We have been going for nearly 4 years now and what an amazing journey it has been and we are still going strong and developing our range to suit you, our customers. We've been through so much with you and we are thankful that you share some of your most heartbreakingly beautiful moments with us.
When trying to decide on designs for our collections we usually play around with different shapes and colours and as a result we have a few 'samples' that we don't need anymore because they have become a permanent part of our collections.
We have 4 beautiful pieces here (obviously with NO ash!) that we want to give to you in thanks for your support. All you have to do is comment on Facebook "LOVE", Leave the same comment below or send us an email to info@rainbowbridge-memorials.com with the Subject/Message LOVE and your address and that's it!
We will choose 4 lucky winners at random and who knows we might even be in the mood to give EVERYONE who enters a little something ;-)
Winner will be chosen from a hat LIVE on Facebook at 8pm on ThanksGiving which is Thursday 24th of November!
The Dogs of Ireland.
Being Irish I might have a special place in my heart for these breeds but I think they truly represent Ireland, the Irish spirit and the warm Irish soul.
Independent, stubborn, intelligent and always up to no good, the Irish Setter sounds like my perfect dog! It is a tireless puppy that will hunt in wet or dry weather. The name setter comes from the knack of ‘setting’ which means locating and point out game birds. It is a popular dog with American politicians.
Such a beautiful dog both physically and mentally, there are two types. The red one is the more physically glamorous with its luscious red locks. It is the icon of one of the most famous bus brands in Ireland Bus Eireann. The red and white one faced near extinction during WWI. So much so, that it is pretty possible that every current red and white Irish setter has descended from a poorly female puppy what was given to a Maureen Cuddy in 1940. She almost single handedly saved this special breed from extinction.
Another Irish breed - the little known (probably because of its name!) Irish pup is the Irish Water Spaniel. It’s such an interesting breed. It has two coats - one short, dense and thick layer that provides warmth and insulation. Their outer layer provides protection and water resistance.
Lastly we could not mention Irish dog breeds without mentioning the noble Irish Wolfhound. It has played its part in much folklore, many historic battles, featured in fairytales and more but there is nothing imaginary about this gentle giant. They are known for their hunting prowess but also their companionship, which gave way to the saying “Gentle when stroked, fierce when provoked.” Often owned by nobility Irish Greyhounds have been homed with Richard III, Anne Boyleyn, Henry VII, Queen Elizabeth I and George Washington to name but a few.
I’m usually pretty good with words, whether its talking or writing but for some reason this blog has taken me a while to get down on paper and, even verbally, I have only told a few people even though I knew it was my duty (sounds bit harsh) to tell you about it because if youre reading this, you are more than likely a customer of mine, whether directly or indirectly. Most of my customers know my vibe and whther its that Ive done a piece directly for you and your furry friend or you are a vet or groomer or crematorium owner who I work with to get my message out, you know how soft and sentimental (and squidgy!) I am, so this story means a lot to me and hopefully will to you guys too.
Two months ago I found myself at crossroads in life, I was splitting my time between NYC and Dublin, I had friends and family in both and loved both cities dearly. One was home and one was quickly becoming home. I have a great relationship with my mom and we love to do fun acitvities together. One of those things is the occassional trip to a fortune teller, tarot reader or some such!
So we headed up to Dundalk to a fabulous woman called Romina. I walked in the door, made myself comfortable and, as she asked me to, allowed my aura and spirit to fill the room. When she sat down she told me that although she was a card reader and not a medium, she often had spirits visit who wished to communicate with the living person who was having the reading. This was happening to me. She said there was a gentleman who wanted to communicate with me but she also told me that something else unusual was occurring and that was a noise of dogs barking and cats purring and both were trying to communicate a message. Not once did I reveal the business I was in, or even that I had a business! The man said that the animals just wanted to convey a simple message, a message of thanks to me.
