When the subject of a pet passing on comes up, pet owners always offer the comfort of the Rainbow Bridge.  Many people hear the term and have no idea how the thought of a rainbow bridge is supposed to provide comfort, especially without prior knowledge of the corresponding poem.  So, for those of you out there who are in the dark (just like I was a few years ago), here is a basic breakdown of the comforting story.  How you interpret the tale is completely up to you.

Where the story originated is still unknown.  In fact, the Rainbow Bridge is not even a story; it is a poem.  It is thought to have been created anywhere between 1980 and 1992, so it is a fairly new literary work.  It first showed up in a 1993 edition of the “Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League Newsletter.”  The newsletter cited the Akita Rescue Society of America as the source of the poem; and still, no author was mentioned.  Now, the poem continues to circulate the Internet and can be found on numerous sites.  With its great popularity among pet lovers, it is a surprise that nobody has claimed the work for his own!

The poem deals with the death of a pet.  It says that when a pet dies, he does not go directly to heaven.  Instead, he goes to a place between our world and heaven.  This place, referred to as a meadow paradise, is exactly what it is named:  it is the perfect area for all types of pets to run and play together.  There, the sunshine is bright and the weather is favorable all the time.  If the pet was injured, crippled, or sick at the time of death, all of his problems have disappeared.  All the pets in the meadow are in optimum health and are extremely happy.  As you hear the poem, you may wonder why the pets are in the meadow and have not yet crossed over into heaven.  That is the beauty of the tale.  The pets spend time playing and, in essence, waiting.  When you, the owner, passes away, you will also go to the meadow.  There, you are reunited with your playful, healthy pet.  Then, together, the two of you cross the Rainbow Bridge into heaven.  After crossing the Bridge, you will never leave each other’s sides again.

Even though the author is still unidentified, the origin of the poem is examined.  Many people point to the story’s origin as coming from Norse mythology.  Norse mythology is also known as Viking or Scandinavian mythology.  In Norse mythology, there is a bridge known as the Bifröst (“tremulous way”).  This bridge connects a world of mortals to a world of gods.  It is also a rainbow bridge. 

The story is a beautiful, happy tale that comforts many pet owners.  As beautiful as it is, it has caused some debate.  There are those that do not believe animals have souls and cannot, in fact, enter heaven.  Then, there are others that believe animals can, and will, be present in the afterlife.  How you interpret the poem really boils down to your beliefs.  Whether the poem should be taken literally or figuratively is besides the fact that it is intended to help grieving owners cope the loss of their pets.

The story of the Rainbow Bridge has gained much popularity among animal enthusiasts.  There are numerous memorial Web sites dedicated to the loss of the animals.  Filled with illustrations of the Rainbow Bridge and a meadow paradise, people can use the Web sites to remember their pets in numerous ways.  Owners can reserve places in the meadow for their beloved pets.  They can even upload pictures and write their own eulogies.  Eulogies and corresponding pictures fill these Web sites; thus, filling the meadow paradise.  To find such as site, simply type “Rainbow Bridge” into your favorite search engine.

The Rainbow Bridge is an upbeat poem describing what happens to pets when they pass from this life.  The author and origin of the poem are unknown, but there are a few speculations.  For many grieving pet owners, the poem provides comfort and hope for reuniting with their pets in the future.  How you interpret the story is completely up to you; although, it is difficult to deny its comforting effect.

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