Sandy (Sunshine Spur)

There is a bridge connecting Heaven and Earth. It is called the Rainbow Bridge, because of its many colors.

Just this side of the bridge is a land of meadows, hills and valleys with lush green grass. When a beloved pet dies, it goes to this place. There is always food and water and warm spring weather. The old and frail animals are young again. The maimed are made whole again. They play all day with each other.

There is only one thing missing. They are not with their special person who loved them on Earth.

So, each day they run and play until the day comes when one suddenly stops playing and looks up! The nose twitches! The ears are up! And this one suddenly runs from the group!

You have been seen, and when you and your special friend meet, you take him or her in your arms and embrace. Your face is kissed again and again and again and you look once more into the eyes of your trusting pet.

Then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together, never again to be separated.

--Anonymous (via our friends Matts and Anders)

In her racing days, Sandy was known as Sunshine Spur, her birth name. We know that she was born in 1990, but that's about all we know. She had retired some time before she came to live with us and had lived in at least one previous house. She became part of our family on 28 September 1999, joining Jeff and Isaac and Dowland, our first greyhound, who had arrived just 3 months earlier.

From the first, there was no question that Sandy was the Top Bitch of this household. Sweet tempered and very easy to get along with, she nevertheless ruled with a firm paw.

She had her subtle and not-so-subtle ways to indicate what she thought was proper behavior. When it was time for a cookie, she would stand and silently indicate the door behind which they were hidden. When she wanted attention, she asked for it, usually with a nose in the elbow when we were sitting at our computers. If it was time for an outing, she stomped around the house rather loudly until we gave in. And she had definite ideas that everyone should be in bed by 10pm and would continually remind us until we gave in.

Very early in the morning of 3 March, she began manifesting signs of serious illness. After a period of relative stability, she deteriorated quickly during the afternoon. By the time we reached the emergency room in the late afternoon her condition had become critical, and the prognosis for recovery was poor. We decided that the time had come to end the suffering that she had endured so bravely throughout the day, and we were with her when she crossed over the Bridge at 5:30pm.

Now that she's gone, our 2.5 years together seem so short, but they were filled with joy. Sandy's good nature and happy disposition infected everyone she met. We are grateful for the fun and happiness she shared so easily with us, as we are reminded each time we discover a gap in our daily routine that she used to fill. During the last two weeks of her life, she seemed unusually happy and carefree, reassuring us that she enjoyed her time with us as much as we enjoyed having her.

You had a good run, Sandy. Rest in peace. We'll see you on the other side of the Bridge.