Rainbow Bridge - Bracken

We rescued Bracken a beautiful Black Labrador having known her since she was a puppy but her family had a split and no one wanted her. We already had a dog called Buzz but knew the two of them got on so Bracken came into our home and our hearts. As she had already stayed with us so much of her life it was easy for her to feel at home too.

She was an amazing dog and I got very close to her as I was at home all the time and we did everything together. She loved walks on the beach where her and Buzz would run for miles after she had had a swim first. You could never take her anywhere there was water no matter how dirty as she would be straight in it. We also spent many a walk in the woods but she never let me out of her sight.

The children adored her too and our daughter dressed her up in her clothes and Bracken would just sit there while being put in shorts and t shirts. Bracken and Buzz slept together and were never parted until one day while in our back garden someone took her.

It was the worse moment in our lives after someone asked my kids in the front garden if we had a black dog but when I appeared drove off. I shot out to the back garden but it was too late Bracken had been taken out of our secure garden and we were not to see her again alive. Deep down I knew while searching all over the place that I wouldn't see her alive again. Thanks to a neighbour we did find her hours later dumped 5 miles away but too late. We brought her home and the kids got to say good bye and even now we all still get upset over her death as she was only 4 years old. Her death has left a huge hole in our hearts. Buzz wouldn't eat or play and he really suffered until we got Stroma our chocolate Labrador (I couldn't face having anther black one) Stroma has brought happiness back into our lives but we will never forget our Bracken and the joy she brought.

Thanks to Bracken and our search for a puppy we got to know Carolyne and Labrador rescue and for as long as we can we will always open our door to foster dogs that are waiting for a new forever home. I would like to think that Bracken would like to know that we are helping other dogs that like her had a change of circumstance in their lives and needed to find a new home.