LAKE LURE, N.C. — Of the thousands of pet collars that once adorned the Lake Lure Rainbow Bridge, 237 have been recovered since Helene destroyed the tribute bridge to honor pets. 101 were found just days before the first anniversary of the storm. WFMY News 2 has been in touch with some of the overjoyed pet owners.
Susan Sceviour of Goose Creek, SC placed two collars on the Rainbow Bridge in 2023 after her chihuahuas, Trigger and Nellie, died three months apart. Sceviour was devastated when she learned the news that Helene washed away the bridge she visited several times a year. “We loved looking at all the collars and felt happy our dog’s collars were there. The entire area felt like a magical place in the mountains.” said Sceviour.
Her collars are #174 and #175, which were discovered on September 25, 2025 just two days before the one year mark of Hurricane Helene. “We are ecstatic, thrilled, and delighted they were found. We know the collars are only material things but they were a part of our dogs. We thought they were lost forever,” Sceviour said.
The Rainbow Bridge was just one of the many attractions at the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge site. LLFB volunteer Amy Wald cleaned, counted and cataloged all of the recovered collars. The first batch of 139 collars was found in the winter of 2024…