BrightHaven Holistic Animal Retreat

In Santa Rosa, California

By Cathy M. Currea

Should we offer euthanasia to our animal companions who are not perfect, disabled or old and dying?

Tough questions that we all struggle with and there are no easy answers.

BrightHaven(BH) is an amazing sanctuary located in the rolling hills of Northern California. It's a place where animals who are disabled; need hospice care; a safe place to die; or in the case of Bruce the Goose--a mate, live out their lives with the dignity and respect they so richly deserve.

I was first introduced to BrightHaven Holistic Animal Retreat this past summer by my Animal Reiki Teacher, Kathleen Prasad, who holds her Animal Reiki classes there.

From the first moment I arrived at BH, I knew it was a special place. It wasn't until I spent time there that I realized what an incredible ideal the founders were living up to.

BH is run by Gail and Richard Pope, who have lovingly given over their home and lives to help a diverse family of animals including cats, dogs, horses, goats, chickens, Bruce the Goose (pictured) and Harley The Hog.

Watching Gail lovingly tend to the resident's needs and discuss her viewpoints on how animals should live out their lives even when they are disabled or dying is life-affirming.

When it's time for a resident to transition home to spirit, the Popes hold the space so each animal can leave it's body in whatever way is most comfortable for them. Sometimes, they pull out a blow-up mattress for Gail to spend the night holding an animal who is transitioning home to Spirit.

Thanks to the Pope's philosophy on life, death and rightful living for animals. BH residents like Harley, who is now a 900 pound hog and is unable to use his hind end, are a wonderful example of how BH helps animals. While most pigs are euthanized when they can't walk, BH saw something special in Harley and took him in. Many still think it was a crazy decision. Not the Popes. Now Harley is allowed to live out his life with dignity, love and respect along with daily red apples.

Harley is constantly complaining to me, "I never get enough apples." When I first shared this important information with Gail, she assured me that Harley always gets two red apples daily, despite his incessant demands for more. Harley wants you to know that red apples are some of his favorite treats just in case you stop by BH for a visit.

While not everyone is comfortable with the notion of hospice care for animals or allowing animals with special needs to live out their lives in peace, it's an idea whose time has finally come. The Popes are blazing the trail in helping raise our consciousness of who animals really are and why they need to be loved and cared for even if they are old, disabled or ill. In addition, BH teaches us that integrating Western and Holistic medicine along with animal communication and Reiki allows animals to fully participate in choosing how they live out their lives including when it's time to return home to Spirit.

The BH residents don't ask for our pity--just the opposite. Yet they pull at our heartstrings to help out and the ones who end up receiving the most is us!

Join Cathy in supporting BrightHaven's mission by attending her upcoming Animal Communication Seminar.

To learn more about Harley The Hog, Bruce The Goose and the rest of the BrightHaven Residents click here: