Unlike most days at the Rainbow Bridge, this day dawned cold and gray.  All the recent arrivals at the Bridge did not know what to think as they had never seen such a day.  But the animals who had been waiting longer for their beloved people to accompany them across the Bridge knew what was happening, and they began to gather at the pathway leading to the Bridge.

Soon an elderly parrot came into view, head and wings hanging low.  He approached slowly, and though he showed no sign of injury or illness, he was in great emotional pain. Unlike the animals gathered along the pathway, he had not been restored to youth and vigor upon arriving at the Bridge.  He felt out of place, and wanted only to cross over and find happiness.

But as he approached the Bridge, his way was barred by an angel, who apologized and explained that the tired and broken-spirited old parrot could not cross over.  Only those animals accompanied by their people were allowed to cross the Bridge.  Having nobody--and with nowhere to turn--the parrot trudged into he field in front of the Bridge.

There he found others like himself, elderly or infirm, sad and discouraged. Unlike the other animals waiting to cross the Bridge, these animals were not running or playing. They simply were lying in the grass, staring forlornly at the pathway across the Rainbow Bridge. The old parrot took his place among them, watching the pathway and waiting--yet not knowing for what he was waiting.

One of the newer parrots at the Bridge asked a cockatoo who had been there longer to explain what was happening.  The cockatoo replied, "Those poor animals were abandoned, turned away, or left at rescue places, but never found a home on earth. They all passed on with only the love of the rescuer to comfort them.  Because they had no people to love them, they have nobody to escort them across the Rainbow Bridge."

The old parrot asked the cockatoo: "So what will happen to those animals?" Before the cockatoo could answer, the clouds began to part and the cold turned to bright sunshine. The cockatoo replied: "Watch, and you will see."

In the distance was a single person and as she approached the Bridge, the old, infirm and sad animals in the field were bathed in golden light.  They were at once made young and healthy, and stood to see what their fate would be.  The animals who had previously gathered at the pathway bowed their heads as the person approached.  At each bowed head, the person offered a scratch or hug.  One by one, the now youthful and healthy animals from the field, fell into line behind the person.  Together, they walked across the Rainbow Bridge to a future of happiness and unquestioned love.

The old parrot asked the cockatoo: "What just happened?"

The cockatoo responded: "That was a rescuer.  The animals gathered along the pathway bowing in respect were those who had found their forever homes because of rescuers. They will cross over when their people arrive at the Bridge. The arrival here of a rescuer is a great and solemn event, and as a tribute they are permitted to perform one final act of rescue: They are allowed to escort all those poor animals they couldn't place on earth across the Rainbow Bridge."

The old parrot thought for a moment, then said: "I like rescuers."

The cockatoo smiled and replied: "So does heaven, my friend, so does heaven."