The Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

Plop Dawg MacLeod

Entered the Rainbow Bridge May 20, 2009

Plop dog was the best dog you could ever asked for plagued with every problem a dog could have but he was a fighter and most devoted best friend to his last breath!  I took Plop out of a cardboard box in 1998 when he was about 5 weeks old.  He couldn't eat kibble yet as he had only nursed on his mom.  He was so riddled with worms, his tiny little legs, we later called twigs which supported a huge trunk, couldn't hold his swollen body up very well so he fell as he walk, which is how he came to be known as "Plop".  His mother was a brindle Pitbull/lab and his father was an Akita.  Unfortunately he got the problems of both breeds.  At 6 months of age, he was diagnosed with the most severe case of hip displasia our vet had ever seen and I should prepare myself and my budget for double hip replacements in the not too distant future.  He was impossible to poddy train.  He had allergies to grass so severe that he would chew off his pads on his feet.  He had sebaceous adenitis.  He had severe food allergies which caused non-stop licking.  He has been clawed in the eye by cats we have fostered.  He was attacked, not once but twice, by our Rescued Great Dane, Paris (see below), causing us to have to sew shut his neck twice.  He did well when we moved to Arizona, ending many of his allergies and he started getting around better without the humidity we had in Virginia.  Then he had reoccurring cysts throughout the years.  He had chronic ears problems and both ears hematomaed.  His ears remained so tender our vet told us to simply stop cleaning them because he was so tender.  About 6 months before his death he was diagnosed with SRA and went blind within 2 days and amazingly got used to his life being blind very quickly even though we had recently moved so he was unfamiliar with our new home and he was 10 1/2 years young.  Then as fast as he went blind, his vision miraculously returned.  We thought it was a miracle but later found it to be the first clue that his poor old body was plagued with cancer.  He started having drainage from his nose, his forehead muscles atrophied within days causing him not to be able to chew at all, eliminating his beloved kibble addiction, and his lymph nodes swelled and caused his neck to grow over 4 inches within two weeks.  He was still a trooper through it all as we went to the dreaded vet visits we were so accustomed to.  Then we were hit hard May 19th as Plop had the equivalent of a stroke, causing him severe trauma throughout the night and leaving his right side of his body paralyzed.  Unfortunately, there were no more fixes left that my vet could suggest.  Sadly I made the first available appointment to end his pain for 9 am the following morning.  In true "Plop dog" fashion he was looking out for mom!  Within minutes of my making his appointment to end his pain and suffering, he gave in.  My fighter stopped fighting and let go!  He passed in his sleep, ending his struggle.  Life was unfair to him but he took it in stride.  Plop was devoted to me like no other dog.  He has been through college with me, the death of my mother, my divorce, my cross country move - you name it and he was there - right beside me exactly where he was supposed to be.  He saved me from being broken into and assaulted when I lived in a sketchy area during college.  He had a huge role in raising almost every dog we have on our site and if he didn't help raise them, he interacted with them.  He taught our dogs how to behave with cats, even the full grown dogs.  He knew allot of English and could do many things I told him to do on a single word command or by sentences.  He was the first dog I had that was "punished" by guilt.  He loved car rides more than any dog I have ever met.  He would defend our home and yard as well as our car with his life   We would jokingly warn people that visited, or the UPS men that delivered our dog food,  not to worry about all of the Akitas, it was the 80 pound mutt you had to watch out for - he was the "enforcer".  I am thankful his pain is over and hope they have never ending kibble for Plop to munch on at the bridge as eating was his favorite pass time.  There are plenty of Akita buddies waiting to welcome Plop to their side of the rainbow where all of the problems that plagued his body here are a forgotten memory!  I LOVE YOU PLOP - YOU'RE THE BEST DOG IN THE WORLD!!!

OPR's Rapsody Zifindel Rose

A.K.A. Zin

Entered the Rainbow Bridge November 1, 2008

Zin, my love bug, was taken from me at the young age of 5.  She came to live with us from Gloria Ketcher of OPR Akitas.  Zin was a sweet girl and was definitely a momma's girl.  Most of my pictures of her are taken with her on top of me on the sofa or in my lap.  She was very loving and even got to be good with smaller animals when she came to live with us.  She was happy go lucky and loved to chase things.  She would do just about anything for scrambled eggs or a stuffed animal and loved to try to catch chickens that stayed just out of her reach.  Her boyfriend was Jr who was with her when she initially started bloating as we were all outside together playing just as it got dark.  (She and Jr were together almost all of the time and even slept touching each other!) The Zin started crying and swelled immediately and I knew she was bloating.  I called the closest emergency vet and let them know she was bloating and that we were on the way but her bloat came on too quickly for us to save her.  Rest in peace my sweet baby girl.Akemi Ko MacLeod

A.K.A. "Kemi"

missing since June 30, 2008.....

lost but never forgotten..........

