Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....
Author unknown...
Champers, my lovely Retriever x terrier, I taught him everything, from collecting the mail to bringing me trowels when I was gardening and fetching my car keys. He sadly died from Cancer when he was just over 11 years old on Nov 20th 1989.
Champers when he was 11, just before he died.
Brandy, my Collie x German Shepherd, a beautiful dog. This photo was taken at a wild west show, it was Brandys first weekend out after spending 6 months in quarantine when we came back from Australia for two years. he loved being out enjoying himself again. Brandy lived until he was almost 15 when he collapsed on a walk in 1995, he spent the night at the vets, but sadly didn't recover.
This is Bruce, another Collie/Shepherd x, who was about 7 yrs when I took him on. He had known much sadness and was very nervous, but we worked on it and he became very confident and we moved to Devon which he loved and made many friends, both human and canine, he even befriended a young Badger who sometimes accompanied us along the stream in North Bovey. He died from a stroke in 2002 just before Christmas.
This is Hayley, a Wire Haired Fox Terrier who was owned by my Mother, a very bossy little dog but very lovable even though she ruled the house! She used to play with my two dogs Champers and Brandy and they treated her with great respect, all dog groomers refused to trim her because she was so stubborn and would get snappy, in the end I had to groom her on my lap!
Hayley had health problems all her life, ear problems, skin problems and eventually had cancer in her tail which the vet had to remove. Sadly, the cancer had spread by then and she was put to sleep in July 1989 and we buried her in my parents garden.
