On Friday, October 9, a small group gathered at Orchard Hill Nature Center, 22 Huntingtown Road, to commemorate the opening of a new Rainbow Bridge. The Rainbow Bridge, which was brought to Newtown by Mt Pleasant Hospital for Animals and the Newtown Parks & Recreation department, is a place for pet owners to go, leave a memento, and celebrate the lives of pets that have passed on.

At the beginning of the ceremony, Sumakshi Vali, Dr Rakesh Vali’s wife, shared a few words. She started by saying that she “prefers dogs to humans.” Another member of the crowd said, “You think you’re the only one?”

Sumakshi said that her husband is “one of the most modest men” that she has known in her life, but that community is very important to him, to her, and to their son, Dr Kaneha Vali.

“Animals are sentient beings,” Sumakshi said, “and we love them … This is one thing that Dr Vali was dreaming of for quite some time. So we are very grateful.” She added that, while her husband may not show it, he is “one of the very, very happy people today.”

Dr Rakesh Vali and Director of Parks & Recreation Amy Mangold then led the group up the small hill at the beginning of Orchard Hill’s hiking trail to read the new plaque to the crowd. The plaque reads, in part, “May this peaceful garden honor the cherished pets who have touched our lives with unconditional love, loyalty, and companionship. Though they are gone from our sight, they remain forever in our hearts.”

Mangold then brought the group back down the hill for the official ribbon cutting. She said she was very “honored and privileged” to be able to cut the ribbon for the rainbow bridge.

“I was only the person that they came to first when Dr Vali and his team had this idea,” Mangold began. “I’m honestly touched that this beautiful project is coming here at Orchard Hill … It’s about community, and I feel like this is such a space where humans and dogs can come together and just really be at peace.”

Mangold added that quite a few people who were in attendance shared that they either did not know where Orchard Hill Nature Center was or got lost getting there. She said, “What a better way for our community to be more aware of what we have to offer.”

More thanks were given to First Selectman Bruce Walczak, who is a dog owner himself; some Parks & Recreation commissioners; and more to Mt Pleasant Hospital for Animals and the team there. Mangold then grabbed a shining pair of scissors and snipped the red ribbon, officially marking Newtown Rainbow Bridge Garden open and ready for the public.

After the ribbon was cut, Mangold and Vali led the group down the path to where the bridge is. Mt Pleasant Hospital for Animals staff invited those who were there to decorate the bridge with items from their pets’ lives. Isabel Cummings, a long-time client of Vali’s, was the first to add her mementos of Rosie the dog and Hero the cat. Cummings was actually the one to bring the rainbow bridge idea to Vali.

“Mrs Cummings is a long-time client of ours and she came to us, she had to put her dog down, and then she somehow stumbled upon this memorial bridge in Torrington. So she told me about that and I said, ‘Okay, it’s a great idea. I’ve never heard of that before,’” Vali said.

He reached out to Torrington and another town in North Carolina for more information. While ideas formed, there were several other areas that were suggested, like behind Mt Pleasant Hospital for Animals. After seven board meetings, one year later, Cummings was able to put a collar and some laminated photos of her pets on the bridge closest to home.

Mary Simpson, lead technician at Mt Pleasant, added a photo of her dog, Tala, along with a ribbon to the bridge. Many others then left collars and tags at the bridge, as well as carnations that were handed out at the beginning of the ceremony. Attendees were encouraged to leave the flowers behind for all of the beloved pets lost.

Carnations were left on the railings, next to collars, and on the floor of the bridge as attendees walked from one side to the other. Some tears were shed, many hugs were given, and there was a profound feeling of love among the small group.

For those who wish to visit Newtown Rainbow Bridge Garden, Vali asks that environmentally friendly items are left behind. Things like collars and tags can be left as they can withstand the elements better than pieces of clothing or toys can. Cremations are not allowed at the site. Vandalism is strictly prohibited. About once a month, Mt Pleasant staff will go through the area and clean it up, ensuring the memorial place stays clean and proper.

“It’s a great thing, we want Newtown residents, and other residents neighboring this town can use it. It’s not only for Newtown,” Vali said. “In humans, we do have a grave or a place to go and remember them. In pets, there is no such thing … they just keep the urn or keep the ashes or a picture at home, but there’s nothing as such available where a memory can [come] alive … We just want the people to enjoy it, remember their pets, and it there’s any feedback, people can send us an e-mail.”

Vali asks that if any visitors have any suggestions or ideas to please e-mail info@newtownrainbowbridge.org. There is also a website people can visit to learn more about the site and what is/is not acceptable, newtownrainbowbridge.org.

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Reporter Sam Cross can be reached at sam@thebee.com.