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Almost two decades ago British born businessman Richard Pope and his wife Gail opened their home and hearts to countless unwanted animals facing certain death. Over time BrightHaven has offered sanctuary to hundreds of animals and evolved to become a healing arts center and unique holistic retirement retreat and hospice for senior (16+) sick or disabled animals. The BrightHaven animals 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.
During their journey into the world of natural medicine, Gail and Richard found their understanding of healing and wellness changing, as they were privileged to witness amazing returns to better health and longevity in many of the animals, who have since become well-known BrightHaven success stories. And so the BrightHaven journey has been one of learning about healing—for body, mind and spirit. The animals have taught that, for some, healing will bring about new and wonderful life and for others, that healing will be necessary to prepare for death and the journey beyond.
Gail offers her experience to help others care for their own senior or special needs animals as she offers education on wellness care, hospice and transition, as well as the many natural alternatives to conventional health care or euthanasia. These days BrightHaven rarely accepts new family members and is hopeful that, through this program of education, others will come forward to open their hearts and homes to those whom BrightHaven cannot adopt, and so continue this extraordinary mission. They also envisage that, as the word is spread both by the public as well as the ever changing and growing veterinary community, that many will undertake the care at home, of their senior or special needs pets.
On any day at BrightHaven, you will meet Richard, Gail, Jessica Anderson (Director of operations and Stable manager) Blanca Dominguez (Gail’s right arm and veterinary technician) Vicki Sims (office and admin as well as house-keeper), Julie Morrison (House-keeper), Monica Sanchez (Saturday House-keeper), Fray Huffman (volunteer extraordinaire!), as well as 17 cats, 4 dogs, 3 horses, 1 goose, 2 ducks, 7 chickens, 2 goats and a huge 800 lb. pig named Harley!
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 5:30am, with Gail showering, dressing, then tending to the sick, expressing some animals’ bladders, helping cats and dogs into wheelchairs, changing dirty beds, starting laundry and unloading the stack of dinner plates from the dishwasher. Some elderly felines, who express the need, are allowed a little raw meat treat to begin their day, whilst dear Diana follows her habit of enjoying a saucer of milk as Gail makes her first (of many!!) cups of tea for the day! Gail then dashes out to feed and say a quick hello to the fowl, and take a little treat to the other farmyard residents—the goats and Harley the hog, as they bid welcome to their day, before returning indoors to check emails for urgency, print today’s medical treatment chart—and then it is on with the business of breakfast for cats and dogs.
Richard leaves for the office, and Vicki arrives to tackle the housekeeping projects for the day. Blanca Dominguez, who has been valiantly keeping the BrightHaven household spic and span since spring 2004, rightfully earning the title of Gail’s right arm as well as “Jack of all trades”, has now become our BrightHaven veterinary technician, assisted ably by Vicki. These days Vicki has begun a move to the BrightHaven office and has Julie and Monica to cover to cover housekeeping duties most days! They have the unenviable task of cleaning litter boxes, 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.
Blanca works a varied roster to cover all her duties which, in the mornings, involve dispensing homeopathic preparations, herbal remedies or nutritional 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, receive the BrightHaven formula for immune support and of course, have physical exams and their blood checked regularly in the BrightHaven clinic. This young lady is an amazing bundle of energy, who powers her way through each and every day with a big smile on her face and a kiss and a cuddle for all the animals she meets on her way. Being a naturally gifted medical intuitive and also proficient in animal Reiki, Blanca loves to offer healing to all the animals as she works. She is a single parent, and so life is also very busy outside of BrightHaven hours, and on the left you can meet daughter Yanira who has recently made her Mother very proud as, at the age of 11 years, she became a Karate black belt champion. Blanca and Yanira share their Rohnert Park home with two sweet felines named Princess, 5 and Panchis, 15 years.
Next, time to meet the lovely Vicki, who keeps us on our toes as she busily cleans and organizes us and then turns her talents to the ever growing work of the BH office! Vicki is an inspiration to everyone as she powers her way through each day wearing a huge smile! Once finished with all her BH chores, Vicki races home to tend to the needs of her own huge family… You see she also runs her own non-profit organization devoted to saving the lives of senior and special needs horses, called Sadie’s Haven.
