ATTLEBORO — Pet owners will soon have a new place to mourn their furry friends after they die.
The Park Service plans to unveil the Rainbow Bridge Pet Memorial in Highland Park on Saturday, April 27 at 2 p.m., and live pets are welcome to participate in the ceremony.
The memorial will be located near the parking lot off Rathbun Willard Drive.
The idea was from Attleboro resident Sherry Dumont, who was grieving the loss of her dog Bentley, a 13-year-old King Charles Cavalier.
Dumont was inspired by a similar bridge monument in the Carolinas.
She said, “I've always felt that Bentley's purpose in life was much greater than being my pet.
“He had a presence that drew people to him. He was larger than life.”
When he died, Dumont “had this nagging feeling that we had to do something in his memory, but it needed to involve the community,” she said.
She approached the Park Service about the project and now her vision has become a reality.
The bridge memorial will be erected in a quiet, secluded location where people of all ages can visit and reflect.
Pet owners can hang their deceased pet's collar on the bridge railing as a memorial.
The memorial is based on a poem titled “Rainbow Bridge” written by Edna Klein Leckey, who lost her beloved golden retriever in 1959.
There will also be benches where you can sit and reflect near famous poetry exhibits.
Funds for the memorial project were donated by Zmalt Tree Experts of Attleboro. The bridge was built by Mike Turinese of Attleboro Handyman Services.
The paint on the bridge was supplied by Triboro Paint of North Attleboro.
The memorial bench was donated by Dorrance Recycling of Norton.
If you have any questions, please contact Park Forestry Supervisor Derek Corsi by email at park@cityofattleboro.us or by phone at 774-203-1866.
