In case you'd forgotten, the Rapture is coming in 11 Days.

Last month, Grand Rapids got a visit from Family Radio Worldwide, a Christian group that has been traveling the country spreading an obscure interpretation of scripture that pinpoints May 21st as Judgment Day.

Say you

fall for

believe this and are arranging your earthly affairs in preparation for being Raptured. What happens to your pets? You can't take your dog or cat with you, but you want to make sure they're cared for in your absence, right? What's a believer to do?

Simple. Call an atheist.

No joke -- there's a company called Eternal Earth-Bound Pets USA that, for a modest fee, will care for your pet in the event of your being Raptured to heaven. Formed in 2009 by a man named Bart Centre, the organization operates in 26 states, including Michigan.

According to its website, for $135, the company will guarantee that one pet per household will be cared for if the Rapture occurs within 10 years of payment, with an additional charge of $20 per pet if more than one requires saving (their word).

Centre says he takes the work seriously enough that he's careful to only recruit atheists as pet rescuers. A story in the Sydney Morning Herald explains the company's hiring process:

Are people's beliefs being exploited here? Sure, but whose? Here's how Centre rationalizes it: "I do not promote the Rapture. If I were promoting it, then soliciting people to take my services, I could see that being a scam. Who knows whether I'm taking advantage of them, or they're taking advantage of me?"

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