About BrightHaven
Meet our resident Veterinarian!

Twelve years ago British born businessman Richard Pope and his wife Gail opened their home and hearts to countless unwanted animals facing certain death.

Over the years BrightHaven has evolved to become a completely unique holistic retirement retreat and hospice for senior (16+) sick or disabled animals. Once an animal is "adopted" by BrightHaven, they live out their lives in a beautiful, well balanced environment as part of a loving family and all are completely free to roam indoors or outside in the enclosed gardens. We understand that there are always no less than 12 cats on the family bed, which is surrounded by dogs every night!!

Most recently BrightHaven is becoming well known as a healing arts center for animals through our seminar and workshop programs, which are designed to help people better care for their animals as we invite well-known practitioners from many walks of natural health to join with us to offer our knowledge to the community.

On any day at BrightHaven you will meet Richard, Gail, Margaret (Gail's Mother), Susanna Anthony (BrightHaven's general manager), Blanca Dominguez(housekeeper), 40 cats, 4 dogs, 4 horses, 2 geese, 3 ducks, 3 chickens, 2 goats and one huge 700 lb. pig named Harley.

Margaret, Gail’s Mother bears the title of chief animal cuddler. Here she is shown with one of her cats Neko. Margaret moved from England after the death of Gail's Father in 1997 to join the family and lives in her own home on the property along with her own 5 cats - all BrightHaven rescues of course!

When any animal is sick or reaching the end of their life, Margaret is always on hand to give love, support and words of encouragement.

Susanna Anthony joined BrightHaven in 2000 as our General Manager. She lives at BrightHaven along with her 2 feline daughters "Lulu" and "Diva," and in the last 6 years has shown herself to be invaluable in so very many ways - from running the BrightHaven office with a smooth efficiency - to dealing with the many and varied requests from animal owners or rescuers who see BrightHaven as their answer - to her efficient and amazing knowledge of animal care. As well as being a trained animal behaviorist, Susanna has a wealth of nutritional knowledge, and expertise in the formulation of the natural diet and its supplementation. She is always available for consultations to people interested in making the change. Education is ongoing at BrightHaven and very dear to Susanna's heart.

Fray Huffman is a volunteer but has spent so much of her time at BrightHaven that she is considered one of the family now. Fray is Gail’s assistant and involved in all aspects of animal care. Fray is generally on duty with Gail before first light daily and is responsible for taking care of the farmyard animals before then dashing to her place of work until 5pm, when she returns to help Gail with evening chores.

"Harley," our huge BrightHaven pig is one of the brightest lights in Fray’s life and she dedicates much time caring for him - and being covered in mud too!!!

As you wander through the 10-acre hospice and haven you start to realize that this is a place entirely different from any other. Despite their advanced years and various challenges these animals have shiny coats, bright eyes and are relaxed, happy and charmed to make your acquaintance. Soft soothing music in the background, the aroma of essential oils and burning candles create an atmosphere influenced by Feng Shui and love. This is indeed paradise for animals!! The humans however don't seem to have it so good as there is literally endless work to be accomplished just to get through each day…….…….

BrightHaven starts its day at 5:30 am; with Gail showering, dressing, then, generally joined by Fray tending to the sick, expressing some animals' bladders, helping cats and dogs into wheelchairs, checking glucose levels of the diabetics, changing dirty beds, starting laundry, unloading the huge stack of dinner plates from the dishwasher, tending to the pig, goats, ducks, geese and chickens and all this before the natural raw meat diet breakfast is enjoyed by all. Breakfast preparations begin at 7:30am, as Richard leaves for the office and Blanca arrives to tackle the huge housekeeping projects for the day.

Blanca Dominguez assisted by Monica Sanchez, has been valiantly keeping the BrightHaven household spic and span since spring 2004. She has the unenviable task of cleaning litter boxes, of which we have many, vacuuming and mopping the floors each and every day and changing cat and dog beds as they are soiled or dirty. The scrubbing, cleaning and polishing is endless, but this amazing bundle of energy powers her way through every day with a big smile on her face and a kiss and a cuddle for the animals she meets on her way. Her special BrightHaven favorite is our angelic "Furbee," who is prone to seizures. Blanca insists upon being the one to put him tenderly to bed for his morning nap each day. Here she is shown receiving a special kiss from the equally adorable MeiLing!!

Blanca has extended her talents to become Susanna's medical assistant, responsible for the daily administration of subcutaneous fluid therapy.

As the indoor animals are starting their breakfast it is time for Susanna or Richard to start their chores in the BrightHaven barn where they are kept busy tending to the needs of the four BrightHaven horses.

