Rainbow Bridge / Listening Ear Bereavement Service

All our collies brought so much joy and pleasure to our lives and at times, of course, a lot of sadness,
LUCY – a quiet gentle girl who stayed with us just 7 years, sadly dying from liver cancer.
BRIDIE – was a fun dog full of energy, loved to chase anything that ran.  She lived a full life and sadly died aged 14.
BETH – was a sort of rescue dog, a beautiful blue merle who had been used as a breeding bitch and at aged 4 already had 4 litters of pups. She used to shut herself away from everyone and it took 6 years to get her to play with the other dogs and to know what a ball was, she had a stroke and died also aged 14.
SOPHIE – was another beautiful sable bitch, very gentle and loving, sadly at the age of 7 she became paraplegic and we kept her on a harness for 17 months before having to make the ultimate decision.
KATY – was huge, the size of a dog, who caused us a few problems and did not take kindly to strangers.  We lost her on Chrismas Eve aged just 5 years with leukemia.
BECKY – she came to stay for a fortnight’s holiday and stayed on another 11 years before she died after a stroke. She belonged to a collie breeder friend and would not settle in when she went back home.
AMY– she was also quite a character, living near woods, she loved chasing rabbits or anything else that ran, also liked to gently nip the ankles of any male visitors we had, she was very protective of us.  She was also 14 when she died.
PHOEBE – even though all our collies have been special in their own ways, Phoebe was extra special, a one off, so beautiful she had apparently won the puppy class at the All England Collie Show.  People would stop us, even in cars and ask what sort of dog she was. As she spent the last 6 years of her life with us being the only dog, she is the one we miss so much, she died this year (2014). Like most collies she lost the use of her back legs and once again we used a harness to help her, but in March we could see that she had had enough and it broke our hearts to see her go, but she is at peace with all the others, buried in the garden, thank goodness it is a large one.
Our house feels so empty now, but I guess it is something that we have got to get used too after all these years.

Sandra Meacock xx

JET – A scruffy little grey dog, clumps of carpet-like coat matted and in dreadlocks stood forlornly in the unkempt garden where children had pushed him some hours previously. For weeks he had wandered forlornly, looking for a familiar landmark, licking anything in the gutter which might provide a better taste than the old dried bits which cluttered up his mouth,  As yet, he had not found clean drinking water, but the heavy rains of the last few nights ensured plenty of clogged drains overflowing to ensure a drink of some sort.

To cut a long story short, this mite found his way to our Rescue kennels, dejected, hang-headed, circling aimlessly and unresponsive to anything. The coat tackled,  nothing for it but to take it all off. Low and behold, a Smooth Collie look-alike, even to the end of his neatly shorn tail! Now unencumbered, this almost white collie blossomed, prancing and wagging his whiplash tail, squatting down for a pee and generally displaying all the attributes of a puppy.

Being mid December we were concerned about re-homing for Christmas but when Sheila and Eddie Knight turned up and asked who would give him a Christmas cuddle, presents and lots of treats we knew they had won the argument, and away he went sporting a navy blue coat with a lilac satin edging. and he was named ‘Jet’.

In the summer he met the lawnmower.  In Jet’s words  ‘This ugly thing came on to my lawn without warning. I went to inspect it and it growled at me, usually you get a warning when a stranger isn’t going to be friendly, they at least show their teeth, but this thing didn’t so I growled back. When it didn’t back off I went for it, well it is my lawn, and it shut up. Then it had another go at me and came closer so I gave it one more blast and snapped my teeth lots of times but it was a mean old thing, and I thought quite ignorant, so rather than lower myself I lifted my leg, I had just learned to balance on three, and anointed its face.’

Sheila and Eddie said Jet was a real character who had them exactly where he wanted them and was forgiven for many things.   Jet is sadly missed.

JASPER – This young man was a pathetic stray of about two years old and weighed only 15kgs when he was found.  His coat, except that on his head,  had been shaved at some point, but what he lacked in the glamour department, he made up for with his temperament and character.  Jasper was re-homed with a super couple who had just lost their Collie. Jasper settled in well and made friends with  “Susie” the cat.  He was described by his new owners as a perfect gentleman and they adored him.  He never chewed anything, and loved to play with his toys but his favourite pastime was just being loved and cuddled.

Unfortunately Jasper had a brain tumour and was put to sleep aged around 7 years young.  Rest in Peace, Jasper.

Margaret and Ernie Pearce xx

This is MOLLY who came to me from Collie Rescue on the 1st February 1997. She was 4 years old but despite her traumatic start in life, we bonded within a week and we became “forever friends” xx She was such a special girl and I was so lucky to have her in my life until she went to The Bridge on the 6th July 2006. Always missed, always loved and always in my heart!!!!

Maralyn James xx

A month or so after Laddie died, CLAUDE came to live with us, aged 10. He was thin, with terrible teeth and an awful attitude. We fell out early on and had to learn to trust each other. The work was more than re-paid. We became firm friends and he showed us the massive strength of character that had got him through the previous nine years.

After having his teeth dealt with and tablets for his arthritis, Claude flourished and became a magnificent dog. He made so many friends and was known by so many people. It was incredibly touching when, as his arthritis prevented him going out so much, complete strangers came up to me to ask how he was.

The arthritis eventually took him from us on the 30th September, 2013, when he could no longer get up or stand.

Claude left a big hole in our hearts and he will never be forgotten … memories of a magnificent boy will never fade.

Ollie and Bonnie Killingback xx

LADDIE – Several years ago we put our names on the waiting list hoping for a middle aged female Rough Collie. No luck, and then I spotted Laddie, an older male, on the website.

We went to Manchester to collect him. He was a big boy and the car harness we bought with us was too small. In every way, Laddie proved to be bigger than expected, especially in his big playful heart.

Losing him when his hips gave way and left him only able to crawl was a massive heartbreak, but in the two and a half years he was with us he was a bundle of goodies and changed our lives completely in so many ways. Forever loved, always missed……

Ollie Killingback xx