Akemi jumped/climbed our fence January 30th while we slept with her best buddy, Tomo.  Tomo went to nap under our deck where we found her when we awakened but Kemi was no where in sight.  We hunted right away and put up flyers over the next two weeks.  We met more neighbors than we new existed in the process.  Everyone said they hadn't seen her but would call if they did and that she is beautiful.  After canvassing several square miles with flyers at every house, talking to every neighbor that would answer their door, and tagging every stop sign for miles with her picture, we sadly agree with everyone that we have spoken with in that, due to her beauty and sweet nature, she has been taken by a family.  Our only hopes is that one day she will get loose and come home or at least be loved forever in her new home!  We love you Kemi and will keep the porch light on for you precious girl!

Akemi is a big beautiful girl, exactly as her name proclaims her to be.  She has just as big and beautiful personality as she did a body.  She is loving, playful, agile, friendly and a happy go lucky friend.  We love her and will miss her always!

SBA Toubbousha Haiyou Shimas MacLeod

A.K.A. "Wicket"

Paris, Great Dane

Unknown Date of Birth to June/2005

    Paris was a Great Dane I adopted from a rescue group in Phoenix, Arizona July of 2004.  She was a wonderful dog.  She worshipped me.  She      was a great pillow and could keep a couch warm like nobody's business.  She loved kids.  She looked like a lovely horse galloping through open fields as she was so graceful.  Children could pull, push, and chase her and she loved every minute of it. 

    She is the perfect example of why breeders need to pay attention to genetics.  Paris was conceived in a puppy mill and ended up back in one to be a mommy machine as a teenager; her growth was even stunted by her constant breeding.  She ended up in a rescue group for probably over a year until I got her.

    After I had Paris for a year and completely trusted her, she (130 lbs) viciously attacked my lab mix, Plop, (68lbs) who she had been crating with for a year.  There were three attacks total causing him permanent damage in his neck and shoulder region, not to mention he is now terrified of other dogs and my back yard.  (He still, to date, has not entered the backyard even once, with all of the other dogs locked in the house.)  Plop now has to be confined to my bedroom, away from my Akitas who still aren't quite sure why he is behind a door.  All of this, only to find out when we were trying to place her that the rescue group knew that Paris was aggressive but failed to mention that to us.  Ultimately, after working with numerous vets, behaviorists and rescue groups, finding it impossible to place Paris, we had to put her down.  I stayed with her as she died in my arms.

$250.00 rescue * $700.00 vet bills from her attack on Plop * $120.00 to euthanize Paris

Time I was able to love Paris on this earth - $ Priceless

If you know someone who is considering adopting, please have them talk to me first.

Angus Kuma MacLeod

Born October, 2003

    In 2004, Angus was taken from Charlie in divorce.  We were then notified that he was, soon after, given away to friends because he "was too much to handle."  (Although we, of course, were never given the chance to take him.)  After tracking events, in March of 2006, we believe we found him.  We have been in touch with ARMAC and believe this guy, they picked up in our former city of residence, is Angus (how many Angus Akitas could there be?).

    He is much thinner here but we think it is him.  This picture was taken by ARMAC, God bless them for saving Angus.  They placed him with a family who loves him dearly and is going to adopt him a girlfriend to play with.  A big thanks to ARMAC for saving the day and to Angus' new family for loving him like we didn't get the chance to!  We will love you forever Angus!

SHAME ON ANYONE willing to use a defenseless animal to get something they want!!!!

Orca MacLeod, Tisha's baby

 Akita/Siberian Husky Mix

 July 1986 to March 2000

Orca was a wonder and strong dog that lived to the ripe old age of 13, almost 14, but his hips we giving out so we let him go with dignity and put him to sleep to end his pain.

Tisha MacLeod - Retired Willowdeen Champion,

adopted by the MacLeod Family in 1981 at 2 years old to 1992