Please visit her web site and offer your help! At the end of her long day, Vicki finally returns home to husband William and their two cats Squirrelly and Black Kitty! Vicki also has two grown up sons, who are the great lights in her life, as well as an adorable new grand daughter.
The other member of Vicki’s team is Monica, who steps brightly into BH life every Saturday with a large happy smile on her face and her sweet dog Daisy at her side. Monica has worked with us for almost five years, knows all the animals well, and is totally at home in our home. She has her own large family at home with husband, Mel and children Tony, Ashley and Ryan. Bailey especially looks forward to Saturdays when he can play with his cute and energetic little friend Daisy!
As the indoor animals are starting their breakfast, it is time for Jessica to start her chores in the BrightHaven barn where she is kept busy tending to the needs of the four BrightHaven horses. Jessica Anderson who has a BA in psychology, is in charge of the BrightHaven stables and the daily care of the horses. She is responsible for feeding, cleaning and mucking, as well as all aspects of our equine healthcare and nutrition. Each BrightHaven horse has his or her own classical veterinary homeopath in charge of their health, as well as our very good friend and local equine holistic veterinarian, Tere Crocker, who is quick to come to lend her expertise whenever it is needed.
Three times a week, once the horses are all set for their day, Jessica steps into Blanca’s shoes and takes over the BrightHaven clinic and medical duties. Once the varied routine is done, Jessica steps back into her other role as our seminar and event planner extraordinaire!!
Jess, who is certified in animal Reiki as well as acupressure, has a deep passion for learning all kinds of energy medicine and is always ready to offer healing to anyone in need.
Jessica too, is a single Mom, but of the fur covered kind. Wherever you see her, you will generally find her sweet girl Maya following very closely behind! Maya is probably one of the sweetest dogs one could ever wish to meet and maybe just because he “can”, Joey hates her with a vengeance and constantly pursues her to threaten her very life! Poor Maya is constantly on the run from this “vicious” and tiny Chihuahua in his wheelchair! Jessica and Maya are owned by a very beautiful Oriental girl at home named “Isis”, shown above.
In early 2010 Julie began volunteering at BrightHaven and is now a member of the team, working four days a week and sharing the enormous job of sanctuary house-keeping with Vicki and Monica. She was born and raised in Santa Rosa, and has always had a genuine love for animals, demonstrated by her fifteen years volunteering and working with other animal non profits.
Julie also enjoys spending time with her two dogs, Lucy, who is in the autumn of her life and Mr. Cheese, otherwise known as the dog who is always smiling!
There is another team she loves to support in her spare time and that is the San Francisco 49ers. She is especially proud to be a part of their 2011 Faithful Fan Campaign, being featured in a commercial, and on 49ers Total Access as well as The Chronicle and other print ads. Fray Huffman is a volunteer but has spent so much of her time at BrightHaven that she is considered one of the family. Fray works daily for a couple of hours to help Gail return telephone calls for her ever growing rescue network and is often available to give tours of BrightHaven, which are both informative and full of fun.
These days her main responsibilities lie outside with the feeding and care of the two goats, Mr. Murphy and Dorothy, the chickens, Giselle, Ted, Louis, Jake, Kate and Pam and Odie the goose.
