Arboretum installs pet memorial bridge

The Arboretum installed a splash of color and a place for solace – a pet memorial bridge – along one of their meadow trails in honor of a community member’s sick pet this month. 

Cheyenne Tillery’s 13-year-old dog, Trina, has been suffering from cancer. Recently, a complication with her medications had Tillery worried Trina was not going to survive.  

Emma Wadsen photo

The rainbow bridge stands in the arboretum.

At the time, the only thing that could bring Tillery comfort was finding a place to memorialize Trina when she passed. 

“When she first started getting sick, there was a rainbow bridge in North Carolina and they filled it up with collars and it’s for all the dog owners to remember them by,” said Tillery, who was planning on taking a trip to memorialize Trina. “When they had a big flood happen, it took out the bridge, so I was like ‘Well what do I do now?’” 

She found her answer when she learned the Troy University Arboretum had installed new bridges along some of their trails. She requested one to be painted into a rainbow bridge to memorialize her dog, and the Arboretum quickly granted her wish. 

“She got really sick here recently and when I tell you they came out here with paint brushes and started painting,” Tillery said. “We got out of the vet, they sent me a picture, and I was like ‘I don’t have to put her down’ and they said, ‘well the bridge is done.’” 

Trina’s cancer complications didn’t end up being deadly, but that doesn’t mean the rainbow bridge has gone unused. Clark Harris, the volunteer supervisor at the Arboretum and the one responsible for the bridgeconstruction, has been able to memorialize two of her late pets since it was built. 

“We had a wonderful dog, Cyrilla, that was a rescue and lived with us for 15 years,” Harris said. “She used to love coming out here and walking around the trail and finding plant specimens. 

“The other dog that I’ve memorialized was our dog Jet, who also enjoyed it out here, and it’s just nice to think that they’re memorialized in a place that they got to spend some time doing something they thoroughly enjoyed.” 

The Arboretum’s director, Dr. Alvin Diamond, heard these stories and knew having somewhere for people to memorialize their furry family members was the right idea. 

“Pets are like our families,” Diamond said. “I mean they are more than just an animal; and we have really strong connections with them, and it hurts when you lose them.” 

The Arboretum is currently in the process of clearing out the surrounding meadow area and planting flowers to beautify the area around the bridge.