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Every Day is the Perfect Day to Celebrate the Healing Power of Love!

Although February is often associated with romantic love, it’s the perfect time to celebrate all kinds, including the soul-FULL love and appreciation we share with our animal family. At BrightHaven, we believe that love is such an essential, transformative and powerful healing energy, it is the guiding force of our work. The importance of love … Read more

New BrightHaven book: How can animals inspire you to live well & fully?

We are so excited to announce the latest BrightHaven book, GRATEFUL for Animals: Spiritual Comfort & Wisdom in Life’s Last Chapter! BrightHaven President and Founder Gail Pope and I, BrightHaven Education Program Manager Carol Hulse, honor the human-animal bond as we gently explore the many ways animals are indeed wise and wonderful guides and companions … Read more

In Loving Memory of the Inimitable Ziggy Pope

There is no death, only a change of worlds.” —Chief Seattle BrightHaven President and Founder Gail Pope wrote a heartwarming tribute to Ziggy: “Dear friends, Ziggy (named for the son of the equally incomparable Jamaican singer and musician Bob Marley) came to us in March 2018 from nonprofit Retrievers and Friends of Southern California. And … Read more

Richard Pope: Honoring the Life of a Truly Remarkable Man

Magnificent soul. Outgrowing earthly confines. Freedom is calling… —Carol Howe Hulse BrightHaven President and Founder Gail Pope shares a heartfelt tribute to her husband Richard, also a BrightHaven founder. His unwavering generosity, commitment and lifelong passion for animals helped to create and make BrightHaven and our work a continuing reality.  “It is with profound sadness … Read more

Bidding a Heartfelt Farewell to Our Dear, Wonderful Rosie 

I am not this hair, I am not this skin, I am the soul that lives within.”—Rumi BrightHaven President and Founder Gail Pope shares a loving tribute to Rosie: “Dear friends, It is with love, joy, deep sadness and heartache that I write today to share the news of Rosie’s passing on Thursday 13th July … Read more

How Does Mother Nature’s Healing Power Help Us Live Fully?    

Have you ever wondered how all beings are instinctively drawn to Mother Nature’s awesome healing and nurturing power? I’ve learned that her slower pace and regenerative properties effortlessly help us feel more whole, peaceful, calm and clear, and bring us back to the present moment and a sense of aliveness and possibility. Perhaps that’s one … Read more

What Have Animals Taught Us About Life-Affirming Love & Relationships?

Through our work and play with animals for over 30 years at BrightHaven, we learned that love is such an essential, transformative and powerful healing energy, it became the guiding force of our work, directing our choices and our interactions with animals and people. And the unconditional love that animals naturally share provides us with a … Read more

In Loving Memory of Sasha: The End of a BrightHaven Era

The past beats inside me like a second heart. —John Banville BrightHaven President and Founder Gail Pope shares warmhearted tribute to Sasha:   November 19, 2022, is a date I will remember with mixed feelings as it marked not only the death of our beloved Sasha, but also the end of a BrightHaven era. You … Read more

How Forgiveness Can Help You to Live Well Each & Every Day!

Animals can teach us a lot about releasing the past and moving forward after experiencing challenging and hurtful situations. We would be anthropomorphizing (attributing human behavior and characteristics) if we concluded that they forgave. Instead, their apparent resilience may spring from their natural inclination to live in the present moment and in alignment with Source, … Read more

Lessons from Our Animals: What Are 3 Uplifting Opportunities of Grief?

The word “opportunity” may not come to mind when you’re emotionally reeling from the loss of a loved one. But as with most of the events we face in life – even the painful, heartbreaking ones – grieving holds many possibilities to deepen our capacity to grow and to love. Life-changing lessons are often found … Read more