Rainbow Bridge

Rainbow Bridge

Please send us your rememberance and a digital photo (if you have one).

We would be honored to display the memorial for your loved one.

Information can be sent to Patty at patty.comerford@gmail.com

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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

These Greyhounds have crossed the Rainbow Bridge and will be remembered fondly by their families...

Ozzie (Otto's Fortress)

We got Ozzie in May 2004, just before he turned 4 years old. We named him Ozzie because, like my husband Tom’s sports hero Ozzie Smith, he loved to chase a ball. He would even dribble it by himself if no one was ready to play—but that wasn’t often. He was endlessly curious, literally sticking his nose into everything to see exactly what was going on. Ozzie was the first dog either of us met who had a sense of humor; if he was tired of chasing that ball, he would drop it behind the sofa, then bark until one of us ‘fetched,’ grinning and panting the whole time. Tom nicknamed him “The Dude” because he was so easy going and calm.

We put him to sleep yesterday, December 4th, 2012, when his suffering from bone cancer became too much. During Ozzie’s last weeks, Tom had to carry him—and he weighed every bit of 80 pounds—up and down the stairs to our apartment as we struggled with our Sandy recovery efforts. To watch this big dog carefully wrapping his tail around my husband’s arm and then licking him every time he was set down will be among my fondest memories. He was our gentle giant and we miss him more than we can say. Thanks to Yvonne at Greyhound Friends who matched us with him and so brought us one of our greatest joys.

Cricket

Cricket (10/3/2003 - 11/3/2012)

With heavy hearts we said goodbye to our wonderful greyhound, Cricket, after a recent diagnosis of osteosarcoma. We first met "Hot Shickit" in a parking lot in NJ. She was one of Barbara Wicklund's last adoptions, and it was a perfect fit. Cricket was our first committment as a couple and a litmus test for us as parents. She started her retired life with us in Manhattan, then moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, and finally to Tampa, Florida. She was a fantastic ambassador for greyhound adoption wherever she went - from shopping on Madison Avenue to the dog beach in our Florida neighborhood. She taught us about greyhounds, dogs, ourselves, and each other. We hope we enriched her life as much as she enriched ours. She died peacefully in her own yard on a sunny Saturday afternoon. We will miss her terribly.

Run free, good girl. We'll see you on the other side.

Love, Catherine, Mark, Nathaniel, and dober-brother Bogart

Holly Young

Holly Young

Holly, aka Cry Asia, was born January 9, 2008 and crossed the bridge on July 2, 2012. We adopted Holly from GFNJ on December 26, 2009. Thus the reason and the season for her name change. Holly was the perfect pet for us. She instantly became a member of our family if not the leader of the Young pack. She was adamant about getting her twice or more daily walks especially when they involved the beach. Car rides were a must as every walk through the garage meant to Holly a potential car ride with lots to see from the back window.

Adopting Holly so young, we thought she would be with us for a very long time. Unfortunately, she developed bone cancer in her left shoulder. In a matter of six weeks it went from a spot to all consuming where it was starting to spread to other organs. The best food, preventive care, plenty of exercise and attention are no match for this destructive disease when it is intent on claiming its victim.

We have the consolation believing that Holly will be with our first grey, Shannon, romping together somewhere past the Bridge, free of pain, and waiting for us for that longest of eternal walks.

Harry and Paula Young

Celia Schilling

Celia Schilling 3/25/00---6/5/12

Celia was the sweetest girl. Her racing name was Sysyem Cel U Lite; we changed it to Silly, Sweet Celia. She was a failure at the track, but the best pet we could have ever asked for. She was a real DIVA, and so lady-like. We had her, and loved her, for over 10 years. During that time, she travelled with us every where we went, and she loved it. We wanted her to live forever, but, she developed Osteosarcoma. She had her left front leg amputated, and recovered well; she wanted to be with our other dogs, and to run and play as they did. She went partially through chemo, but, unfortunately, we had to let her go to the Bridge only three months from her diagnosis. Now, she is pain free...

Run free, sweet Celia, we will always LOVE you, MISS you, and NEVER forget you.

Love, Mom and Dad, Lucky, Peanut, and Polly(the cat) Schilling

Caesar (PK Spanky)

Caesar (PK Spanky) June 12, 2001-July 30, 2012

Our beloved first greyhound Caesar passed over the Bridge on Monday, July 30, after a brave five month battle with osteo.

A gentle, spooky boy, Caesar stole our hearts the minute we saw his beautiful brindle markings as he got out of Barbara Wicklund's van in April of 2004. A New Jersey Greyhound Friends prison dog, Caesar came from the track in New Hampshire and was exceptionally well-trained, with nearly perfect recall. His gentle ways taught us all the things we didn't know about greyhounds, and he came to trust us and love us as much as we loved him.

Caesar loved running, and he was at his best running in the early morning on the sandy beaches at Hunting Island, SC. He would trot next to me as I rode my bicycle until he realized he was unhooked and we were racing. Then he would explode in joy and leave me in the dust. He'd run to my wife waiting down the beach, grinning incessantly and running wide circles around her, never happier. Sometimes he'd dive into a breaker just for good measure so we got him a collar that said "Salty Dog."

We founded The Grapehound Wine Tour® because of Caesar and the love he instilled in us for greyhounds. Three more adopted greyhounds and twenty plus fosters followed, all because of this special, loving, gentle boy who elevated our lives.

Run free, sweet Caesar. We love you and we will see you again!

Larry, Susie, Lexie, Homer, and Bailey