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Somewhere over Rainbow Bridge

You may not see me with your eyes or touch me with your hands but I am here.

I am in the wind that blows all around you. Feel me as the sun kisses your face with warmth, the cool green grass or Spring tickles your feet and the fallen Winter snow covers the land with silent beauty.

REMEMBER THE JOY we shared with happiness, for when you smile, my eternal heart smiles, the angels sing a beautiful song of love and all the stars in heaven shine just a little bit brighter.

One day when it is time, I will accompany you Somewhere Over Rainbow Bridge, to join me in infinite joy... for LOVE NEVER DIES... and I will always be here waiting, as MY TIME ON EARTH was so RICH with LOVE and HAPPINESS because of YOU.

Our creative, animal loving designers have made some original greeting cards using our perspective on the Rainbow Bridge as a THANK YOU for donating to The Clyde Fund.

Learn more

Coming soon!
Posters as well!

Thanks to Linda and Viktoria for their
beautiful artwork!


Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals that had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together...

Author unknown...


Many unwanted creatures have found their way to my door. I have always opened my heart to those that no one else wanted. Each one has given me a very special gift of love, helping me to grow and be a better human. This is a tribute to a very special girl... Clyde's adopted sister "Sandy."

Beautiful Sandy... My Wounded Healer


I've always felt connected to the many beautiful forms of nature and mother earth's creatures. I cannot imagine a life without trees to hug and a German Shepherd by my side for I'm blessed with memories of 6 wonderful rescue dogs honoring me with 37 years (and still going strong!) of awesome GS love and companionship. Each one found their way to me at a time when we needed each other the most... isn't divine how that works...?! A canine mirror into the depths of my soul, transforming me with their love in ways that words could never give justice. It was as if each was a chapter in the saga of my life, one ending and another beginning, and yet with a thread of spirit joining each one of them. As the years go by, past blends into present- I see each canine come alive as I look into the eyes of my current beloved companion. I could write stories about them all, but this story is dedicated to one very special girl. Ours is not the canine courage you will see splashed on the front page of the NY Times or bravery broadcast across the internet with viral excitement. Ours is a story of 2 hearts. An inner journey for us both. Sandy deserves this tribute, for our life together was cut short by sudden illness, soon after we were transformed by our love. We only had 5 and a half years together, but they were memorable. This is the story of my beautiful Sandy, my wounded healer.

Click here to read the whole story




Do you have an inspirational story about a beloved companion animal
that has gone over the Rainbow Bridge?

Email us!

We will post your story upon review.

RainbowBridge@TheClydeFund.org

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Congressional District Programs has incorporated the use of donation and event registration software, known as Registration Factory.


To donate to The Clyde Fund, click on the link below. You will be taken to registrationfactory.com



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Beautiful Sandy... My Wounded Healer



I've always felt connected to the many beautiful forms of nature and mother earth's creatures. I cannot imagine a life without trees to hug and a German Shepherd by my side for I'm blessed with memories of 6 wonderful rescue dogs honoring me with 37 years (and still going strong!) of awesome GS love and companionship. Each one found their way to me at a time when we needed each other the most... isn't it divine how that works...?! A canine mirror into the depths of my soul, transforming me with their love in ways that words could never give justice. It was as if each was a chapter in the saga of my life, one ending and another beginning, and yet with a thread of spirit joining each one of them. As the years go by, past blends into present - I see each canine come alive as I look into the eyes of my current beloved companion. I could write stories about them all, but this story is dedicated to one very special girl. Ours is not the canine courage you will see splashed on the front page of the NY Times or bravery broadcast across the internet with viral excitement. Ours is a story of 2 hearts. An inner journey for us both. Sandy deserves this tribute, for our life together was cut short by sudden illness, soon after we were transformed by our love. We only had 5 and a half years together, but they were memorable. This is the story of my beautiful Sandy, my wounded healer.


To know her was to love her. Only her adopted German Shep big bro Clyde and myself had that privelege. Sandy was angry, stubborn, anxious and strong willed, but I could not help but admire her fire and spunk. Her past in the hands of cruel humans wounded her deeply and repeatedly, resulting in an inability to trust anyone, human or canine, as she channelled all her anxiety into aggression. People and dogs alike were terrified of her, and I, not wanting to hurt her or anyone else, shielded her from the world. But I must admit that she had this unique "Sandy" way of being. Most evident on our morning woods path walks, she'd not only be in the lead, but announce when it was time for breakfast with a loud sharp snort and bark. After scolding us for being so slow, she would turn quickly to go home. Left behind, I'd observe her determined and confident strut. Every step a statement of her power. If things had been different she would have ruled the world. From the moment she came to live with us until the moment it was her time to cross the Rainbow Bridge, she humbled me who "thought I was soooo experienced with German Shepherd's and their issues" - she revealed my total helplessness and powerlessness to cope with how she handled life. I was completely 'alpha challenged' to the core.


