Every animal leaves something behind. Some leave memories of companionship, others teach lessons about responsibility and a few change the direction of a person’s life entirely.
In Those We Meet at the Rainbow Bridge, Susan Jaunsen reflects on the many animals who shaped her understanding of compassion, grief, rescue and enduring love. From two vulnerable rabbits to colonies of feral cats, each encounter becomes part of a larger journey, one defined by the decision to notice, care and act.
Beatrice and Bonnie, two Netherland Dwarf rabbits, are among the first animals to demonstrate the life-changing power of intervention. They had been left in an aquarium on an apartment patio, exposed to harsh weather and without suitable shelter. When heavy rain arrived, Jaunsen found them drenched and shivering.
Rather than waiting for someone else to help, she brought them to safety. Although she knew little about rabbit care at the time, she researched their needs, provided temporary shelter and found a responsible foster home where they could eventually be adopted. Their story reinforced a lesson that echoes throughout the book: compassion is not simply an emotion. It is a choice to step forward.
The same respect for vulnerable lives appears in Jaunsen’s encounter with honey bees. When a colony settled inside an apartment building, she did not treat the bees as disposable pests. Instead, she located an experienced beekeeper who carefully removed and relocated them. Watching the colony work together gave her a new appreciation for the intelligence, structure and resilience found in the natural world.
Clarence, a neglected cockatoo kept in a dark laundry room, represents another painful example of an animal whose needs were overlooked. Intelligent and social, Clarence had suffered from isolation and poor care. Jaunsen spoke up for him and later imagined a future in which he found sanctuary, companionship and healing. His story reminds readers that advocacy often begins when someone is willing to say, “This is not acceptable.”
Cats, however, play an especially important role in Jaunsen’s journey. Siam, Smokey, Mischief, Little Boy, Chloe, Shadow, Oliver and many others enter her life through abandonment, rescue or chance encounters. Some are frightened and feral, requiring humane traps and veterinary care. Others gradually learn to trust and become beloved members of the household.
Siam and Smokey receive food, medical attention and eventually a safe home at an animal sanctuary. Mischief tests the author’s patience with her ability to avoid capture. Chloe arrives as a protective mother cat and grows into an affectionate, vocal companion. Oliver is removed from an unsafe environment and becomes another treasured presence in Jaunsen’s life.
Through these animals, the author learns that rescue is rarely convenient. It requires persistence, expense, patience and the willingness to experience loss. Not every story ends happily and some animals remain in her life only briefly. Yet every effort matters.
Those We Meet at the Rainbow Bridge celebrates the animals who taught Susan Jaunsen to pay closer attention to suffering and respond with courage. Their stories remind us that even the smallest act of care can alter the course of a life.
From frightened rabbits to cautious rescue cats, these animals did more than receive kindness. They helped shape the person who offered it.
