RB2

"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 and 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 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. The bright eyes are intent; the eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to break away 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......."

It was a sad day today for Michelle and I as we had to say goodbye to our little cat Mazzy. Starting in Phoenix, on to Portland and finally to Evergreen... For 18 years she was a cherished part of our family and we will miss her dearly.

8/12/08 Maynard was now 15 years old and barely weighed 100 to 150 pounds, a far cry from the hefty boy he was in the above picture. He was an old friend of ours who lived his life with Ranne for all those years. Each time I spoke with Ranne she shared concerns about how Maynard was getting on in years and WHAT would she do with his body when he finally passed? Good question, I thought! Her main concern was that he was in some way suffering as he would no longer go into his house during the hot hours of the day. Ranne would water him down several times a day and he would occasionally dump his water and roll in the mud...but not nearly often enough.

We've known Maynard for years and my thoughts were always with him. Each conversation I would ask how Maynard was doing...the reply continued to be less assuring. Ranne and I both knew it was time to let Maynard go (to Hog Heaven, perhaps).

I called L.J. from All Pets Great & Small Cremation Service and asked if he could help. Of course, he said yes and just to let him know when he was needed. Once Ranne secured a Vet to come to her house and help Maynard cross over the Rainbow Bridge (not all Vets are willing because pigs are considered vicious...which was NOT the case with my friend Maynard), the plan was set in motion. Ranne's Vet came this afternoon and because Maynard was so old, it took a while for him to pass (not good veins at that age). Ranne tried not to cry and her Vet waited patiently as Maynard finally crossed over.

Ranne covered him with a blanket, said her goodbyes and wondered how she was going to help L.J. get Maynard in his vehicle. Not to worry, L.J. was prepared!!! Thanks to the compassion of the Cooper family and the willingness to go above and beyond the "call of duty", a very grateful Ranne will sleep better tonight knowing that her good friend has passed with dignity and compassion. Maynard was cremated upon arrival to their facility.

Sometime during the night of Monday 3/24/08, we lost a precious baby who was adopted 4 years ago. Ozzie was very special to all of us and he will be missed dearly. Click on Ozzie's picture below to read his story and share his Mom's loss.

Cooper was a sweet 2-year-old who came into our rescue and was placed in a wonderful foster home, but fate did not allow Cooper to find his forever home. He came with many medical problems, was treated and showing great signs of improvement. Unfortunately, more was wrong with Cooper that medical treatment could provide and he crossed the Rainbow Bridge with dignity on Monday, 9/11/06. All Pets Great & Small Cremation Service recovered his body from our Vets office and had his remains ready by Thursday, 9/14/06. A wonderful family offering a valuable service made his passing a bit less difficult...just knowing he was in such caring hands!

I had the pleasure of meeting Ash a few months ago...and the honor of being with him when he crossed over the Rainbow Bridge. As many of you know, Karen Scherer of Loving Hands Pet Care not only takes special care of senior and disabled pets through her pet sitting business, she shares her home with a few lucky pugs. The loss of Ash is a difficult time for her because he was her "special" baby rescue and best friend. You can learn more about Ash by clicking on his picture above.

It is with much sadness that we post the passing of Chelsea, Pete's (of For Pete's Sake) best friend. She has been his eyes and ears for many years and a comfort beyond words. Pete misses Chelsea as do all that had the pleasure of meeting her in person or reading about her in Linda's book "For Pete's Sake!" Please take a moment to visit Pete's new site Meet Pete Live and read of Chelsea's passing. Please feel free to respond to Linda's post either with your heartfelt sympathy or a story of your own loss.

It is with such great sorrow that I add Phoenix's story to this page. When he came to AussieLads he was barely 3 months old and the sweetest, funniest puppy to ever enter our lives. He wasn't here long though, Renee' came to visit and he simply stole her heart! It was difficult to let him go, but we knew that day he had found his forever home. Phoenix was loved by all who met him and especially by those who shared his life. In memory of Phoenix, I created a slide show using what pictures I had of him. Please take a minute to remember Phoenix by viewing his slide show. We will miss you, sweet Phoenix and you will be forever in our hearts and memories!

