Rainbow Bridge Lacombe

01/22/2026

📣A year ago, our Rainbow Bridge Lacombe, was blanketed in snow - a serene reminder of love that never fades. 🌈❄️These peaceful scenes capture the essence of the bridge—a place of solace and remembrance for the pets who’ve crossed before us.

Today, more than 500 tags and collars gently hang on the bridge—each one representing a cherished life and a bond that never fades.

The Rainbow Bridge is not just a physical place, but a community of love, remembrance, and healing. A place where grief is met with understanding, and where the spirit of our companions continues to shine through every season. Forever loved. Never forgotten. 🌟

🌈 The Rainbow Bridge is located along the tree line at the St. Tammany Parish Department of Animal Services Campus, 31078 Hwy 36, Lacombe, LA 70445.

🌈 Open 7 days a week during daylight hours.

🌈 We welcome your pet's collar/tag on the middle rail of the bridge.

🌈 Outdoor remembrance tags may be purchased for a $25 donation to help injured strays at www.ScottsWish.org/Rainbow-Bridge

🌈 Love to garden? Volunteers are always welcome—message us!

🌈 Planning a visit? Reach out anytime with questions. We want this to be a special place for all.

10/07/2025

📣When we read about the heartbreaking loss felt by our friends at the Gulf Coast Reptile Refuge, we wanted to place a tag in Cotton's memory on the Rainbow Bridge and share her story as a reminder that all animals deserve to be treated with kindness and compassion. RIP, Cotton. 🌈

💔From the Gulf Coast Reptile Refuge and Tortoise Sanctuary page...

Good evening, friends. I have some sad news to share.
It's with a heavy heart that I type this memorial post, for GCRR special needs resident Cotton.

For our many newer followers, I would like to share Cotton's story.
Cotton came to the rescue in January of 2024. She was surrendered by a very sweet couple who were her first rescuers. They were driving through a small town and noticed something small slowly trying to make Its way across a busy road. It took them a minute to register that what they were seeing was a bearded dragon.
They immediately stopped and scooped her up out of the road and took her home.

They kept her and nurtured her for around 3 years, at which point she started refusing to eat. That's when they contacted us and asked us if we would take her here.

Cotton had a significant case of Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD,) she had no use of her rear legs, was missing a foot from a back leg along with most of her tail. Yes, some despicable waste of oxygen dumped this innocent, crippled animal and she very easily could've been run over that day.

Despite her physical deficits, Cotton was mobile, a foodie, and the absolute SWEETEST natured beardie I have ever met in my life.
She deserved SO much better than the life she started with.

For the year and eight months she was with us, she was shown so much love. She had a custom ramp in her enclosure that a friend of the rescue made for her. She loved it. She had her own blanket (which I will keep forever) and her own camera in her enclosure. Cotton would sometimes topple over and would not be able to right herself. We installed her own camera in her enclosure so that we could check on her multiple times a day even when we were doing outside chores. It was a lifesaver.

Cotton was my first hello when I got up in the morning, and my final goodnight when I headed to bed at the end of the day.

This will be my first night not being able to say goodnight to her, and it hurts.

I know that in the rescue realm, we truly never know how long we have with these animals, especially the ones with horrible backgrounds. That doesn't make the losses any easier.

The only thing that brings me peace in this loss is that I know that we showered her with so much love in the time that she was with us.

As bad as this loss hurts, I would do it all over again.

Rest in Paradise Cotton.
🌄Sunrise - Unknown
🌅Sunset - 9/08/25

We loved you so.

10/07/2025

📣 We’re so grateful to Catherine at Pet Passages - Lafayette, La, for her compassionate care of beloved animals who’ve crossed the Rainbow Bridge. 🌈Mardi Paws had stepped up to treat Ripley for severe heartworm disease, but sadly, he passed away in his sleep before beginning treatment. Jadey, Dawn, the Chief, and all the officers at Port Barre PD love and care for these strays as their own and are heartbroken by his loss.

💔 Ripley, you will be forever loved… forever missed.

09/20/2025

Indy Jones crossed the Rainbow Bridge last month, but before she left this world, her loving parents brought her for a visit—so she would always know where they’d meet again. 🌈

🙏 RIP Indy Jones • June 2016 – August 2025 🌈

Indy was a beloved member of the Myslicki family. Her mom, Audra, gives back by fostering and volunteering with our parish’s shelter, St. Tammany Parish Department of Animal Services.

Our Rainbow Bridge Lacombe was built along the treeline of the shelter to honor those who never made it out and to give the community a place to remember their own pets.

Today, more than 500 hearts still beat on at our bridge, patiently waiting for the day they’ll leap back into their families’ arms.

Each tag, each collar, each name tells a story of love that never fades. 🌈✨

To all who have said goodbye to a loyal friend—we remember with you. 💕

If you’d like to place your pet’s collar on the bridge, or dedicate a tag with their name for a $25 donation, you’ll also be helping us care for injured shelter animals in need.

More info: ScottsWish.org/Rainbow-Bridge

We’re grateful to our board members Jennifer and Denise for their care of the bridge and garden. 🌈

09/15/2025

📣Today, on National Pet Memorial Day, we pause to honor the many beloved companions who left pawprints, clawprints, and tiny footprints on our hearts. 💕

This is Raquel, a cherished bearded dragon who was more than a pet—she was family. Her memory, like so many others, reminds us of the unconditional love and joy animals bring into our lives. 🦎

At our Rainbow Bridge, over 500 precious hearts still beat on, waiting for the day they are reunited with their families. Each collar, each name, tells a story of love that never fades. 🌈✨

To all who have said goodbye to a loyal friend—today, we remember with you.

