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...
In loving memory of:
Asian Hime MacLeod
"Asia"
entered rainbow bridge May 26, 2010
Sumo Rikishi MacLeod
Entered the Rainbow Bridge July 15, 2009
info coming soon....
Migoto Geisha MacLeod
Entered the Rainbow Bridge June, 2009
info coming soon....
Kyokousen Ko MacLeod
Entered the Rainbow Bridge May 23, 2009
info coming soon....
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!!!
MacLeod's Saber
Entered the Rainbow Bridge May 8, 2009
info coming soon
Kuru Mesuinu Roe
Entered the Rainbow Bridge May 8, 2009
info coming soon
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.
Entered the Rainbow Bridge July 14, 2008
Ora was one of, if the not the single most, loving dog we have ever had. I almost show a picture of her with me snuggling, as that is what she loved to do but want to show pictures of her by herself instead! The picture on the left was taken while playing outside the day before her passing. The picture on the right was taken about three weeks or so before her passing while in her "kitty cat phase" as I call it. She did this when she got excited and ready to play! She would do absolutely anything that I wanted to do, even something she hated, just to make me happy. Her favorite place to be was in my lap on the recliner or on my feet when I stretched out on the sofa.
She got along with any dogs I put her with, sometimes too well because the more alpha dogs would quickly find her to be a major pushover! She even got along very well with all of the puppies as they found her especially interesting. Ora had an issue with acid reflux and would occasionally spit up, especially triggered by her drinking too fast. She would walk around and stop with a queasy look and a dribble of food and slobber would come out which puppies thought was great. They would be thrilled to beat me to cleaning up the mess, as most dogs are. She loved trying to steal cookies and it was kind of a game of ours for me to try to find new hiding places for treats and she would always end up locating them, other than if they made it to on top of the fridge - completely out of her reach. That was her only "bad" habit which I would glad take back ten-fold just to have another day to snuggle with my sweet girl.
Sadly, Ora was lost while playing with her sister. They were wrestling in the front yard and Haiku, Ora's littermate sister, got her lower jaw tangled in Ora's collar which ultimately strangled her and terrified Haiku. Unfortunately, it was not until after Ora's quick passing that I was able to frantically free Haiku's sore jaw. I have since been notified by several other Akita owners, or dog owners in general, that this has happened to them as well, often at dog parks so be careful when those furbabies get wrestling because when they get caught, their first reaction is to flip, causing the collar to get even tighter!
She will be forever missed by her littermate, Haiku who truly shared a bond only littermates have with each other, Maya, as Ora was so tender and gentle while playing with Maya due to her disability, and most especially by me as no dog could make you feel as important as Ora did for me! I love you sweet girl!
Mikoto Sumera of Toki-o MacLeod
Entered the Rainbow Bridge July 7, 2008
Mikoto was the most beautiful creature you ever saw. He was absolutely gorgeous! Everyone who met Mikoto was in awe of his beauty! Sadly, we were robbed of our time with precious Mikoto before he reached his full potential. He was purchased as a show dog which he didn't turn out to be but we loved him just the same. He loved us too! He loved to lick us. He was great with kids and loved it when the would run up to him at Petsmart. He would sit very slowly and let them hang from his neck as he gave them gentle kisses! He was a big, beautiful, sweet boy! Rest in peace handsome Mikoto!
Entered the Rainbow Bridge July 3, 2008
Kabuto was the "Akita of the Year" every year we were blessed with his presence. He has a special place in our hearts because he was the first Akita that Charlie and I picked out together as I usually choose by myself. Buto was never used for breeding, he was just a cuddle bug but he was very good at it. He was our alpha male and trained most of the dogs that we have at this time, along with his doggie wife, Katana. They were the best of buds! Many of the pictures of them show the other as well because they stayed so close! Kabuto was the most dignified Akita you ever saw. He was very proud and dripped confidence. He was a true protector, even as a puppy. He was uniquely intuitive, more so than the average Akita, especially for a male, and was usually visitors' favorite. We called him our "Ivy Leaguer" and a "sweater vest dog" because he always sat so proud and dignified, with his arms crossed which was one of his favorite resting positions. We were cheated out of time with one of the most magnificent creatures to walk this earth and he will be missed forever by his girlfriends, Katana and Ninja and forever loved by Charlie and myself. We were told that he had a heart condition that we were unaware of which ultimately stole him at just over 4 years of age. Rest in peace sweet boy. I love you!
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
Entered the Rainbow Bridge 06/17/2008
Wicket had a short life in years but lived alot during her time here. She was taken from us at just a year and a half, a victim of bloat. (Bloat claims the lives of many Akitas, as it is prone to deep chested dogs. Wicket was lucky in that the bloat took her quickly and, since we were not able to save her, she at least did not have to feel the pain, as some dogs are in excrutiating pain for a extended number of hours.)
Wicket came to us at the tender age of 8 months and after just a few months with her, we were robbed of our time with her. She was the kind of dog that was always full of spastic energy and a vigorous licker. She did everything at 110 miles per hour or not at all. Even at the end of her only pregnancy (sired by Duke), she was making herself busy everyday digging a ginormous hole in the ground where she wanted to whelp her puppies. She was an excited mother too and very proud of her puppies.
Wicket's best friend was our male, Saber, who, although is not pictured, was with her when the picture was taken that is shown above. She loved to chase Saber around our play yard and enjoyed him the most because he is such a pushover that he got along with her high strung bossiness just fine. She was a majestic creature with beautiful movement and alot of spunk to show it off with!
Wicket liked to crouch down in front of you when you walked toward her, as if she were playing a game with you, and then as soon as you got close to her, she would spring up into the air and jump around like she had ants in her pants! She would go nuts when I sang her favorite song which was a high pitched tone while saying "Wicky Wicky Wicky". She will be sorely missed by our breeding program and by our home! Rest in peace Wicky Wicky Wicky!
Wicket is survived by her 7 puppies: Kuma, Buke, Shadow, Kuma, Maiya, Sadi and Voodoo
Entered the Rainbow Bridge 07/19/2007
We lost Buka immediately after her spay, at such a young age. Buka had a sweet soul. As you can see, she loved children even though she wasn't raised with any. Buka had at least two owners prior to us when we rescued her from a uncaring owner who left her alone in a barn to be infested with ticks. We took her and nursed her back to health and 2 years later, she produced a litter of ten beautiful puppies with Ryu for us. Buka was very laid back and a good mother to her own puppies and everyone elses here and was very patient. At four and a half, Buka went in for her spay to reduce the risk of cancer and so she would not conceive another litter. During the spay and after, the vet thought all was normal so he sent her home. She rested in her spot for 3 hours before walking into a room with "her kids" and lying down between them where she stopped breathing and died. She wanted to be with her kids at the very end. The vet did a necropsy the next day and found that during her surgery, his clamp had cut through a vein, and he unknowingly closed her back up while she was bleeding internally. RIP sweet BUKA. You will be missed by all who met you but especially by the Winter children.
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
