Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day is on Monday 28th August; an important date in the Dignity Pet Crematorium calendar. An opportunity to share memories of the beloved pets that we have shared our lives with. The term Rainbow Bridge originated from a well-known poem that has been shared in various forms since 1994. With the launch of the internet, the story grew in popularity as it was shared across the globe.
The story describes a meadow where pets who have passed away are free to run and play, with plenty of food, water, and sunshine. When their owners pass on, they cross the Rainbow Bridge to be reunited with their beloved pets and spend eternity together. This story has brought comfort to pet owners of all ages when experiencing feelings of the grief of loosing a pet.
Until recently, the author of the poem has always been a mystery, with no official author coming forward. This year, however, it is thought that the original writer has been sourced. Edna Clyne-Rekhy is now believed to be the original author of Rainbow Bridge. Creating the tale after the passing of her Labrador Retriever, Major, in 1959.
Until recently, Edna, an 82-year-old Scottish artist and animal lover, had no idea of the comfort that she had brought to pet owners across the world over the years. Clyne-Rekhy never published the poem herself and it was shared organically through copies sent between friends – but the copies did not include her name. After being passed form person to person, the poem eventually lost all connection to its original author. 
It was not until an art historian, Paul Koudounaris, began to investigate the origins while working on a book about pet cemeteries and decided to dig deeper into the source of the much referenced “Rainbow Bridge.”
After over 60 years since the poem was first written, pet owners still find the words of Edna comforting and it is brilliant that she is finally receiving the recognition she deserves.
You can read the poem in full here.