Explore our newest blog posts filled with touching stories, expert insights, and helpful tips to support you through the emotional journey of caring for, saying goodbye to, and remembering your beloved pet. Each entry is written with compassion and empathy to guide you every step of the way.
One of the many things that this shared COVID19 experience has brought front and center is the omnipresent impermanence of everything, including life itself. What animals want us to know: Living well and fully each and every day is so important, regardless of circumstances. And animals can definitely show us how! What Animals Want Us…
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,…
It’s that time of year again, when gratitude is in the spotlight. Between you and me, I find that being thankful for what one has is an important part of living well each and every day of the year if one wishes to live a joyful, balanced and fulfilling life. And I am so grateful…
At BrightHaven, we often talk about following the wisdom of the animals. In fact, that’s how our Menu for Healing, the cornerstone of BrightHaven’s work, came into being! I was blessed to meet and spend time with many wise and wonderful animals while I lived on the BrightHaven sanctuary property in Santa Rosa, CA, for…
BrightHaven President and Founder Gail Pope pays loving tribute to Bailey, a larger-than-life being: “March 26 th at 730pm saw the ending of yet another BrightHaven era, with the death of our amazing super-dog-man and old soul, Bailey. I am not sure that I can do justice to this larger-than-life character and the depth of…
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…
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…
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…
Please note: None of the information contained in this post is intended to replace consultation with a qualified veterinarian. Since holistic approaches form the foundation of BrightHaven’s Menu for Healing, in most cases a classical veterinary homeopath is our “go-to” vet when an animal shows symptoms. All classical veterinary homeopaths are also DVMs, or Doctors…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
The answer to this riddle: human hospice care! Guidelines for Human Hospice Care The guidelines for hospice care for humans have been very carefully created over many years and form the foundation for animal hospice upon which we must all build: Hospice is a special philosophy of care designed to provide comfort, support and dignity…
Once again, one of our animals helped to shift our thinking and led us to the natural path of death, which became part of BrightHaven’s Menu for Healing. BrightHaven’s Gail Pope shares Mariah’s story: “In BrightHaven’s early years there was no such thing as natural death for us, as we believed euthanasia was always the…
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