On September 23, 2003, I was fortunate enough to adopt a three month old bundle of love from Aussielads Rescue. From the first moment I laid eyes on him, it was love at first sight. Phoenix had a gentle, loving personality that never changed. Even when he grew into the 70 pound elegant gentleman, he still thought he was a lap dog. He loved his belly rubs, giving kisses and sleeping with Mom. He definitely was a velcro dog, and a very protective watch dog. No one got near his front court yard, or his Mom. He passed very unexpectedly on Sunday October 30th. He will remain in our hearts forever, and will be greatly missed by his loving family, Mom, Renee'; human brothers, Zack and Caleb; Aunt Johna; canine sister, Sasha, and the three cats he cohabitated with... and loved to chase, Tink, Chase, and Obagi.

He was too sweet for this earth, and now his job is to watch over us from above. We will see you on that Rainbow Bridge, our big beautiful boy...

11/20/04 Lorraine lost her beloved Corey today after sharing their lives together since Corey was 3 days old.

HI! I have looking at you web page and I am seeing all of the pictures of the rescued aussie dogs and others of course! I lost my aussie friend in March of this year. I still miss her dearly, she was with me for 13 years and was with me through college, my first marriage and divorce and the birth of my children. About a month before I lost my best friend I rescued a white lab with 8 puppies, after placing the puppies I decided to to keep her, she had been abused from her previous owners, hit with a baseball bat, and now she is blind and partially deaf, but she has the best attitude. She has so many behaviors that my best friend Cowgirl had. My children look to the rainbows that appear in the sky and talk about Cowgirl, I will occasionally see rainbows on days that I am really missing her. There are still days that I will call for her, or call her name instead of my other dog, Kaedi, sometimes I think I hear her bark and some days I just wish she was still here. Thanks for letting me talk about my best friend!

Just a note to let you know we made the extremely difficult decision to send our troubled boy "Quote" to the Rainbow Bridge. He was making such good progress for awhile. Unfortunately, the last 2 weeks he seemed to just kind of snap. Extreme dog aggression, human aggression (bit his "favorite" 13 yr. old boy in his foster home), frenzied cat chasing, to name a few. We had never seen any of this behavior to this extent before.

"Quote" is a 5 month old lethal (neutered) boy w/ an abbreviated tail. It's not docked and a bit longer than the natural bob. We like to call it his 3/4 tail. His coat is mostly white with a few splotches of merling. He is deaf and has vision impairments. This pup was bailed from a Visalia (about 45 minutes south of Fresno) shelter where he arrived as a stray. He came to us pretty unsocialized and had no manners! His foster home and foster dog family (made up of herding breeds) have taught him many lessons a pup should know. He was a food protector when he arrived, but we seem to be making good progress with this. He is bold, playful and his impairments do not seem to slow him down..literally. He is definitely the most brave and strong-willed lethal we've had..but is a sweetie when it gets right down to it. He will push the limits, but is bright enough to understand..after the puppy brain gets firing, of course. He is fine with other dogs, but does try to be the "little boss" sometimes. He should not be placed in a home with cats though.

I'm very, very sad to report that Murphy #7144 was euthanized last week due to a bout with seizures that kept increasing in severity and no medication or quiet in the home could curb them.

Murphy wasn't even a year old yet.

He came to ARPH from a shelter in WI who got him from a family who received him as a gift. He was purchased from a pet store by another family member as a present to the children. The people who turned him in to the shelter did so because they said that Murphy would not listen to them and that he was so stupid, he didn't even know his own name. They had to spank him to get his attention.

He was just a baby... a deaf baby.

Murphy was so smart that no one in the pet store nor the family that had him realized that he wasn't listening because he could not hear them. The workers at the shelter figured it out.

