Name: Rainbow Bridge Dogs
For the showcase this month I would like to focus on our dogs who have sadly passed away. They have had brilliant lives, helping us as well as people we visited with their loyalty, love and care. They have all been brilliant and are sadly missed by us as well as the people we visit. Most of us view our pets as members of the family, so it’s not ‘just a pet’ to us when they die. Many people find the idea of a rainbow bridge comforting at a time of heartbreak. The idea that they are not only waiting for us somewhere but also happy and healthy provides comfort to some pet owners. While the bridge is often seen as a pathway to heaven, the rainbow bridge is more of a spiritual concept than a religious one.
28th August is national Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day, a date giving us the opportunity to remember our pets again. Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day has been celebrated every year since 2015. It was originally founded by author Deborah Barnes, as a tribute to her beloved cat ‘Mr Jazz’ who died at the age of 15 years on 28th August 2013. She wanted this annual day of reflection for people to remember those pets they have loved and lost and share their stories with others. The ‘rainbow bridge’ is the theme of a poem that speaks of a wonderful meadow where our pets go when they die. They play there with all the other animals while they wait for their human friends to join them. Animal and human then cross the ‘rainbow bridge’ together, never to be parted again. The poem’s original author remains uncertain, but it’s believed to have been written in the mid 1970s to early 1980s, when the idea that the rainbow bridge is a place for pets was started. Many believe the concept of the rainbow bridge has its roots in Norse mythology. The Bifröst Bridge was said to be a burning rainbow bridge that connects Midgard (Earth) and Asgard (the realm of the gods).
Dogs are believed to be the first domesticated animals and also the first pets. According to archaeological evidence, human ownership of dogs as pets dates back to about 12,000 years ago. Maybe the main reason for this companionship between humans and dogs was the benefits they derived from each other. With the dog’s speed, powerful jaws and tracking abilities, they helped humans catch prey while they in turn received a constant supply of food and warmth. Around this period, humans began burying dogs and cats with their owners, and they were sometimes given notable burials with high-value items placed in their graves. Dogs have continued to be regarded as special, with an estimated 13 million in the UK alone, in 34% of households.
We at Canine Concern are aware that not only do we grieve for our loyal companions, but also the people we visit feel the same. It is a hard time for us all having loved our pets for many years, then finding a huge empty space left when they go.
On 22nd July, our retired chairman, Barbara Gasson, had to sadly say goodbye to her retired Canine Concern dog Rigby, at the age of 15 years and 9 months. She said that he was a delightful boy, quite naughty at times and brought much pleasure all round. Over the years since we have said goodbye to many of our amazing dogs as well as my original Canine Concern dog, Cadbury.
Some of the Canine Concern dogs I know about recently are:
Amber, Barney, Bella, Boysie, Busy, Cassie, Chase, Clyde, Comet, Danny, Daisy, Daisy, Dibley, Diesel, Fenn, Freya, Hardy, Hattie, Holly, Hondie, Isla, Issy, Kendo, Kiva, Klaus, Laddie, Lucy, Lulu, Max, Max, Miika, Molly, Murphy, Oscar, Pictsie, Rosie, Rosie, Pancho, Paddy, Paddy, Pancho, Sasha, Silas, Star, Tay, Toby, Uther, Zippy, Zola
Thank you to all of you and also to those I do not know about. You have been brilliant and are sorely missed.
For all of you, Canine Concern members, friends and supporters, if you have lost a beloved pet, I hope this poem helps you. I also send a special poem on a card with some forget me not seeds to anyone who lets me know their Canine Concern dog has passed.
There is another way you can also remember your pets and that is going to the ‘Paw in the Sand’ section on our website and dedicate a paw to your dog. You can also make a donation to us using this section in memory of your pet. The legacy of your pet will then continue.
As Boris Johnson said: “Hasta la vista, baby.”
