Rainbow Bridge Hospice Rescue - Saving Senior Dogs

Shannon
13 minutes ago
3 min read

Rainbow Bridge Animal Rescue Blog Announcement

Rainbow Bridge Hospice Rescue is back for their fourth Spring Fling! This 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization is devoted to saving and caring for senior dogs and those with serious health issues who have been abandoned at shelters- dogs just this side of "the Rainbow Bridge."

Terri Atkinson is the passionate founder of Rainbow Bridge Hospice Rescue, a nonprofit based in Middlesex, North Carolina, that is dedicated to giving senior dogs and those with significant medical needs a safe, loving place to live out their days. Under her compassionate leadership, the rescue has become a haven for dogs who are often overlooked—those who are elderly, ill, disabled, or simply out of time in the shelter system.

Terri has always been drawn to the ones who need the most care, the ones with missing legs, deformed kidneys, no eyes, one eye, missing an ear, no teeth, heart worm positive, saved from Korean meat markets and similar situations. She and her husband have been helping dogs since 2011, when Terri first got Princess Reagan Marie, a shih-tzu that was rescued in extremely poor condition from a breeder who was arrested for the horrible conditions her dogs were kept in.

What sets Rainbow Bridge Rescue apart is its unwavering focus on quality of life. Here, every dog is treated like family. Whether it’s cozy blankets, home-cooked meals, or just the quiet comfort of a gentle hand, Terri ensures each animal knows they are loved and valued. In a world that too often turns away from the most vulnerable, Rainbow Bridge stands as a promise—that no dog will be forgotten, and every final chapter will be written with kindness.

You can read more about "The Rainbow Bridge" in this article (completely unaffiliated with Spring Fling) that tells the whole story behind "the Rainbow Bridge." Whether you are hearing of this for the first time, or are familiar with it, this was a very interesting read: "The Rainbow Bridge: The True Story Behind History’s Most Influential Piece of Animal Mourning Literature."

"Every dog deserves to be cherished—especially at the end of their journey."

Adoptable Jabbo - Rainbow Bridge Animal Rescue — Adoptable, Jabbo!

Senior dogs and dogs with significant health care issues are typically not adopted due to the high cost of their medical needs or their advanced age. Rainbow Bridge Hospice Rescue will save these dogs from being euthanized and care for them in a home environment until they cross the Rainbow Bridge.

Most of these dogs are suffering from expensive medical issues and while treatment options may exist, they can be too expensive for many people to afford. That leads the dogs to be surrendered to shelters, where they are often euthanized because of their condition. Shelters have very few resources and many animals to care for so in order to help as many pets as possible, they have to make hard decisions. Additionally, they may not have the ability to keep up with medication schedules or the rigorous care that some medical conditions require.

This is where Rainbow Bridge Hospice Rescue steps in. They take those dogs into their care and do what others are not able to, for as long as the dog remains comfortable. Many can have a good quality of life until their time comes to cross the rainbow bridge and that is exactly what they get at Rainbow Bridge Hospice Rescue. Occasionally, adopters are found who are willing and able to take on the care of these special-needs dogs, but for the most part, they will remain with Rainbow Bridge Hospice Rescue until they cross the bridge.

Adoptable Seniors!

(as of 3/17/26)