We welcome your pet's collar on our bridge, and we also have tags available for a $25 donation that allows us to help injured shelter animals.

More info: ScottsWish.org/Rainbow-Bridge

09/06/2025

💔 We picked up Claire Bear’s beautiful tribute package yesterday along with her tag that will soon hang on our Rainbow Bridge. 🌈

As heartbreaking as it is to hold these reminders of her, we find comfort in knowing she didn’t leave this world alone or forgotten. Because of you, Claire Bear had a week filled with love, soft beds, cheeseburgers, and bucket-list moments before her passing. 🌈🍔

She mattered. She was cherished. And now, her tag will join the Rainbow Bridge as a lasting reminder of her life and the love she inspired.

Thank you to everyone who helped give Claire Bear dignity, comfort, and joy in her final days.

Thank you to the compassionate doctors and staff at Lafayette Veterinary Care Center for being there for Claire and so many animals in need, and to Catherine at Pet Passages - Lafayette for helping return Claire’s remains to Nichole Guillory—the huge hearted ACO who saved her. 💗

If you’ve ever lost a beloved pet, would you consider donating $25 for a tag in their name on our Rainbow Bridge?

It’s a way to honor their memory while paying it forward for the next stray in desperate need. Order here👉www.ScottsWish.org/Rainbow-Bridge

Her memory will live on in our hearts and on the Bridge forever. 🐾💗

08/28/2025

🌈🐾 More Than 500 Hearts Honored Here🐾🌈

A little over a year ago, the Rainbow Bridge in Lacombe was built as a place to honor the unconditional love we share with our pets. Since then, families from across the region have come to leave tags and collars—creating a sanctuary of remembrance for dogs, cats, birds, iguanas, and so many others.

Now, more than 500 tags and collars gently hang on the bridge, each one representing a cherished life and a bond that never fades. 💕

On this National Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day, we’re reminded that the Bridge is not just a physical place, but a community of love, remembrance, and healing. A place where grief is met with understanding, and where the spirit of our companions continues to shine through every season.

🌟 Forever loved. Never forgotten. 🌟

👉 We’d be honored if you’d share a photo of your beloved pet who has crossed the Rainbow Bridge in the comments below. 💖

🌈 The Rainbow Bridge is located along the tree line at the St. Tammany Parish Department of Animal Services Campus at 31078 Hwy 36, Lacombe, LA 70445

🌈 You can visit the bridge 7 days a week during daylight hours.

🌈 We welcome your pet's collar/tag on the middle rail of the bridge.

🌈 You can also purchase outdoor tags for a $25 donation used to help injured strays www.ScottsWish.org/Rainbow-Bridge If you've purchased a tag, scroll down the web page to see where your tag is at in production

🌈 Love to garden? We could sure use a few volunteers, please message us!

🌈 Planning a visit, please feel free to message us with any questions at all, we want this to be a special place for all.

05/18/2025

🌈Today we honor Bear Thornhill, who crossed the Rainbow Bridge on 4/10/25.

Adopted 3/17/2012, Bear endured unimaginable cruelty before our dear friend, board member and dedicated shelter volunteer Jennifer Thornhill and her husband Ed opened their hearts and home to him. ❤️

He had suffered severe burns on his left side, damage to his eye, and deep scarring on his head before they adopted him—but what never scarred was his spirit. With their unwavering love and care, Bear knew comfort, safety, and the joy of being truly loved.

Run free, sweet Bear—you will always be remembered. 🐾🌈

05/18/2025

🌈 Tails from the Rainbow Bridge 🌈 We recently welcomed Margot, a beloved Gulf Coast Reptile Refuge and Tortoise Sanctuary Alumni to the bridge, we know she'll enjoy her surroundings. 🦎

🕊In Loving Memory; GCRR Alumni "Margot"🕊
💛Sunrise: Unknown
🧡Sunset: April 18, 2025

From GCRR ...
Margot came to the rescue back in February of 2023. She waited for months to be chosen by someone but was passed over many times due to her sassy personality. Along came Melissa, who chose to commit to her as her foster family. Melissa devoted a lot of time working with her, and in the process, fell smitten. She made it official at that point, and decided Margot was HOME.

Margot was shown so much love in her time with her family, just as she'd always deserved. Even if she didn't want it (lol.) Sadly, in recent months, Margot developed an aggressive form of cancer, and her body just couldn't fight it anymore.

She was set free at Saucier Veterinary Clinic, peacefully, in the arms of Melissa who loved her so much. Thank you to the staff there, who were so kind and empathetic throughout the process.

We are so sorry for your loss Melissa and family. Thank you for remaining a dedicated foster home, even through the tough times. 🖤

More info: ScottsWish.org/Rainbow-Bridge

05/18/2025

04/20/2025

👑HRH Rocky Dalton, Mardi Paws XXIV
Crossed the Rainbow Bridge 7/2021 🌈

❤️Beloved boy of our very longtime supporters The Daltons, Camp Bow Wow - Covington, LA