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...

DENNIS

Dennis was a beautiful, sweet-natured greyhound whose untimely death can serve as a reminder to all of our adopters and, we hope, prevent future needless tragedies. Dennis' adopter - who claims to be a "dog trainer" - refused to heed the advice of Greyhound Friends and allowed his two greys to run in the yard unmuzzled. Even after an initial incident in which his other grey was bitten, the dogs continued running together while muzzles were in the mail to him. It's not clear if it was the other greyhound or another dog who attacked Dennis but he was badly - not fatally - bitten. The bill to repair the damage at the Arco Veterinary Hospital was estimated at $500. The adopter, without consulting GFNJ, decided this was more than Dennis' life was worth and he instructed the vet to kill this excellent dog less than a month after adopting him.

So that the unnecessary and cruel death of this 4-year-old greyhound should not be in vain, we are reminding our adopters that our interest in the greyhounds does not end with their adoption. In too many cases we have taken dogs back in need of routine, sometimes extraordinary, veterinary care which we then have provided at our expense prior to re-homing the dog. In Dennis' case we would have taken care of his medical needs and reclaimed him since this adopter was either too negligent or too stubborn to admit that we are more familiar with greyhound behavior than he is.

We mourn the unnecessary loss of Dennis, but we hope his death can save the lives of other greyhounds whose adopters are unwilling or unable to provide the needed care they committed to when they signed their adoption contracts.

Bugsy

We said goodbye to our beloved Bugsy as she crossed the bridge in late April. She was just a few months short of her 13th birthday. She was such a love and we miss her so very much. Her arthritis caught up with her and we made the difficult decision that all animal parents have to make sometimes.

We so enjoyed having her with us wherever we would go. She was a fabulous traveler and loved everyone that she met. Her favorite treat was grilled nuggets from Chick Fil A and she had plenty of them in her last days with us. Our hearts are broken and I had to wait until now to write this. I have attached photos of her. She was a marvelous companion and when we moved she was my constant companion when I did not have friends yet.

She was exactly what her description said about her when my son found her on your website.

"Bugs is an affectionate girl - she seeks the warmth and touch of the people and hounds in her foster home. She is a dainty lady with deep brown eyes that reach right into one's heart. Her future adopter will be charmed by her loyalty and generous soul and will have a friend who will give love and adoration for all of her life."

We were totally charmed by her and she is deeply missed every hour.

Trisha Moller

Dynamite and Demolition

Dynamite (12/19/2010 to 6-2019) and Demolition (7-12-2012 to 6-24-2023)

These two beauties were such a pleasure and fabulous additions to our family. Demolition(the brindle with the crooked nose) was by pedigree we found out Dynamite’s(the black) uncle. It was fun to watch them. They were our fifth and sixth adoptions. In 2019, Demolition was a shy but distinguished gentleman. He was a snuggler and I miss him in front of the fireplace. He developed seizures that Dynamite was able to detect and would warn us when they were coming. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor and the seizures increased. We were losing him little by little and his quality of life was nonexistent so it was decided in June that he had suffered enough. This left Dynamite at home howling from separation anxiety daily. The neighbors asked what was happening to him so we rescued a Pittador puppy to keep him company (the other black). Dynamite was a social butterfly. He was fun and friendly and loved sunning himself every time he got. He developed a mass on his flank and while they were anesthetizing him to clean his teeth, they removed the mass for biopsy. It came back a week later as a soft tissue sarcoma. We were due to return to the Vet on Monday for removal of stitches and CT scan to check for metastasis. Unfortunately, Saturday prior, he became lethargic and we rushed him to the emergency Vet where they discovered that he was bleeding into his abdomen from an internal mass. We could not correct the issues facing him and decided that we could not let him suffer with a terminal illness that had reared its ugly head. Both of my men took with them a piece of my heart as did the others(Sparky, Fifi, Macho and Trooper). I once again will allow my heart to heal before I decide who will be our seventh adoption. Sleep well my beautiful boys.

Lilly (Wanda Whirl)

Lilly (Wanda Whirl) born on May 15, 2008, adopted December 5, 2010, crossed the rainbow bridge May 16, 2022.

On May 16, one day after her 14th birthday, we said goodbye to our precious little Lilly. Logically, I know that it was the right thing to do but I’ve been an emotional mess for the past few weeks, anticipating the dreaded scheduled date. I still can’t stop crying…. .

We are so lucky to have had sweet, sweet Lilly be part of our family for 12 years. Lilly came fresh from the Birmingham, Alabama race track to GFNJ adoption weekend, a scared and anxious little bag of bones with fur that felt like hay……to see her blossom in every way throughout the years has been an absolute pleasure!!

Lilly helped us foster several greyhounds when we volunteered with Make Peace with Animals in Pennsylvania. She flew across the country when we made the unexpected move to Vancouver, Canada and the great Pacific Northwest in July of 2014. Lilly loved to go on hikes in the many beautiful parks and trails here in British Columbia and earned her nickname of “mountain goat”. She loved, loved being in the car and traveling……safely perched on her memory foam doggie bed in the back of our Prius V and looking out at the world. There was always a smile on the face of drivers and passengers that were behind us. One of the “perks” of not having dark tinted windows Lilly accompanied us on long road trips to Mt. Baker, Banff and Jasper, Tofino in Vancouver Island and south to California via the scenic Pacific Coast Highway. She loved having her own queen size bed at every hotel that we stayed in:)

This little girl was one in a million and will be greatly missed. Lilly was our second Greyhound adopted from Greyhound Friends of NJ and hopefully not the last.

Run free with no more pain pretty girl!

Bob and Bea Gomez

DENNIS

Bugsy

Dynamite and Demolition

Freda

Lilly (Wanda Whirl)