Rainbow Bridge In Hoboken Will Honor Lost Pets, But Needs Funding

HOBOKEN, NJ — Mei McGarvey, a student at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, is excited that a "rainbow bridge" may come to Hoboken to honor lost pets.

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"Pet loss is often overlooked, even though our pets are family," said the Port Republic, N.J. native. "Having experienced the loss of several childhood pets, I understand how difficult it can be to navigate that grief."

McGarvey is among several Stevens students, Hoboken residents, and officials who are working together to raise $10,000 for a "rainbow bridge" in Elysian Park in Hoboken.

The "Rainbow Bridge" is a famous poem acknowledging the loss of a pet and the idea of happily being greeted by that pet in the afterlife.

And in the last few years, pet lovers have been building wooden "rainbow bridges" as a place to convene and remember a type of grief that's sometimes minimized.

A famous wooden Rainbow Bridge was built in Lake Lurie, N.C., in 2010, although it was damaged by hurricane flooding in 2024. It consisted of a wooden bridge structure and a place to hang dog collars.

Closer to home, the town of Sayreville is considering building one.

The Senior Design team at the Stevens Institute of Technology is working with Hoboken community members, along with Mayor Emily Jabbour, Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher, the Hoboken Girl media outlet, an engineer, and Wise Animal Rescue to create a similar project.

Also involved are Eiko La Boria of The Flow Initiative and Dr. Lisa Lippman, who's offering pet loss guidance.

The Rainbow Bridge memorial would be located in Elysian Park, a historic, tree-lined park that includes a dog run, and once served as a setting for the 1954 film "On the Waterfront." It also has a partial view of Manhattan.

The memorial will honor pets who have passed away and give residents a place to reflect and connect with others who have experienced a similar loss, organizers said.

"I hope this memorial creates a space where people can grieve openly, feel supported and connect with others in the community who understand," said Ashley Goldstein, a spokesperson for the project.

The GoFundMe will help with materials, construction and installation of the structure. Any funds over the cost of building the bridge will go to Wise Animal Rescue, Goldstein said.

The GoFundMe is here.

Elysian Park is located at 1001 Hudson St.