English Springer Rescue of the Rockies, Inc

Our Founding Mascot

In Memory of
          ______ Samuel "Sammy" Varga ______
           December 12, 1998 - September 22, 2010

In the early morning of September 22, 2010, Samuel "Sammy" Varga passed away from this life of his family, fosters, and friends. He was observed bright eyed and tail wagging when the family went to bed so we are all thankful that he apparently didn't suffer much or long in his demise. He was and will remain ESRR's official mascot.

Sammy was the model canine. Even-tempered, unselfish, and completely unconditional in giving his love, affection, and friendship to everyone whose path crossed his - whether you were human or a foster brother or sister passing through the gates of ESRR.

He holds a very special place in the webmaster's (Uncle Rick's) heart for reasons his human mom and dad understand. Brother, Woody, and foster brothers are faring well. And our sympathy goes to the Vargas in the loss of their family member.

He will remain forever in our hearts and thoughts.

The Rainbow Bridge Story is a loving story steeply based on a Norse belief. It is a story. Steve and Diane Bodofsky recently did an excellent job of putting the story in poetry form and did so extremely well. Not one essense of the traditional story has been lost. They have called the poem, what else, The Rainbow Bridge. It as follows:

The Rainbow Bridge

By the edge of a woods, at the foot of a hill,
Is a lush, green meadow where time stands still.
Where the friends of man and woman do run,
When their time on earth is over and done.
For here, between this world and the next,
Is a place where each beloved creature finds rest.
On this golden land, they wait and they play,
Till the Rainbow Bridge they cross over one day.
No more do they suffer, in pain or in sadness,
For here they are whole, their lives filled with gladness.
Their limbs are restored, their health renewed,
Their bodies have healed, with strength imbued.
They romp through the grass, without even a care,
Until one day they start, and sniff at the air.
All ears prick forward, eyes dart front and back,
Then all of a sudden, one breaks from the pack.
For just at that instant, their eyes have met;
Together again, both person and pet.
So they run to each other, these friends from long past,
The time of their parting is over at last.
The sadness they felt while they were apart,
Has turned into joy once more in each heart.
They embrace with a love that will last forever,
And then, side-by-side, they cross over. Together.

"I have sometimes thought of the final cause of dogs having such short lives and I am quite satisfied it is in compassion to the human race; for if we suffer so much in losing a dog after an acquaintance of ten or twelve years, what would it be if they were to live double that time?"

Sir Walter Scott

"... what we have enjoyed, we can never lose ...
all that we love deeply becomes a part of us."

Helen Keller

"The problem with loving is that pets don't last long enough and people last too long.”

Anonymous

"Who can believe that there is no soul behind those luminous eyes!"

Theophile Gautier

“In every heart there is an inner room,
where we can hold our greatest treasures and our deepest pain.”

Marianne Williamson