Florida woman builds Rainbow Bridge memorial for pets; families can leave collars and tags

Bolen, a lifelong dog lover, had been working on the project for more than a year before it became a reality (Photo: Wgcu news) Florida resident Gabrielle Bolen has opened a permanent Rainbow Bridge Pet Memorial at the Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers, giving families a place to remember pets they have lost, Cape Coral Breeze reported.The memorial opened on Saturday after Bolen spent about 18 months planning, fundraising and working with local businesses and community members to turn her idea into a physical space where visitors can leave collars and tags in honour of their pets.Bolen, a lifelong dog lover, had been working on the project for more than a year before it became a reality. The memorial was created as a place for people to grieve, remember and celebrate pets that were part of their families. The memorial is inspired by the well-known Rainbow Bridge poem.A place to remember lost petsThe Rainbow Bridge Pet Memorial is designed as a symbolic bridge that visitors can walk around rather than across. The structure is surrounded by landscaping and a seating area, creating a space where people can spend time remembering their pets.Visitors are invited to bring a collar or t...