RAINBOW BRIDGE This page is in memory of all the doggies everywhere who have passed over the Rainbow Bridge but especially the ones loved and lost recently by our friends. 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 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 animals who have been ill and old are restored to health and vigour: 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 has been 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 begins to quiver. 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 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 beloved pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart. Then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together……………. FOR HELP FOLLOWING BEREAVEMENT OR IN MAKING THAT LAST LOVING DECISION SEE THE DOGS TRUST WEBSITE

CASEY 30 NOVEMBER Big lad Casey had another stoke today. It wasn't fair on him. He passed peacefully over the Rainbow Bridge at 10:45 today Casey (right) now joins his beloved Sashato play over the Rainbow Bridge together.

SMALL HARVES AKA HARVEY JAN 1999 TO 27 NOVEMBER 2011 Run free my sweet boy, thank you for all your love. Your pal Abbi who has loved and run with you since June 2000 will miss you always Love Mum, Abbi, Asti, Brodie & Quinn xxxxx

"MY BOY" LEO 20 NOVEMBER Ted, It's with a heavy heart that we have to tell you that our boy passed to rainbow bridge this weekend, he evetually lost his fight with degenerative myelopathy. We got him via you at 7 years old and and with his poor condition, excess weight and IBS, we worked hard with him and we were lucky enough that he was nearly 12 when he gave up the fight. It was the hardest decision in my life, but his eyes told me he had had enough and that we were to let him go. I will be forever happy that he had chosen me to act as my shadow, and was a mummy's boy to the end. Love and miss him so much Love Shell and Patrick

TOBY 31 August 2011 (30/11/11) It is with great sadness that I write to tell you that our dearly beloved Toby passed over to the rainbow bridge on the 31st August 2011. I would have emailed you sooner but I have found it hard to write about him until now. THE STORY OF TOBY ........... Toby came to us on 13th June 2004 just before his 5th birthday. If I remember rightly, his owners were moving to Australia permanently and they had decided not to take him with them and you collected Toby from a kennels in Garstang. We in turn arrived on the 13th June to bring Toby home with us. He came with a lovely fluffy pink blanket and a few notes of observation which Jan passed on to us too. He settled in immediately and took his place in the middle of the kitchen floor. I have been around German Shepherds in my family home since I was 4 years old and so have had quite a few GSD's in my time but, there was something about Toby which made him extra special and I cannot begin to describe what it was but there was just something there with him which I had not encountered in another Shepherd before. When Toby was 9 years old we brought another GSD this time a long coated black and tan puppy and called him Zeus. From the outset, Toby took Zeus under his wing and the two of them became great friends, with Zeus learning much from the wise and wonderful Toby. In February of 2010 we bought in another GSD puppy, who was half brother to Zeus and his name was Aspen, he was a blue and tan long coated GSD. By this time Toby was fast reaching 12 years old in the May but still as alert and fit as ever save for a bit of rheumatism in his left shoulder. Once again Toby showed what a wonderful dog he was by accepting Aspen who had been the Alpha male in his litter of 5 puppies. Toby was of course now Alpha male of the pack and would regularly go in and split up Zeus and Aspen when they were getting a little giddy together of if Aspen decided he wanted to boss Zeus around who was the Omega dog of his litter of 10 so was and still is very submissive. Toby would not stand for this new little whippersnapper bullying Zeus and was wonderful at putting him in his place and and keeping the status quo of the pack. Both Zeus and Aspen showed great respect to Toby at all times and as a pack of 3 they worked together so well, it was a joy to watch them all together. Sadly in the beginning of June this year I noticed that Toby was not looking well and I took him along to the vet to get him looked at. After many tests, biopsies and scans it was revealed that he had a large mass on his liver and the prognosis was not good. The vet was not at liberty to say how long Toby had left but judging by the fact that the mass on the liver was very large I suspected that he did not have a great deal of time left. He was put on Metacam which the vet said would help him should he be in any pain. On the morning of the 31st August Toby, Zeus and Aspen were mooching round the garden happily together and had by 11ish come inside and they all settled down for a nap. Toby woke up at one point and went out to have a drink from the bowl and didn't stop drinking. i was very concerned and his stature had changed and he became hunched and was panting a great deal. The first thing that came to mind was that possibly the mass on the liver had ruptured and on checking his gums I saw they were pale. I rushed him to the vets immediately with my 14 year old daughter in the back of the car comforting him as best she could. On arrival at the vets he had deteriorated further and he died within 10 minutes of arriving. The vet had checked bloods for a possible rupture of the mass but there were no signs that this had happened. It turned out that Toby suffered heart failure probably induced by his cancer. It was a very sad time but Toby's passing was quick and he was in no pain. I stayed with him until the end with my daughter who was very distraught. Katie now has a shrine on her bookcase with a beautiful carved box with Toby's ashes in and his collar next to it. It was Katie who asked for the ashes after his cremation as she said he would always be with her if she had them there. As a family we cannot thank you and Jan enough for giving us the opportunity to own such a magnificent dog who was a great ambassador to his breed and a wonderful mentor to both Zeus and Aspen who have learnt much from Toby. His legacy lives on in them both as they have picked up some of his little habits which is nice to see. We are looking for another GSD but at the moment Aspen is only 9 months old and we would like him to mature a little more before we bring another dog into the family home. In February he will turn 12 months old and Zeus will turn 3 in February also. I'm sure it will be the dogs that determine when we bring another dog into the home and not us, Once again our heartfelt thanks to you both for bringing Toby into our lives and giving us so much pleasure and happiness. As written by Isla Paschal Richardson: Grieve not, Nor speak of me with tears, But laugh and talk of me, As if I were beside you, I love you so, 'twas Heaven here with you. TOBY 27.5.99 to 31.8.11 Run free over the rainbow bridge. With thanks, Joy, Richard, Robbie and Katie Haszeldine.