Rainbow bridge

Dedicated to all Beloved Berners who have moved onto the Bridge.

Do not stand at my grave and weep;

I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glints on the snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

I am the gentle autumn's rain.

When you awaken in the morning's hush, I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry, I am not there, I did not die.

By Mary Elizabeth Frye

KEILISSA’S PICKING UP THE PIECES (AKA VASCA)CH; NDD, CGC, RN

January 29, 2013 - October 23, 2024

Vasca was a 11.7 year old AKC-registered purebred Bernese Mountain Dog. His formal name and call name come from his family tree – his father is Belgian, which provided his parents (Dan and Rosemary) with a European flavor. Vasca joined two other Berners in the household – Eldor, a neutered male (who we lost at 11.5 years), and Ella, Eldor’s true sister, also neutered female Berner who we lost also at 11.5 years old. Ella and Eldor were certified therapy dogs, and Vasca earned his certification with each of us in May 2015. Vasca was an energetic, outgoing, and playful pup; the staff at his vet called him ‘Mr. Sassy-pants’ because of his approach to life.

He died on October 23 from a collapsed lung, the cause of which is unknown. Vasca often went to the Staunton Farmer’s Market, entertaining everyone so well that his picture was on the Market’s Facebook site. He enjoyed being with people and loved to romp and play in our back yard. Vasca earned his championship in the Breed Ring in November 2015 – he was a big boy at 27inches tall and weighing 105 pounds. He later won his Novice Draft Dog title (NDD) which along with titles in Rally & Obedience gave him the BMDCA Versality Dog Award.

EMMANUELLA DEL BOSQUE (CALL NAME ELLA), CGC, RA, CD, TDIEVA

April 4 2010 – July 16 2021

It is with overwhelming sadness that we have to report that on Friday, July 16 2021 we helped our beloved Berner girl Ella (Emmanuella del Bosque - CGC, RA, CD, TDIEVA {350+ visits}) to the Rainbow Bridge. She had been dealing with a probable case of DM (degenerative myelopathy) for quite a while, and recently it had gotten much worse resulting in difficulty in simply moving around. Through the kindness of a stranger who was a friend of a member of the Blue Ridge Berner Club, she was given a wheelchair cart which she enjoyed before the incredible heat wave hit. Lately we had noticed other indicators that may not have been DM related that suggested other things were going on. A visit to our Vet who did some blood work and a sonogram showed us that there were multiple signs were not conducive to life.

We made the loving, hard decision to help her to the Bridge, holding her close all the while. At 11.5 years, she lasted much longer than the average life span of Berners.

We are most proud of her Therapy Dog work which brought much joy to so many people in the Shenandoah Valley. Ella was among the first Therapy Dogs with the Hospice of the Shenandoah, making her a Hospice Therapy Dog. She is also one of the first Therapy Dogs at Rockingham Memorial Hospital/Sentara in Harrisonburg. We will miss her very much.

Ella was very sensitive to tones of voice and non-verbal communications – she was often referred to as a “soft dog”, and she proved that time and time again at home and with some of her Therapy Dog/Hospice Volunteer visits. She had become a welcome fixture at Rockingham Memorial Hospital/Sentara, at local schools with school kids, at Blue Ridge Community College, at some of the local residential facilities, as well as the Shenandoah Hospice House in Fishersville

Eldor Onyx (BG 80744)

It is with crushing sadness we must tell everyone that we assisted Eldor Onyx (BG 80744) to the Rainbow Bridge on Sunday, July 29, 2019. He had been having several medical issues, which at age 11 ½, we just could not overcome. Despite debilitating weakness, as far as we could tell he was not in pain. He seemed to believe that his job here was finished. He was our Heart Dog, our first Berner – he taught us so much about being Berner parents, about unconditional canine affection, about loyalty, about the simple joys of being in the yard together.

He was the first Therapy Dog with Hospice of the Shenandoah, and one of the first Therapy dogs, along with his true sister Ella, at Rockingham Memorial Hospital/Sentara in Harrisonburg, Va. Over the years with him and sister Ella, later with house-mate Vasca, we visited schools – elementary, middle & high school, colleges – along with nursing homes, hospice patients, and hospitals. Twice he made the cover of local magazines – once at Blue Ridge Community College marketing their new Therapy Dog Training program, and again at Rockingham Memorial Hospital/Sentara announcing the Hospital’s new Therapy Dog program. We tallied up his Therapy Dog visits and he had 501! (He needed 500 for TDI’s top award!) We know he touched so very many peoples’ lives across the Shenandoah Valley

He seemed to enjoy pulling his cart in parades, but clearly hated being in the performance ring; we never did get a draft title, but he did achieve CGC, RA, and CD. But he was an extraordinary therapy dog and his TDI titles are the ones we are most proud of.

Eldor was an extraordinary dog and will be missed by so many people. A patient in the Cancer Center at RMH/Sentara once wrote a letter to the Hospital after meeting Eldor in the Cancer Center waiting area…”a huge dog rounded the corner with a handler close behind. The faces of those despondent patients soon lit up with wide smiles and a chorus of ‘Ohs’ and ‘Ahs’! Not a soul could resist pausing to smother the dog with loving hugs and rubs….What is it, that the simple act of bringing a dog into a hospital brings so much joy to those who are in a desperate battle for life?”

“Grief never ends…but it changes. It’s a passage, not a place to stay. Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith…. It is the price of love.”