There is a bridge connecting Heaven and Earth

There is a bridge connecting Heaven and Earth.
It is called the "Rainbow Bridge" because of its many colors.
Just this side of the Rainbow Bridge there is a land of meadows, hills and valleys with lush green grass.

When a beloved pet dies, it goes to this place.
There is always food and water and warm spring weather.
The old and frail animals are young again.
Those who are maimed are made whole again.
They play all day with each other.

There is only one thing missing.
They are not with their special person who loved them on earth.
So, each day they run and play until the day comes when one suddenly stops playing and looks up! The nose twitches! The ears are up! The eyes are starring. And this one suddenly runs from the group.

You have been seen and when you and your special friend meet, you take him or her in your arms and embrace. Your face is kissed again and you look once more into the eyes of your trusting pet.

Then you both cross over the Rainbow Bridge together, never again to be separated.

Author Unknown

Ariel

My Beautiful Ariel is gone from my life. She was set free from her battle with cancer on Saturday February 6th, 2010.

She came to me as a Last Hope Adoption in February 2004, from the Petco store in Syosset. I went in to that store to buy my other cat a toy when I saw this beautiful brown tortoise shell color cat.. how magnificent her eyes were..her coloring so rich, almost fluent colors of brown, gold and orange.. The girl at the store asked if I wanted to hold her.. but I declined, saying I already had a cat and a dog... but. .something about her pulled me back to that store the next day. As I walked into that store, this girl came running to me with a big smile and placed this beautiful cat in my arms!

What can I say..? She was my favorite.. She had a personality unlike any cat I have ever known. She would sweetly greet me every day when I came home, and with her sweet mee-yoooow. (yes, she always dragged that out…) she had her way of wrapping me around that little paw. She figured out how to open the refrigerator door, not to eat anything.. but to be able to reach further under the base to grab at the mousies she would toss under it.. My mush. There are so many memories, so much joy and love.. how she would hop on to my lap when I held up the brush..and lie on my legs, facing my feet for her whole back and tail to be combed.. how she would stand up to crawl into my arms and lie across my shoulder to be held..and oh! What kisses she always accepted with love.

I am so very Blessed to have had this wonderful, loving amazingly sweet cat as my mushes.. she will forever be missed by me and the rest of her cat family.

My sweet little mushes, my Ariel Autumn

Marianne Clemente
2/11/2010

Our beloved little Occhi was put to sleep in January. I knew it was time but it was one of the hardest things I ever had to do - my heart was truly broken. Sadly, he was born with a fibrotic bladder which is incurable. I tried everything I could to make him well and feel better. My daughter, Amanda, and I were volunteering at PetSmart one Saturday in March of 2006 when a very small, adorable orange kitten came in with his foster mom to be adopted. One look and that was it. He used to sleep for hours under my husband's warm sweatshirt with his little head sticking out. As he grew, he loved to playfight with his three older feline brothers. He was so small but he loved to "attack" them. He also had the cutest meow/bark. It was so unique - I have never heard another cat with it. Occhi was the most loving lapcat and, until he starting showing signs of his illness, he was so happy and full of life. It was so heartbreaking to see a one and a half year old cat getting so sick. As much as I miss him, I know he is at the Rainbow Bridge, healthy again, and I take comfort in that. Occhi is in the 2008 Last Hope calendar, Mr. January, with my daughter and myself. He was truly a unique, beautiful little cat and I will never forget him, nor stop loving or missing him.

Love,
"Mommy Cat"
3/10/09

Beloved pet of Susan B and family
2006 - January 17th 2009

Hi Maureen, It was lovely visiting with you and Gracie, Sammy's first friend, and Hubert and Humphrey, your beagles, yesterday. It made us feel as if Sammy's life had come full circle. I've forwarded to you the you tube tribute that my daughter-in-law Jill made for Sammy. The family is all so saddened by his untimely passing. In short, Sammy had the happiest life. He loved nothing better than to be surrounded by Carl, our 3 children and me. When grandchildren arrived on the scene, Sammy "accommodated" and put up with their antics because there was no alternative. Sammy woke us every morning 5:31 a.m. sharp for his science diet breakfast. Then he went out, and right back to bed (our bed!) until 7:30 a.m. when he and Carl shared oatmeal. Every day Carl took Sammy for long walks and often the three of us went for long car rides to "chill out" together. Sammy loved to play, in younger days, with one special large black "kong". He nibbled on it till it was shredded. We promptly replaced it with a bright shiny new red kong, but Sammy never looked at it once. We got him an identical new black kong, but Sammy stayed devoted to his shredded friend. Sammy loved all bones. We'd stuff them with cheese or peanut butter (Sammy's favorite) and he'd be so happy. Sammy was strong, and could pull my grown children down a street. He was fast, and luckily never caught the many squirrels he chased up trees in our backyard. Sammy was always "mouthy". He loved to pick up sticks, food from the streets, and had his share of belly aches in his lifetime. He never picked at our garbage or scratched at any furniture. He was a gentleman. He took commands well and usually minded them. He was territorial about family and accepted few strangers into his circle of devotion. A notable exception was Dr. Kevin Cummins of Jericho Animal Hospital, or as we call him "The Dog Whisperer". Sammy and Dr. Cummins were friends. Dr. Cummins was the only Vet Sammy ever permitted to examine him, and he was there for him during Sammy's life and at the moment it ended. Sammy's best playmate was our grandson Carter. They "shared" food and every inch of our home. There's so much to tell and so much more to think about but in conclusion I'll just say. Sammy Silverstein gave us so much. 12 years flew by way too quickly. But we know he's in "doggie heaven" with Rambo and my childhood beagle, Dutchess, and all the dogs who taught us how to love. Thanks, Maureen for being Sammy's "first mommy" and for bringing him to us. Keep up the outstanding work you and the Last Hope volunteers continue to do. Keep in touch. We're family - Sammy's family!

My Pearl passed this morning. I was with her till the end and I hope she felt my love….I told her that I would speak with her tonight and that she would be my little angel.

My vet was kind and caring. He is very wise and encouraged me to take her home although she had an incurable, aggressive cancer. He gave me a chance to know I was making the right decision and time to say goodbye. She seemed to go peacefully and I hope she’s resting looking down at me now.

She was a wonderful friend and saw me through some difficult days. I’ll miss her dearly, but will remember her with love.

I plan to adopt again quickly. Not to fill the void of the loss, but to bring more love into my heart and to give a home to another cat that might otherwise remain homeless.

Dorothy
9/20/08

Hello all

I adopted Valentino from you on June 2, 2006 at the ripe old age of 14 and in the beginning stages of CRF (kidney failure) but that didn’t stop us and we just would like you to know that after only almost 15 months with him, today we had to help him cross the bridge. We will always remember how lucky we were to have him in our home and how happy he was and that was because of the wonderful people you have there (Thank you Bonnie) and Valerie (his foster mom) for talking all the time to bless him with your love and attention, he will surly be missed but I will remember all of you.

Sincerely,
Debbie
August 12, 2007

Last Hope Animal Rescue saved "Rags" as he was nicknamed by the volunteers who cared for him due to his ragged appearance in December of 1996 from the Islip Animal Shelter. I happened upon him at one of LHAR's pet adoption fairs at Petco in West Babylon right before Christmas and I fell instantly in love with him. Murphy, the name I gave him, shared with us 10 1/4 of his 13+ years of life. We were blessed to have known him. Murphy was a great dog and he will truly be missed.

Thank you Last Hope. Without the efforts of your volunteers, Murphy's path and mine may have never crossed.

Kathy
3/23/07