His foster mom, Kristin, and her son loved him intensely and lavished on him all the time. His two older Aussie brothers protected him and showed him the ropes. Kristin fell so deeply in love with Murphy that she decided he had to remain with her... and so she adopted him. Now they all miss him with all their hearts.

Murphy brought joy to absolutely everyone he met. He was a very happy boy and everyone loved him.

Lisa B. in IL

�Hope�
September 3, 1997- July 23, 2004
In our hearts forever

I was just looking over your site, and reading the rainbow bridge which brought tears to my eyes. I thought I�d share my story. My girl �Hope� was born September 3, 1997, a beautiful red merle with striking blue and hazel eyes. She loved to play Frisbee or ball, and always had a toy ready for you to throw. She loved swimming in the sound with her sisters Bree (a black and white Aussie), and Lacey (a boson terrier), and she loved watching over her cats. She was a typical Aussie, full of energy and life, a velcro dog, never leaving our side. In late May of 2004 she stopped eating and was not acting like herself. I work in a veterinary clinic and took her to the hospital right away. After a week of blood work, meds and x-rays we discovered her enlarged lymph nodes. In mid June she was diagnosed with lymphoma. She was started on chemotherapy a short time later. Hope responded well to chemotherapy, chasing the ball and eating. Six weeks into chemo she took a turn for the worst, we returned to the veterinary oncologist who changed her drugs. That next evening I knew she was tired of fighting; on Friday July 23, 2004 we let our wonderful girl go. She was surrounded by her family and friends and went peacefully in my arms. Although it was the hardest thing I have ever done, I was comforted by the fact that I knew she was in a better place free from her pain. I know I will see her again. We miss her every day, her sister Bree still looks for her sometimes. It has been almost a month now and the ache in ours hearts has not subsided, I cherished every moment I had with her, and though her body is gone her spirit lives on in our hearts. Hope we love and miss you dearly- Love Mom, Dad, Bree, Lacey & the cats.

Thank you for your dedication to the Aussie breed. In Hope and Bree�s litter there were 2 lethal white pups, one blind and deaf, the other just deaf, the result of an accidental breeding of 2 merles. The breeder decided to keep the pups and had all of her dogs spayed and neutered. My mom has 3 Aussies of her own, and has won numerous obedience titles, she has also competed in the conformation ring. They are a wonderful breed. Sincerely, Betsy

This is Little Gus. He was given as a gift to a young lady who decided that his deafness was too much of a burden, so she turned Gus over to her mother who was either going to find a home for him or turn him over to the local shelter. As soon as I saw him, I knew that we could make room for him, and immediately he was accepted into our "pack" of one-homeless doggies (8 right now). Gus was with us for only a very short time, as he was suffocated when he got a Cheetos bag stuck on his little head one night. I found him that dreadful morning, and have been grieving his loss ever since. He is with God and all the other creatures now at the Rainbow Bridge, and I am looking forward to the day when we can reunite. Please tear open the bottoms of all the plastic bags that you throw away, as you may be saving the life of a loved one!

This is Taffy and My Mom, Pat Hinkley. Together with my dad they fostered the "California 5" for a week until I was able to drive them to Lorraine's house in Arizona. This is them together during the last few weeks of Taffy's life as Sat, Oct. 18th my mom and dad made the tough decision to put Taffy down as her lymphoma took control of her life. Mom had Taffy for 11 years having adopted her as a 2 year old from the shelter. Taffy was some type of cocker mix and her name described her 100% as she really was sweet as taffy. Though she was spayed she was "mother dog" to my brothers dog Buster, to my dog Jazz, to my mom's younger dog Henry and too many cats that have come and gone over the years. To my dog Dash she was "hot stuff" and to my lethal , Phoenix she was a an old grandma that was much more pleasant to hang out with then Jazz is. Taffy proved that you can teach an old dog new tricks as during her golden years when I would visit with my dogs and set up some agility equipment or have them do their many tricks she was right there interested in it all so I taught her some basic agility and how to roll over. She was always happy to show anyone her rollover trick ..for a cookie that is. Her alias was " cookie" as say that word she appeared at your side having never met a cookie she did not like. She was a perfect dog for an elderly couple like my parents and I know thou they have made this journey with many pets over their life time that it never gets any easier to say good bye to a beloved pet (or to the California five either when they left for Arizona) When my mom and dad someday reach the rainbow bridge they had better watch out as there will be many happy animals waiting there for them. Who could ask for anything better then that ? Jan Hinkley Santa Barbara Ca

