When Brianna Clough stepped before the Lehigh Township Board of Supervisors on Jan. 13, she wasn’t just asking permission to build a small bridge in Delps Park — she was asking to create a place of comfort, remembrance and healing for a community that loves its pets.

Clough, an 11th grade student at Northampton High School and an Ambassador in Girl Scout Troop 8553, requested approval to construct a “Rainbow Bridge” memorial near the township’s dog park as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award project, the highest achievement in Girl Scouting.

“The bridge will be approximately 6 feet long and 2 feet wide depending on the area around it,” Clough told supervisors. “Its walking part of the bridge will be the colors of the rainbow with paw prints stenciled over to symbolize the pets’ journey to and over the rainbow bridge. The posts of the bridge will be either brown or white in color.”

Clough and her troop meet at Christ Church of Bath, but the inspiration for her project came not from a meeting room, but from a moment of public grief shared online.

She said she began thinking about the idea after seeing Facebook posts from Lehigh Township residents about a dog collar that had been hung on a post of a bridge in a public park to memorialize a beloved pet.

The gesture sparked debate among residents — some supported the grieving pet owner, while others questioned whether such memorials belonged in public spaces.

For Clough, the discussion revealed a need.

“It may be nice to have a place in the community designed for residents to do this where there is a dog park,” she said.

The Rainbow Bridge concept has deep roots for pet lovers. Rainbow Bridge Day began Aug. 28, 2015, created by author Deborah Barnes after the loss of her cat. Barnes later wrote Purr Prints of the Heart, a book written from a pet’s perspective to help comfort grieving owners. The day has since become a global observance for sharing memories, photos and stories of beloved animals, offering support to those coping with loss.

Clough’s proposed bridge would include more than color and design.

A sign would be posted alongside the structure featuring a poem or explanation of the Rainbow Bridge’s meaning.

“The rainbow symbolizes hope and reunion, and the paw prints present the pet,” she said. “This memorial is to offer comfort to pet owners.”

Low-maintenance landscaping would be added depending on the bridge’s final placement within Delps Park.

The project also fulfills the rigorous requirements of the Girl Scout Gold Award, which include at least 80 hours of work, extensive research, community impact, team building and the submission of a formal proposal through the Girl Scouts’ Go Gold online platform.

To fund the project, Clough plans to organize several fundraisers. A Vince’s Cheesesteaks event is scheduled for April 23 at the Diamond Fire Company Social Hall parking lot in Walnutport. She is also working to schedule a bake sale and gift card raffle at a location within the township.

Clough has already set her sights on a meaningful dedication.

An opening ceremony for the Rainbow Bridge is planned for Aug. 28, 2026 — intentionally chosen to coincide with Rainbow Bridge Day.

The event would include invitations to local media, animal shelters and rescue organizations, with opportunities for donations and pet adoptions.

Planned activities include pet treats, children’s crafts, face painting or temporary tattoos, pet caricatures and paw print paintings.

She also plans to create a pamphlet to be distributed at the ceremony offering resources and guidance for those grieving the loss of a pet, separate from township materials.