And then, of course there is the famous Harley, our enormous pig! “Harley,” our huge BrightHaven hog is one of the brightest lights in Fray’s life and she dedicates much time caring for him—and being covered in mud!!! Harley is a paraplegic, having lost the use of his back legs several years ago. At that time his future seemed terribly uncertain but Harley simply followed in the footsteps of cats and dogs alike and scooted happily instead of walking! What a lesson he has been to so many! To the left you can see him giving his Fray a kiss!Afternoons are generally a time of less hustle and bustle for the animals as the humans turn their attention to the endless office work. Of course there are numerous and ongoing veterinary evaluations as well as some veterinary appointments by telephone or email. During the afternoons Gail turns her attention first to her work of consultations on the BH raw meat-based diet, as well as holistic and, or hospice advice to those with animals in need. Then there are always the BH accounts to attend to, as well as fundraising and the writing of BrightHaven educational literature, as well as obituaries and animal stories. There are increasingly numerous callbacks and emails regarding the ongoing and ever-growing numbers of animals facing death due to their “un-adoptable” status—a questionable term? The BrightHaven rescue network takes a growing amount of Gail’s time daily, as it grows and becomes more and more successful, proving its mission of “People helping People to help Animals” as it rescues senior and special needs animals from shelters daily and places them in foster, permanent and also hospice care.
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 animal 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 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.
Evening feeding begins around 4pm for the horses, and farmyard folk, then at 5pm Gail begins the evening feeding session. Dogs come first so that cats can eat in peace, with many pauses to help those who may be unwell or feeling picky that day!!
Richard arrives home next and generally prepares the evening meal for the humans, after which it is hopefully time for Richard and Gail to have time on the couch with dogs Bailey, Joey and Jack, as well as Hope and whichever of the felines who feel the need of a cuddle that evening—and at the moment that would probably be Sasha, SuzyQ, Pepito and Gabby! Bedtime is a reversal of the 6 am procedures. Gail is often up during the night—tending to the sick or sleeping on the blow up bed with someone in transition.
An important aspect of BrightHaven’s daily life and work 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 allowed to roam where they choose in the house. A human will remain close by during both day and night—time 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.
Obituaries for those passed are lovingly created by Gail and shared on the web site for all to read. BrightHaven’s Rose Ceremony, which is held bi-monthly on every second Sunday, 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 some linger a while longer with friends old and new to talk more of their passion for these sweet beings with whom we share our lives. Everybody is invited to the Rose Ceremony!
We all know about and understand the philosophy of “The Circle of Life and Death” and yet death remains the most feared, and yet revered subject of which we know. Several years ago Gail began writing the story of BrightHaven’s animals and this document, entitled “Across the Rainbow Bridge with BrightHaven” became the base for their first two booklets “As Time Goes By” and “Into the Light”—both available from the BrightHaven website as well as Amazon.com. BrightHaven’s newest publication, Peace, Hope and Hospice is a revised compilation of the two previous booklets and is available at Lulu.com
In September 2009 Richard and Gail were honored to be speakers at the UC Davis 2nd Veterinary Hospice Symposium, and gave a presentation that chronicled BrightHaven’s two decade journey and mind shift, as they learned from their animals, about life, wellness, the autumn years, hospice care and transition. The presentation was entitled the Gentle Shift and has now become the basis for a two day seminar held at BrightHaven.
Gail’s passion these days is hospice care for animals and so she was delighted to be invited to join the newly formed Board of Directors of the International Association for Animal Hospice & Palliative Care, an organization that plans to tempt members from all walks of veterinary medicine as well as animal lovers, to join together to learn more about hospice for animals and create support teams to help those caring for their animals at home towards the end of life. In support of the BH passion for hospice Gail is also in the process of forming BH’s own hospice group with close friends from the world of animal hospice.
In the meantime, Richard and Gail are in the process of designing a series of four seminars, a certification program called “The BrightHaven Insight”. Life at BrightHaven has been a fantastic journey so far, and it is now time to spread the love, knowledge, experience and lessons as far as possible, for the higher good of animals. The seminars will share all aspects of the natural diet, holistic balance through alternative medicine, the natural dying process and our fair share of miracles. A complete syllabus can be obtained from the BrightHaven office 707 578 4800 or by email info@brighthaven.org.
Richard and Gail are often asked when they will write the long awaited BrightHaven book, which will chronicle their personal journey through the BrightHaven experience and will share many poignant animal stories with the hope of giving the reader even more insight into “the BrightHaven philosophy of balance for healing. The answer to that question is…soon, we hope!
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
info@brighthaven.org
www.BrightHaven.org