Petunia and her sister were rescued from the Modesto animal shelter when they were 5 mos old. They were both victims of a merle to merle breeding so were born deaf and with limited vision. Petunia's sister Babe was adopted by a wonderful lady in San Diego county. Unfortunately in addition to being blind and deaf, Petunia had many obsessive/compulsive behaviors. We have no idea what kind of life she had before being dumped at the shelter. Most likely she was confined to a crate. She would run in circles, bark constantly, and chase imaginary objects. Although Petunia's tail was always wagging, she was not adjusting well to every day life. Petunia crossed the Rainbow Bridge on 10/16/03. She is now in a happier place where she is no longer scared. My heart and thoughts will always be with her. See Petunia's tribute at Petfinder PetNotes

Booger was just another spring kitten taking up room at the overloaded shelter, scheduled to die because he was taking up space. He was one of 65 kittens I rescued this spring in the hopes of getting them adopted into new loving homes. To most people he was nothing special, just a black and white cat but to us he was one of the best. I rescued him from our high kill Orem shelter at 3mo of age, just out of the cute baby stage and he didn't stand a chance at getting adopted. I saw something in him, I cannot explain, those of us that do rescue know what I am trying to say, he just had "it". I pulled him out and took him to the vet along with several other kittens, had him neutered, vacs, microchipped, and dewormed then boarded him until the weekend for adoption days. He was named Booger because he had a black spot on his nose that looked like a booger. On that Saturday I took him to adoptions he was the coolest cat around, we used him all day to "cat test" dogs and he took it all with a grain of salt. He was never in the cage the whole day, he was in a toddlers arms, in a volunteers arms, or warming the heart of a woman in a wheelchair. He was tossed from person to person, sniffed by every dog that came his way, and fell asleep on my lap during my 5 min lunch break. By the time we were done with adoptions that day it was too late to get him back to the vet for boarding, so I figured I'd take him home for the weekend. No biggie right? As soon as I walked in the door my 6yr old son Jacob's eyes lit up in absolute delight. He immediately opened up the cat crate and picked him up, the rest is history. The two were soul mates. Jacob said he was the "most beautiful kitten in the whole world". Even though I do rescue work, Jacob has never been really into animals like my other kids. He has a genius IQ and is a loner, gets bored easily and can be difficult. This cat made him come out of his shell. I have never seen a connection so strong. Booger slept with Jacob every night, and Jacob carried him around all day. Booger would "nurse" on my tied quilt on my bed, and the blanket was never dry, he had stretched all the yarn until it couldn't stretch any further. Booger tolerated my niece dressing him up when she came over for visits and the kids, played house. He allowed every new dog to sniff his butt, and allowed one old Aussie to "get his fleas" even though we don't have fleas in Utah. On Sunday August 24th after spending the weekend delivering a dog to Colorado we came home and noticed Booger wasn't quite right. I immediately took him in Monday morning after the kids went to school, and the vet did full blood panel, urine panel, and did a stomach tap. It was looking pretty bad, like it was probably a fatal disease called FIP ( feline infectious peritonitis). He had probably picked it up from the shelter and harbored it for the 3mo we had him. Two days later we got the results and it was confirmed Booger was dying. We took him home and Jacob was able to say his goodbyes, and spend one more night with him on his bed. On August 27th Booger lost his fight and was humanely euthanized while I held him in my arms. There will never be another one quite like him, Jacob is devastated. But life goes on and we will rescue another in need and take our chances. The rewards of having them however long or short are worth the risk of a broken heart. Thank you dear Booger for all you unselfishly gave to our family. In your 3mo with us we will remember you for a lifetime. You made a difference, and made my job worth doing. (side note:) Melissa does Aussie Rescue in Orem, Utah and we've worked together closely on many Aussies. We're so sorry for your loss and hope that Jacob finds someone (like Booger) again to love soon.

