A Life Devoted to Senior and Special Needs Animals
Gail Pope is the Founder and President of BrightHaven, one of the earliest sanctuary-based models dedicated to senior and special needs animals, animal hospice care, and holistic education. With more than three decades of hands-on experience in rescue, hospice, and natural dying, Gail is widely recognized as a pioneer in the field of animal hospice and palliative care.
Originally from Harrow, England, Gail later settled in Southern California, where she and her husband, Richard Pope, established what began as “Cats Are People Too” in the late 1980s. In 1993, their growing understanding of aging, illness, and end-of-life care led to the founding of BrightHaven Center for Animal Rescue, Hospice, and Holistic Education — a sanctuary devoted to animals often considered “unadoptable” due to age or chronic conditions.
Over the decades, BrightHaven became a living classroom where the full circle of life and death was honored with dignity, patience, and compassion.
Holistic Philosophy and Integrated Care
Gail’s approach to animal care integrates physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. She has long advocated for combining holistic methods with conventional veterinary medicine in a thoughtful, collaborative model of care.
Her practice has included classical veterinary homeopathy, Reiki (Level 3 practitioner), flower essences, nutritional support, and attentive comfort care — always in partnership with veterinary oversight when needed. Her philosophy is rooted in observation, presence, and respect for the individual journey of each animal.
This integrative approach shaped what would later become a recognized model of hospice-supported natural dying for animals.
Pioneer of Animal Hospice and Natural Dying
Gail has personally supported more than 700 animal passings, the majority through hospice-supported natural dying. Her experience spans advanced age, chronic illness, terminal diagnoses, and complex medical conditions managed in a sanctuary setting.
At a time when animal hospice was rarely discussed, Gail was quietly developing protocols, comfort strategies, and emotional support practices that would influence the broader field of animal hospice and palliative care.
Gail served on the founding Board of Directors of the International Association of Animal Hospice and Palliative Care (IAAHPC) established in 2009, and later as an Advisory Board Member.
Her lived experience with end-of-life care helped establish BrightHaven as a respected leader in compassionate, dignity-centered animal hospice.
Author, Educator, and International Voice
Gail is the author of multiple books on animal hospice, holistic care, and the animal dying experience, including:
In recent years, Gail has also collaborated with Karen Wylie, EdD on the development of practical caregiving resources for BrightHaven Caregiver Academy’s BrightPath Series, including:
- Nourishing Through Illness: Supporting Appetite, Comfort, And Care For Pets With Life-Changing Diagnoses
- Managing Pain with Compassion: Practical Support for Aging and Ill Pets
Her book "Soar, My Butterfly" is required reading in professional hospice certification programs and her teaching module, “Understanding the Animal Dying Experience,” has been included in formal IAAHPC training for veterinarians and hospice practitioners.
She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Shelter Animal Reiki Association (SARA) and is a faculty member of Holistic Actions! for Companion Animals.
She is also a founding partner of Animal Hospice Group, helping advance professional education in the field she helped shape, and Co-founder of BrightHaven Caregiver Academy.
Recognition and Impact
In July 2013, Gail and Richard Pope received the Jefferson Award for Public Service in recognition of their lifelong devotion to vulnerable animals. This national honor reflects the depth and integrity of their work in rescue, hospice, and holistic education.
But Gail’s true legacy is found in the lives of more than 700 sanctuary residents who taught her — and through her, thousands of others — about acceptance, presence, gratitude, and grace.
Continuing the Mission
Gail also co-hosts the weekly Peace of Mind for Pet Parents with Karen Wylie, EdD, where they explore animal hospice, caregiver resilience, natural dying, grief, quality of life care, and the evolving philosophy of compassionate end-of-life support for animals and their families.
Today, Gail continues to share her philosophy and experience through BrightHaven, BrightHaven Caregiver Academy, and Animal Hospice Group. Her mission remains steady: to help people support their animals with compassion, courage, and dignity throughout every stage of life — including its final chapter.