Animal Hospice
Grateful for Animals: A Lesson on Living with Joy No Matter What
At BrightHaven, we are so grateful for animals! We feel forever appreciative for the love, comfort and lessons that they have given to us. And animals have certainly helped us strengthen our own spirituality and consciousness. We’ve found that being thankful is an important part of living well each day if one wishes to live…
Read MoreIn Loving Memory of a Special, Sweet Dog, Andy
I’m honored to share BrightHaven President & Founder Gail Pope’s words, in loving memory of a special sweet dog and family member, Andy. Andy Comes Home “In October 2023 I was still reeling from the recent losses of my husband, Richard, and dogs Rosie and Ziggy. I missed dog energy in the home and…
Read MoreA Loving Farewell to a Cherished & Unique Feline Family Member, Purrci
BrightHaven President & Founder Gail Pope shares a heartfelt farewell to a cherished and unique feline family member, Purrci. “The 13th of July 2023 was a BrightHaven red letter day as it was the day that our dog Ziggy invited Purrci [Purr-see] to join our lives. A little overview may help set the stage. How…
Read MoreWhat Animals Want Us to Know: Death is Definitely Nothing to Fear
At BrightHaven, we feel privileged to have provided animal hospice care for and shared the dying experience with over 600 animals who taught us so much. And they showed us time and time again that death is definitely nothing to fear! How Animals Helped Us Release Our Fears About Death and Dying As you can…
Read MoreWhat We Learned from Animals About Living & Dying Well – Part 2 of 2
In Part 1, we explored living well through the last breath the BrightHaven way. Now let’s look at what animals taught us about dying well. And by the way, we’ve learned that quality of dying is as important as quality of living! We truly believe that embracing death as a natural part of life greatly…
Read MoreHow Can You Help Your Animals Live Well at Every Life Stage? FREE DOWNLOAD
Help your animals live well through the last breath, regardless of circumstances, the BrightHaven way! From a holistic perspective, it is our belief that it’s not just the physical body that becomes ill, but the entire being. In other words, removing the physical symptoms of the illness will not, despite all efforts, restore balance if…
Read MoreAnimal Reiki: A Vital Part of BrightHaven’s Animal Hospice Care – Part 2 of 2
Animal Reiki: A Vital Part of BrightHaven’s Animal Hospice Care – Part 1 of 2
BrightHaven’s approach to animal hospice care the BrightHaven way is all about living well through the last breath, regardless of circumstances. And that’s what Reiki is all about too! What is Animal Reiki? It’s essentially meditating with animals to share a peaceful, kindhearted space where connecting heart-to-heart promotes optimal balance of body, mind and spirit…
Read MoreLessons 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 MoreHow Can You Join Other Animal Lovers & Give Better Animal Hospice Care?
2 Ways Helpful BrightHaven Caregiver Resources Are Better Than Ever!
BrightHaven’s goal is to help you help your animals live well each and every day! Founded in 1990 by Gail and Richard Pope, BrightHaven is a renowned animal rescue, hospice education and holistic education nonprofit organization. Our primary focus: senior, disabled and chronically ill animals, a vulnerable population that has an overwhelming need to find…
Read MoreHow Do I Navigate a Terminal Diagnosis for My Loved One?
As all of us animal lovers know, being told by the vet that our beloved’s illness is terminal is one of the most difficult things to hear. What do I do now? How can I best support my animal friend? What is the best way forward for our family? These are just a few of…
Read MoreOn the Subject of Animal Hospice & Natural Death
In March 2017, Adam Clark, LCSW, AASW, interviewed BrightHaven President and Founder Gail Pope for a Psychology Today article about animal hospice and natural death. This information remains very relevant to those who are seeking an alternative to euthanasia for their beloved animal family member. As you can see from our animal hospice guiding statement,…
Read MoreIt’s All About Love and Support, and It Starts with You!
Caring for animals who have special needs, are chronically ill or are at end of life can be physically and emotionally draining and may result in burnout or other health issues. Therefore, the caregiver must make self-care a top priority. Here’s an excerpt from Gail’s chapter entitled “It’s All About Love and Support, and It…
Read MoreWhat Really Matters Most Each & Every Day
I often feel uncomfortable when I hear that an animal or person has been given a specific number of days, weeks or years to live when they receive a terminal diagnosis. When it comes right down to it, who actually knows? None of us has an expiry date stamped in ink across our forehead! Of…
Read MoreLoss of Beloved Animal or Human, Grief is Grief is Grief
As BrightHaven’s Gail Pope wrote in “The Art of Dying—What Animals Teach Us” article that recently appeared in the Natural Transitions online magazine: “The death of a beloved animal companion is one of the most difficult things we as animal lovers ever face. In my experience, sometimes this loss is more difficult than that of…
Read MoreA Practical Way You Can Help Bring Comfort to Dying Animals
Melissa recently contacted Gail for a consultation regarding her treasured cat Dexter. About a year and a half ago, he was diagnosed with a cancerous nasal tumor near his right eye. The journey that Dexter and Melissa shared was challenging, and they found Gail’s ongoing animal hospice support extremely helpful. To honor Dexter and to…
Read MoreHow to Help Your Animal Live Well Through the Last Breath!
At BrightHaven, we often say that it’s all about living well through the last breath! But what exactly does that mean? Living Well Though the Last Breath the BrightHaven Way BrightHaven is unique because of the way we work and the results we get. Our Menu for Healing forms the foundation of our work. It…
Read MoreMy Animal is Dying – Can You Help Me Please?
BrightHaven is unique because of the way we work and the results we get. Our Menu for Healing, which is the foundation of our work, focuses on the best quality of life at all stages, all the way to the most peaceful and loving dying process. The goal is to achieve optimal balance of body,…
Read MoreCelebrating the Life of a BrightHaven Lion
Gail Pope’s heartfelt farewell (see below) to Tarka clearly shows BrightHaven’s key tenets, which also apply to animal hospice care: Animals are sentient beings, capable of conscious awareness, feeling and suffering. They deserve an environment and conditions that allow them to achieve a state of well being throughout their entire lives. Animals are always true…
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