Their Final Walk at the Rainbow Bridge

Their Final Walk at the Rainbow Bridge

by Lysette Anne Almazar, DVM

Before I was a veterinarian, I was a pet owner first. I saw myself in the pale faces of clients walking in for a consultation because their pet had been vomiting nonstop. I had once sat in the same chair in the waiting area, pondering how much the vet bills would be. I was also the same soul who woke up one gloomy morning with one less wagging tail in the house.

So when I say I understand your pain—believe me, I do. I’ve walked in those fur-speckled shoes. And the anxiety, the stress, the pain—I’ve felt it all too.

We knew that dreaded day would come—when our furry bundles of joy would leave us. And despite knowing, we wholeheartedly accepted the deal anyway. Their walking leashes still hang in the corner, their toys still lie scattered on the floor, that box of treats is still half full—but their favorite spot is already empty. You’ll hear an unfamiliar silence when a stranger knocks—no one is barking. In the wee hours of dawn, when no one’s digging in the litter box anymore, you’ll finally realize: they’re gone.

We’re told countless times about the stages of grief developed by Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. I, too, am a person of science and logic—but when the grief of losing a pet claws at you, nothing truly makes sense.

I’m not writing this to tell you the quickest way to heal your broken heart. There’s no glue that can put back those shattered pieces. Moving on has no instruction manual. And sometimes, even time cannot completely heal everything. There will always be a scar—a reminder that once upon a time, we were blessed to be part of an innocent, blameless, pure creature’s life. A life whose short stay here on Earth gave us so much delight—and even became our lighthouse in our darkest moments.

I’m here to tell you that we have been, and some still are, in the same boat as you. The waves are crashing. And you want it all to stop. But we ride with you in silence. You’re not alone.

So let your tears fall—until it’s okay. Though it may never be completely okay, you’ll get through it—with a small fracture of your heart forever attached to that jiggling pendant on your pet’s collar as they joyfully run across the Rainbow Bridge. Our departed fur-angels are looking down from above, knowing that throughout their lives, they were loved.