rainbow bridge

Please take a moment to view and appreciate our loving rescues who have Crossed the Bridge.

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....

The rescuer's reunion....

The young pup and the older dog lay on shaded sweet grass watching the reunions. Sometimes a man, sometimes a woman, sometimes a whole family would approach the Rainbow Bridge, be greeted by their loving pets and cross the bridge together.

The young pup playfully nipped at the older one. "Look! Something wonderful is happening!" The older dog stood up and barked, "Quickly. Get over to the path." "But that's not my owner," whined the pup, but he did as he was told.

Thousands of pets surged forward as a figure in white walked on the path toward the bridge. As the glowing figure passed each animal, that animal bowed its head in love and respect. The figure finally approached the bridge, and was met by a menagerie of joyous animals. Together, they all walked over the bridge and disappeared.

The young pup was still in awe. "Was that an angel?" he whispered. "No, son." The older dog replied. "That was more than an angel. That was a person who worked rescue."

A Rescuer's Creed, and words to live by:

I shall be a believer of all that is good in man and of all that is deserving in animals. I shall plead for their lives, campaign for their safety and uphold their right to a natural death. I shall seek out the injured and the maimed, the unloved, and the abandoned and tend to them in their last days. I shall not forget their place in the hierarchy of life, nor that we walk in each other's paths. I shall bear witness to the wonder they bring into our lives and to the beauty they bestow upon our souls. I shall renew their spirits when they are waning, bind their wounds when they bleed, cradle them when they whimper, and comfort them when they mourn. I shall be near them in their hour of greatest need - a companion and friend when the time has come. I shall watch over them and console them and ask that the angels gather them in their arms. From the creatures of the earth I shall learn the fruits of compassion and undying love, and I shall be called the beloved of God. In their company I shall indeed be blessed.

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I looked at all the caged animals in the shelter...the cast-offs of human society. I saw in their eyes love and hope, fear and dread, sadness and betrayal. And I was angry. "God," I said, "this is terrible! Why don't you do something?" God was silent for a moment and then He spoke softly. "I have done something, " He replied. "I created you." ~ The Animals' Savior, Copyright Jim Willis 1999

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Trying to save them all is like trying to empty the ocean with an eyedropper- it's impossible and you will go insane trying. You have to think with your head, not with your heart, and push forward and do what you can where you can, no matter the people fighting you, the idiots that abuse, breed and abandon their dogs, and the seemingly impossible tasks set before you every hour of every day. -Myself

Booki 1998-2003

Booki was a beautiful and loving beagle mix, who unfortunatly had to be euthenized after an extended stay (1.5 years) in the rescue, when we discovered some of her behavioral problems (occasional biting and displaced aggression) was being caused by an inoperable tumor on her frontal lobe. Booki had come into the rescue 35 LBS overweight, and it was a miracle and a true testimate to her strength and character when she lost ALL the weight and ended up a slim 26 LBS. It was very hard to loose Booki the way we did, and we miss her terribly.

Daisy- 2000-05/05/2008

Poor daisy was such a sweetheart. Daisy came into the rescue from a collector masquerading as a rescue and taking on dogs. Daisy was 7 years old and severely overweight. she had also been shaved compeltely naked because of mats. On top of that we discovered that Daisy was HW positive, and after taking Daisy in to treat a hacking cough she had developed, we discovered that Daisy was in the late stages of lung cancer. Her x-rays looked like she had had a bowl of popcorn thrown in them. Daisy was unable to walk easily and would take a few steps and then stand there swaying and drooling. Because of the obvious pain and discomfort her terminal cancer was putting her through, the humane thing to do was to Euthenize Daisy.

Spooky 1999/2000-05/01/2008

Spooky was a beautiful, loving and gentle Anatolian Shepherd mix, rescued from a collector masquerading herself as a rescue group. Spooky had been in her care for quite some time, but had not received adequte vet care. When spooky came in he was named because he was very skitsy with people, and would bolt if unsure of the situation. Spooky also had a strange way of clapping his jaws together almost like he was snapping. He would also occasionally be very wobbly on his feet. We were told by the collector that Spooky was about 4- but when we took him to the vet we were informed he was more like 8 or 9. We were also told that Spooky was blind- and that his jaw snapping was neurological. both of these traits could indicate a possible brain lession or tumor. We also discovered spooky was severely HW positive. When we put Spooky under to go through his neuter surgery, he indicated a great deal of stress and fought the drugs to put him under. Once he was finally under and on the table, we came to the decision that this beautiful dog would be much happier in a place where he did not have to deal with his many illnesses and handicaps. Spooky was euthenized with love and kindness.

Chingo and The Cingo Memorial Fund-1992-04/20/2008

Chingo came into the rescue on April 20th. You see, Chingo and her brother Burley, a black lab, were dumped at animal control in gaston county, where most of our dogs are pulled from. There wouldn't be anything unsual about this sad story except for one thing- Chingo was 16 years old, and Burley was 12. Their owners had abandoned these poor dogs in their final years, alone in a cold forsaken concrete run. No warm bed, no soft words, no kind touches- after 16 years of loyalty. Chingo couldn't walk or lift her head very easily- she was very tired and sick and heartbroken. So yes, we pulled Chingo and Burley, but with the idea that with all that Chingo has given to her horrible people- with 16 years of love and dedication behind her, how could we let her go into the cold and dark gas chamber and die a slow painful death? So Chingo and Burley were picked up and taken to the vet, where Chingo was loaded with enough morphine to allow her to walk on her own power. She came back home and we set her up in a nice pen in the sun in the front yard and let her bask with her buddy and enjoy the day. We fed her lobster tail with chocolate sauce, and then we had the vet come over and kindly, lovingly with Burley by herside and my arms around her, Chingo was led across the bridge. She deserved it- no more pain and loneliness.

The Chingo Fund allows us to continue to help senior dogs abandoned by their owners who do not want to pay the money to have their dogs kindly and humanely euthenized. The Chingo Fund allows us to pull these dogs and have them humanely euthenized in the loving arms of someone who cares about them, and wants whats best. It gives them a dignified death. If you would like to donate to the Chingo Memorial Fund, please click below.

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