Poor Clyde. In an attempt to eliminate the competition, she viciously attacked him the first night she was home, jumping on him and sinking her teeth into his doggie "arm pit" and leaving a large puncture wound as it took me at least a full minute to pull her off, a small 65 pound female, only 2/3 his size. He slept the next 3 nights nearly on top of me, moaning at even the slightest movement, with her secured in another room. The attacks continued as Clyde being the loving, sweet guy that he is, never fought back. She was relentless, especially the first month. I took her to some outdoor obedience classes where we were far from the other students, but honestly, I was still scared what she might do, for she would attack with no provocation. It was as if there was this invisible button that got pushed and not anyone or anything could stop her. I could barely hold her even with a pinch collar tight around her neck. The training we did helped us both. When 4 months later Clyde finally responded to her attacks with an even stronger defense, our house became a home again. They instantly became best of buddies, lying on the floor in parallel looking at me. Sleeping together. Chewing bones together. It was wonderful, especially sleeping with them both cuddled on either side of me. It took Sandy 3 years before she could stay on the bed all night and not jump up in fear and run out of the room each time I moved. It was slow progress, but progress never the less.


People asked me why I put Clyde and myself through all that. The local dog park patrons told me I was either a "saint" or "crazy." I was neither! It was simple. I knew what a tough hand life had dealt Sandy. She was not only severely physically and psychologically abused, but dumped and abondoned as well. When I rescued her from being euthenized I made a commitment to take her and that was that, whatever she needed I would try to do. The first time I hugged her I could feel her pain deep in my being and how vulnerable and scared she really was underneath that loud, obnoxious, angry exterior. How could I break her heart yet again and return her to the shelter to await the needle? I connected to her. I felt her. I wanted to be there for her, but she was so mad and so afraid to love, she never allowed me to hug her again after that first time. If I tried, she would wiggle away with a sharp, loud canine NO! I kept trying and as the years went by and she felt safe enough to relax in bed at night, I would hold her in the dark, as if she were a scared child needing comfort. Of course, during the day it was back to business, her in my face challenging me beyond my limits, me screaming at her after nothing reasonable worked and Clyde slinking down out of both our ways.


I could not understand why she pushed my buttons so much and why I'd get so angry. I'd worked for decades to heal many childhood wounds after letting go of the dramatic behavior, destructive relationships and substances I used to run from the past. I confronted myself. I received loving guidance and support from many awesome professionals. After 5 years of this dance with her, I was beginning to feel as if I was a little crazy!


Then one day, a few months before she made her final journey, I looked into her eyes and something happened. She relaxed and responded. It was as if the wounded child within us reached out together and opened the door to the dark side of my soul. In an instant I saw myself angry, scared and afraid of being hurt and to allow human love to touch my heart again. She was the mirror to the part of me from which I had run. As I observed myself, it became evident that I was mad because I could not control her, or her anger, no matter how hard I tried, and I tried! And then I saw it wasn't Sandy, it was my own angry inner child that I was still trying to control! My little girl needed me to see her, to love her, to embrace her in her wounds and fears, not push her away. I felt as though a lightening bolt of awareness hit me and time melted into one great moment of 'now' as I saw my inner self in Sandy. By loving Sandy in her darkness, I loved myself and embraced the fear clouding my heart. Suddenly, the door to my soul opened and the light shined on me. The abused, angry, scared little girl within me was finally acknowledged with self love in a way that I had not been able to do before that moment. Our hearts kissed, we both relaxed and I told her she was the most beautiful girl in the universe!


We repeated that ritual every day until she went over the Rainbow Bridge. She left my world as dramatically as when she entered it. The details are too painful to repeat, but I will tell you that she collapsed with great difficulty and when I couldn't carry her to the car to go to the vet, she got herself up and made it to the front seat before collapsing one final time. It was a gigantic effort on her part. Even in her final moments she awed me. I wouldn't have expected anything less from a beautiful girl who really knew how to strut her stuff. I still miss her so much. I would give up all the peaceful, easy times I have now for just one more day with my beautiful Sandy, my wounded healer.