationship with animals and nature whether as pets or as hunters dating back to the time of our Gurus.

What is the attitude of the Sikh writings to animals and pets?

Before I discuss this just a few notes about our scripture which is called Sri Guru Granth Sahib and which is regarded as the Eternal Guru and head of our religion. It's pretty unique in the world of religious writings because it was actually compiled and written during the lifetime of our Gurus and we still have the original copy in existence. Also besides their own poetry, the Sikh Gurus included the poetry of Muslim and Hindu saints as well. Finally to note, Sri Guru Granth Sahib is a musical scripture, it is for the most part poetry in celebration of the Supreme Being set to music, not a book of historical chronology like the western religious books. To present it without the context of it's music and translated into another language like English, of course a lot of it's beauty and message on different spiritual levels of intellect and emotion are lost, but at least I hope you will get some sense of the feelings of our Gurus as it relates to the subject of animals and pets.

When it comes to animals, Sikhism believes that the entire universe is teaming with animals of various forums, all under the command of the Supreme Being.

Guru Nanak, pg. 466

"There are beings and creatures in the water and on the land, in the worlds and universes, form upon form. Whatever they say, You know; You care for them all."

Guru Arjan, pg. 276

"Many millions are the fields of creation and the galaxies. Many millions are the etheric skies and the solar systems. Many millions are the divine incarnations. In so many ways, He has unfolded Himself. So many times, He has expanded His expansion. Forever and ever, He is the One, the One Universal Creator. Many millions are created in various forms. From God they emanate, and into God they merge once again. His limits are not known to anyone. Of Himself, and by Himself, O Nanak, God exists."

In the poetry of Sri Guru Granth Sahib you find wonderful metaphors where animals and their qualities and used to good effect such as to describe the love and longing of the devotee for the Supreme Being.

Guru Arjan, pg. 100

"You (the Supreme Being) are the Ocean of Water, and I am Your fish. Your Name is the drop of water, and I am a thirsty sparrow-hawk. You are my hope, and You are my thirst. My mind is absorbed in You."

Guru Ram Das, pg. 164

"The song-bird loves the sun shining in her face. Meeting her Beloved, all her pains are left behind. The GurSikh (devoted Sikh) loves to gaze upon the Face of the Guru. || 2 || The calf loves to suck its mother's milk; its heart blossoms forth upon seeing its mother. The GurSikh loves to gaze upon the Face of the Guru. || 3 || All other loves and emotional attachment to Maya (the material world) are false. They shall pass away, like false and transitory decorations."

Guru Nanak, pg. 60

"O mind, love the Lord, as the fish loves the water. The more the water, the more the happiness, and the greater the peace of mind and body. Without water, she cannot live, even for an instant. God knows the suffering of her mind. || 2 || O mind, love the Lord, as the song-bird loves the rain. The pools are overflowing with water, and the land is luxuriantly green, but what are they to her, if that single drop of rain does not fall into her mouth? By His Grace, she receives it; otherwise, because of her past actions, she gives her head."

Guru Ram Das, pg. 845

"My eyes are drawn to His Love, like the cat to the mouse."

Guru Nanak, pg. 1010

"In the cage of divine love, the parrot, speaks. It pecks at the Truth, and drinks in the Ambrosial Nectar; it flies away, only once. Meeting with the Guru, one recognizes his Lord and Master; says Nanak, he finds the gate of liberation."

Bhagat Kabir, pg. 1367

"Kabeer, even the dog of a devotee is good, while the mother of the faithless cynic is bad. The dog hears the Praises of the Lord's Name, while the other is engaged in sin. || 52 || Kabeer, the deer is weak, and the pool is lush with green vegetation. Thousands of hunters are chasing after the soul; how long can it escape death?"

Here is a passage that describes the unseen qualities of the Supreme Being using animal analogies.

Bhagat Nam Dev, pg. 525

"Who can describe Him? Who can understand Him? The all-pervading Lord has no ancestors, O Siblings of Destiny. || 1 || Pause || As the path of a bird's flight across the sky cannot be seen, and the path of a fish through the water cannot be seen; || 2 || As the mirage leads one to mistake the sky for a pitcher filled with water - so is God, the Lord and Master of Naam Dayv, who fits these three comparisons."

Sometimes an animal can be used in a derogatory sense and in other cases it can be used in a positive sense based on it's qualities. Here is a wonderful passage where in the first sentence you see a dog used in a derogatory sense to describe an irreligious person and the next sentence positively to describe person who always remembers the Supreme Being, using the dogs quality of loyalty. This is followed by a humorous description of an elephant to ridicule blind rituals.

Guru Tegh Bahadur, pg. 1428

"That person, who does not feel devotion to God in his mind - O Nanak, know that his body is like that of a pig, or a dog. || 44 || A dog never abandons the home of his master. O Nanak, in just the same way, vibrate, and meditate on the Lord, single-mindedly, with one-pointed consciousness. || 45 || Those who make pilgrimages to sacred shrines, observe ritualistic fasts and make donations to charity while still taking pride in their minds - O Nanak, their actions are useless, like the elephant, who takes a bath, and then rolls in the dust."

Sometimes you can find dogs have been used as a symbol of utter humility by a Guru or Saint to describe themselves.

Guru Ram Das, pg. 171

"I know nothing, and I do not know the future; as the Lord keeps me, so do I stand. For my failings and mistakes, O Guru (God), grant me Your Grace; servant Nanak is Your obedient dog."

Bhagat Kabir, pg. 969-970

"I am a dog at Your Court, Lord. I open my snout and bark before it."

