Life is great, but death stinks

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We lost another pet last night. Our bestest ever rabbit, Billy, went suddenly just before Christmas - no warning, and he was only 5 years old. Last night, I was blubbing again cos Smoky, who has/had a genetic malformity which made his teeth overgrow, but was otherwise okay, died literally in my hands. He'd been fine earlier,but when my daughter went to get him to give him his medicine she had to "wake him up". He was all floppy and unresponsive. We cuddled him. His eyes were open but I guess he was in the equivalent of a coma. His dear friend, Frodo (our Dalmatian, who he use to play with and tease) tried to lick him "back into life" - all the same he died. Now I'm thinking, he went the way my Dad did, when he was in hospital. Quietly, and in his sleep (or at least, not aware.) It didn't hit me with either the rabbits or my dad that they were really gone, until I went back and saw the body ... I believe there's a better place for humans in the next world, but I'm not so sure about animals. I'd like to believe Billy and Smoky (who were both quite young when they died) are together again, playing. I'd also like to think they were "taken" by a higher entity for a purpose - it's the only way I can make sense of how they went. but I don't know - it seems silly. Have you had a pet - or human - who died suddenly? How did you cope? And do you believe we all go to a better place, or is that only reserved for those with a "human" God?