Needless to say I sat there and cried. I have a pretty good relationship with anyone who has directly become a customer of mine, it goes with the nature of what I do. Most of my customers are beyond grateful that I can help provide them with some form of solace in their time of grief and this humbles me in a way I can never express. It’s a privilage to do what I do but to know that the puppies and kitties that have passed on and passed through my care were thankful too? Well that just signed my ‘calling card’ that this bsuiness and this career is the vocation for me and I am so happy to tell all of my customer of time passed that your little furry baby was more than likely a part of this gang who sent a message and just so you know, they are happy and waiting for you at Rainbow Bridge, have no doubt about that! <3
Before you start with this article make sure to read Hartsdale Pet/Canine Cemetary P2 So you will know the back story as to how this Cemetary got going.
More than 54,000 pets die every year in New York alone. The Pet Death business is large and getting bigger and more extravagant each year in the US. Hartsdale Pet/Canine Cemetary is a prominent part of this industry in New York, in the US and in the world at large. Only as recently as in 2012, the 'US dept. of the Interior' added Hartsdale Pet Cemetary to the 'National Register of Historical Places' making it the first and only animal burial ground to receive such acknowledgment as a site of profound cultural significance.
Its long history of caring for pets who have passed on began in 1896. It began as only a favor to a dear friend and turned into a lucrative business and with it came the usual start up problems. Graves became unkempt, bills unpaid and so they had to formalize and regulate it. A Caretaker was hired to care take the property and bury the animals. All the legal stuff had to be taken care of and so they created a deed for the entire cemetery. In layman terms, how it worked was that a customer who wanted to bury their pet in Hartsdale would select an available lot, then they would buy from the Cemetery Corp a ‘burial right’ which is an exclusive right to bury their pet there.
Customers became 'plot holders' at Hartsdale. Each plot usually had room for two pets. A customer could authorize the cemetery to open it and bury a second pet when the time came. The customer would agree to pay maintenance – general maintenance of the cemetery – grass cutting, trees etc. This was considered an obligation to the cemetery. Annual payment currently stands at $70 and if a customer doesn't pay for 3.5 years they lose their right and the plot could be bought by someone else. BUT if this happens the pet is cremated and the ashes scattered on that plot so there is some respite for the customer.
Hartsdale then introduced 'Perpetual care' meaning a provision of funds, to be held in a trust, the income of which is to be expended in keeping up (forever) the necessary care of the individual lots. Hartsdale set up an endowment of $2300 with JP Morgan to this end. They also recommend that if you have a will (and you should) then put it in it so that your wishes are clear and uncompromising.
In terms of other rules and regulations the cemetery developed over the years they do require that pets are to be buried in a casket. Price varies and depends on size of a plot and where in the cemetery the plot is.
The cemetery is also home to the World Famous War Dog Memorial - a 10 foot high monument topped by a beautiful German Shepard. It was erected in 1923 to honor all military dogs that served in World War I. It is the only memorial of its kind in the US and is the focus point during the Memorial Day Weekend ceremony that is held annually in the cemetery.
Today the "peaceable Kingdom" is the final resting place for more than 80,000 dogs, cats, rabbits, reptiles, monkeys and even a lion cub that once resided in the famous Plaza Hotel with a Russian princess. It has quite the history. Mariah Carey once visited the cemetery with an entourage to grieve for her cat Clarence.
In my opinion Hartsdale Cemetary is a beautiful place to take a time out, grieve, be a tourist, be a photographer, satisfy curiosity, take a reprieve from the daily grind or just be a nosy historian for a moment. The welcome was generous, the grounds pretty and the calm, peace and serenity of The Peaceable Kingdom is infectious and I will surely be going back for more.
When considering adoption ask yourself
Please note ALL dogs need adequate outdoor time, running, walks, rest, feeding, grooming
Subscribe to our newsletter and always be the first to hear about what is happening.
All shipping, delivery, postage and packaging is FREE to you wherever you are in the world regardless of the number of pieces purchased.© 2024 Rainbow Bridge Memorials