Bhagat Kabir, pg. 1368

"Kabeer, I am the Lord's dog; Moti is my name. There is a chain around my neck; wherever I am pulled, I go."

Unlike other religions that believe that certain kinds of animals are filthy, dirty or impure, Sikhism does not believe in such superstitions and the only real impurity of importance is considered our own spiritual impurity within.

Guru Nanak, pg. 472

"If the principle of impurity be admitted, then there is impurity everywhere.
In cow-dung and wood there are worms.
As many as are the grains of corn, none is without life.
In the first place there is life in water, by which, all are made green.
How can impurity be warded off? It falls on our own kitchen.
Nanak, impurity is not removed like this. It is washed away by Divine Knowledge.
The mind's impurity is avarice and the tongue's impurity falsehood.
The impurity of the eyes is to behold another's woman, another's wealth and beauty.
The impurity of the ears is to hear the slander of others with ears,
Nanak, mortal's soul goes bout to the city of death.
All impurity consists in doubt and attachment to duality.
Birth and death are subject to Lord's command and through His will mortal comes and goes.
Eating and drinking are pure, for the Lord has given sustenance to all.
Nanak, the Gurmukh who know the Lord, to them impurity sticks not."

When a pet dies what is the belief about what happens to it (i.e. the soul of the animal)?

In the Sikh context we believe that all living things have a soul. The soul is like a drop of water separated from the ocean that is the Supreme Being. The soul goes through countless cycles of birth and death before we are born as human beings who can discern good from bad. The equivalent of 'hell' in Sikhism is for our soul to be separated from the Supreme Being and continue in a cycle of births and death in many forms. Our concept of 'heaven' is to break free from that cycle and our human soul to once again merge with the Creator from where it originally came based on our ability to discern good from bad action and make choices in how we live our life combined with the grace of the Supreme Being.

M4, pg. 10

"All living beings are Yours-You are the Giver of all souls."

Guru Arjan, pg. 176

"In so many incarnations, you were a worm and an insect; in so many incarnations, you were an elephant, a fish and a deer. In so many incarnations, you were a bird and a snake. In so many incarnations, you were yoked as an ox and a horse. || 1 || Meet the Lord of the Universe - now is the time to meet Him. After so very long, this human body was fashioned for you. || 1 || Pause || In so many incarnations, you were rocks and mountains; in so many incarnations, you were aborted in the womb; in so many incarnations, you developed branches and leaves; you wandered through 8.4 million incarnations. || 2 || Through the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, you obtained this human life. Do seva - selfless service; follow the Guru's Teachings, and vibrate the Lord's Name, Har, Har. Abandon pride, falsehood and arrogance. Remain dead while yet alive (not in love with the material world), and you shall be welcomed in the Court of the Lord. "

Guru Nanak, pg. 156

"I took the form of so many plants and trees, and so many animals. Many times I entered the families of snakes and flying birds."

Bhagat Ravidas pg, 486

"The creeping creatures live thoughtless lives, and cannot discriminate between good and evil. It is so difficult to obtain this human incarnation, and yet, they keep company with the low. || 2 || Wherever the beings and creatures are, they are born according to the karma of their past actions."

Guru Arjan, pg. 885

"The wind merges into the wind. The light blends into the light. The dust becomes one with the dust. What support is there for the one who is lamenting? || 1 || Who has died? O, who has died? O God-realized beings, meet together and consider this. What a wondrous thing has happened! || 1 || Pause || No one knows what happens after death. The one who is lamenting will also arise and depart. Mortal beings are bound by the bonds of doubt and attachment. When life becomes a dream, the blind man babbles and grieves in vain. || 2 || The Creator Lord created this creation. It comes and goes, subject to the Will of the Infinite Lord. No one dies; no one is capable of dying. The soul does not perish; it is imperishable."

Do Sikhs bury or cremate their pets?

Although there are no pet specific guidelines, I think the guidelines applicable to Sikhs would be as applicable to their pets as well. In the Sikh context as mentioned previously the soul is the real essence of the individual or animal. The body is a mere shell and we do not consider the dead body to be worthy of any specific burial arrangement and it does not matter if the pet or person is buried, cremated or disposed of in any other manner.

Guru Nanak, pg. 648

"Some are cremated, and some are buried; some are eaten by dogs. Some are thrown into water, while others are thrown into wells. O Nanak, it is not known, where they go and into what they merge."

The Sikh Rehit Maryada which is our Official Code of Conduct and Conventions governing the Sikh lifestyle and Sikh practices contains the following guidelines concerning disposal of a body:

Chapter XI, Article XIX, Funeral Ceremonies:

1. Although cremation is the preferred method of disposal, it is not mandatory.

2. Where cremation is not available or cannot be arranged, the body may be buried or immersed in water or disposed of in any other manner.

3. If the body is cremated all of the bones and ashes should be gathered up and immersed in flowing water or buried.

4. If cremated the bones should be immersed in any body of water. No place is considered 'sacred' or 'special' for disposal of the bones. A special effort should not be made to dispose of them in such places as the Ganga river, at Patalpuri (Kiratpur) or Kartarpur Sahib or any other such place.

5. If a body or cremated remains are to be buried the erection of any monument, gravestone or marker to the memory of the deceased person at that site is forbidden.

The last point is especially important; Sikhism strictly forbids the worship of the dead so a gravestone or any other marker is not used if the person/animal is buried.

Are there any specific scriptures or writings that relate to the care of pets?

No there are not any writings either in Sri Guru Granth Sahib or the Sikh Rehit Maryada which specifically talk about pet care but there are multiple references to kindness and compassion to all throughout Sri Guru Granth Sahib.