Susanna and Gail work a varied roster to cover all the duties, which, in the morning involves dispensing all the many homeopathic preparations; herbs and supplements prescribed by the BrightHaven team of very well known volunteer homeopaths. Many of the animals receive subcutaneous fluid or vitamin therapy on a daily or rotating basis and have their blood checked regularly in the BrightHaven clinic. There are numerous ongoing evaluations, veterinary phone appointments, twice daily insulin injections for the diabetics, ear cleanings, nail trimmings and such, performed daily. Two meals per day are served to the animals, with the more frail or sick receiving an additional noontime meal. Midday finds the need for expressing bladders again and changing any more soiled beds before the staff takes a well-deserved break to eat and chat - and try in vain to protect their food from marauding cats on the table!

On weekends, after lunch Rosa or Monica continue on with the never ending cleaning chores.

Here you can see Monica (left) and Rosa (right) with their usual happy smiles and, of course, a cat in their arms!

During the afternoons Susanna and Gail turn their attention to the endless office work consisting of consultations on the BH diet, holistic advice to those with elderly animals in need, accounts, fundraising and callbacks regarding the ongoing, increasing numbers of animals facing death due to their being "unadoptable" - a questionable term?

BrightHaven is continually meeting new challenges as they search for the right way to achieve the purrrfect balance for each individual. The team is well aware that there is never a "written" solution: each case is different and, while diet and homeopathy may be the right balance for one animal, another's acute situation may require the fast action of conventional medicine. BrightHaven embraces a variety of holistic treatments including the use of both Western and Chinese herbs, flower essences, as well as acupressure and chiropractic care when available. When working with cancer patients, additional fundraising is done to try to provide specialist care or surgery, as well as nutritional diagnosis and immune therapy. Currently 100% of all holistic work is given pro bono to BrightHaven by the practitioners involved.

Susanna generally leaves around 4 pm to start her afternoon's work with the horses, after giving any afternoon medications, and feeding the farmyard animals.…. whilst Gail, often helped by Fray, begins the evening feeding session. Dogs come first so that cats can eat in peace!! - little ones followed by the large. Then, on to the cats, with many pauses to help those that are sick or have special needs. Richard arrives home next to help and generally prepares the evening meal for the humans - dashed down quickly as there is still more to do - finishing up with preparing everyone for bed - a reverse of the 5 am procedures. Gail is often up many times during the night - tending to the sick or escorting a dog to potty. Furbee, an angelic little boy of the feline persuasion, is brain impaired and often sleeps in Richard's arms.

An important aspect of BrightHaven's daily life may become suddenly obvious and to the newcomer it is a refreshing change to find that here the subject of death is dealt with very differently and with no sense of panic. Due to the age and health of the animals there is often someone approaching the end of their life and this is first recognized and accepted by all as supportive treatment is planned. Generally at this stage of life an animal will be supported by Homeopathy, Reiki, flower essences and daily subcutaneous fluid therapy, but most importantly they will be allowed to stay in the comfort of their own bed or to roam where they choose in the house. A human will remain close by during both day and nighttime to offer a drink or a snack, a clean bed or even just some loving company as the animal plans his/her journey to their next life. All in all these last days are treated as a celebration of life itself and without fear.

BrightHaven’s Rose Ceremony, which is held on every second Sunday of each month,is a tradition to honor the passing of loved ones. It is a wonderful opportunity to share memories with like-minded people. The ceremony is a simple but very moving affair, which begins with a short address of welcome, after which family and guests are invited to say a few words in memory of their pet. Participants then scatter rose petals around a photograph or memento of their honoree and the ceremony finishes with a prayer and a song. Afternoon tea and cakes are then served as we sit for a while longer with friends old and new to talk more of our passion for these sweet beings with whom we share our lives. Everybody is invited to the Rose Ceremony!

Richard and Gail are planning soon to engage upon a huge project—writing the long awaited BrightHaven book. The book will document their personal transition through the BrightHaven experience and will tell many poignant animal stories with the hope of giving the reader an insight into "the BrightHaven balance for health."

Currently Gail is also writing her own book "Across the Rainbow Bridge with BrightHaven", which is about a subject as natural as that of life itself - that of Love, Hospice care and Death.

Finally, the BrightHaven dream is to expand and work towards making this country a place where the elderly, sick and disabled animals are not treated as disposable items, but rather as a respected part of a caring society, consequently helping to make the world a better place for all of us.

Day to day costs are enormous:
please consider making a donation to help out.

BrightHaven
PO Box 1473
Sebastopol, CA 95473-1473

Tel: 707 578 4800
www.brighthaven.org
info@brighthaven.org