Rainbow Bridge Pet Memorial Garden Opens At St. Cloud’s Heritage Park

(KNSI) – Pet owners in the St. Cloud area now have a permanent place to grieve and remember their animals, as the Central Minnesota Rainbow Bridge Memorial Garden held its ribbon-cutting.

Jake Judd/KNSI News

Families walked across the newly built bridge at Heritage Regional Park on Wednesday throughout the evening, hanging their pets’ collars from the rails and taking in the artwork lining the structure. No animals are buired at the park and it is not a place where pets’ ashes are to be spread.

Founder and president Laura Ellavsky started pushing for the memorial in early 2025 after her dog, Mozzie, died in March 2024. The project moved through several proposed locations and multiple cities before finding its home at the park, which is adjacent to the Stearns History Museum.

Ellavsky spoke to the crowd before families began crossing the bridge, and afterward reflected with KNSI News on what the day meant to her. “Honestly, I’m very overwhelmed. And I’m really proud of myself for not crying through that whole speech. But it feels really good. And I feel like Mozzie’s here today. And I feel like a lot of pets are here today.”

Jake Judd/KNSI News

Two features set the bridge apart. Custom post caps, made at a veteran-owned shop in Indiana, sit atop each post and represent a range of animal species. Artists painted the top rails with even more species.
Ellavsky said the caps and the rails were meant to send one message. “We wanted those to represent all animal species, because everyone loves their pets the same. Love is love. Grief is grief. So whether it’s a spider or a dog, it’s valued and it’s cherished.”

Building the garden became a family affair. Ellavsky credited her husband, Casey, her children, her parents and her in-laws, along with aunts and uncles, for running errands, sitting through planning meetings and physically helping raise the bridge.

The 24-foot bridge arcs over a dry bed, which will eventually include rocks. It was built the first weekend of June by a 100% volunteer crew of 13, who logged 135 hours on construction alone. Ellavsky said the total passes 200 hours of labor once the painting and finishing work is counted. The garden is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit built entirely with volunteer labor and donations, with no public funds spent on the project.

More work lies ahead. Ellavsky said the group is focused next on accessibility so visitors of all abilities can reach and use the bridge, along with bringing water to the site. The garden plantings may not go in until next year. Six refinished park benches are expected to be installed in the next couple of months, giving visitors a place to sit and reflect even before the garden fills in.

The memorial is inspired by the “Rainbow Bridge” poem by Edna Clyne-Rekhy. Visitors can hang collars on the bridge or purchase engraved memorial tags and granite plaques for the garden. The organization is still seeking donations and volunteers through its Facebook page.

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