I was hoping you would put Budda's pic in the over the rainbow bridge page. This is out baby girl we lost to Parvo. Here is her story...

Budda was nobody's dog. She along with 3 littermates were found nearly starved in a field in Santaquin, Utah in February 2003. They were then taken to the animal shelter where they had to sit their "stray period", even though we all know they were dumped. Legalities are a pain sometimes. Ten days after she was vaccinated, she came down with Parvo and exposed the entire litter and several other young dogs in her foster home. She died before they could even get an IV into her. She showed no symptoms one day and was dead the next. In the week and a half she was with us she was everyone's favorite, and very well loved. No one else came down with the dreaded disease, thank goodness, but we will never forget the one we couldn't save. While she was here, she was bathed, fed, played with and most of all loved. So even though technically she was "nobody's dog" she will live in my heart forever. She was an Aussie/Springer Spaniel mix, and we are happy to report that all of her littermates went to loving homes where they will never have to spend a night out in the cold with an empty stomach again. We love and miss you sweet girl. Melissa

Sadly I would like to tell you all that we lost are 13^th dog in two months to Distemper last night. His name was Clay. He was a 9 month old, sweet, sweet boy. He was at Bev�s house living the good life. He had the sniffles and some coughing, so we treated him for Kennel Cough because he was showing no signs of Distemper. Last night his fever spiked and he had a minute and a half seizure. We rushed him to the emergency room and opted to let him cross the bridge. He had not been exposed to my 9 Distemper pups, so we are perplexed. He did, however come from the AC & C East side shelter. Please say a little prayer for us, as we have a 12-week-old puppy showing the same signs. Her name is Calamity. We can�t bear to lose another. Bev is already beside herself and very sad. I have only one question, are we cursed?

Dusty and Spunky both in their own time have passed onto the rainbow bridge and our family is filled with great sadness at the loss of their company and companionship. Spunky joined our family when I was only seventeen years old, I am now thirty one. He was the very first pet I purchased and cared for on my own. As I grew up he shared every important moment in my life from prom and high school graduation to my first job and apartment, marriage and even divorce. When I remarried he became a fixture in the new family my husband and I shared and as we had children, Spunky endeared himself to their hearts with his kind and gentle spirit. Spunky was adopted from the pound in 1987, he was estimated to be three years old. Spunky had the spirit many of us as human beings strive to achieve. The kindness he bestowed on every being he met man or animal was amazing. We called him our little man. His zeal for life and his gentle spirit lasted to the very end when on May 20th 2002 at nearly 18 years old a stroke took the strength of his body but not his wonderful spirit, we made the painful decision to let him pass to the rainbow bridge with the dignity and love he has given us throughout his wonderful life. Despite knowing this time would come and taking comfort in the long and wonderful life Spunky led ...the emptiness we feel without him is almost unbearable. Dusty joined our family after we fell in love with the Pekingese breed through our relationship with Spunky. Dusty was a sweet and precious girl who loved nothing more than to spend time with her "Mom". Dusty shared every part of our lives with her inquisitive sweet nature. She was a wonderful companion to Spunky and brought much joy and happiness to our lives. Dusty passed before we were ready to let her go as her tiny body gave out long before her sweet spirit was ready to pass on. Dusty is remembered and missed for the love she shared with us in the short time she was here. Dusty passed away in 1998 at nearly nine years old. These precious pets have left wonderful memories that will never pass in our hearts and we look forward with great joy to the day we will be reunited at the rainbow bridge. Until then we pray for their comfort and peace.

Paul & Christine