There’s nothing like the love of a dog — they’ll love you unconditionally and be your best friend no matter what.
Which makes it so heartbreaking when a dog passes away. It’s more than losing a pet, it’s like losing a best friend.
It’s true no matter who you are: even celebrities experience the grief of losing a dog. Like one major actress, who shared the heartbreaking news of her dog’s death with fans on social media.
Kristen Bell, the star of Frozen and The Good Place, is also an animal lover and owner of several rescue pets.
One of her precious family members was a dog named Barbara:
Fans loved Bell’s little dog—she even had her own Instagram account with nearly 23,000 followers.
Sadly, Kristen Bell announced this week that Barbara had a serious health concern after vets diagnosed her with Giardia.
While at first it looked like Barbara was going to make it, things took a turn for the worst.
“Even though Barb is a (gorgeous) fighter, she’s gone septic and her lil body doesn’t look like its gonna pull through,” Kristen Bell wrote in an Instagram story.
Bell later announced on another story that she and her family were “on our way to say goodbye” to Barbara.
While Bell was clearly emotional on the drive over and had looked on the verge of tears, she tried to stay positive: “Trying to stay super grateful for the 2 years we got to spoil her like the Queen she is.”
She also shared a heartbreaking photo of her saying a final goodbye to her beloved pet at the vet’s office:
Barbara died on Saturday, and the dog was mourned by Kristen Bell and her family, as well as the actress’ fans.
Bell later thanked everyone for their support, stating again that she was grateful for the time she had with Barbara, who she adopted as a senior dog. She took the opportunity to encourage others to do the same.
“I hope by seeing some of Barbara’s antics it inspires other people to open their hearts to older dogs cause I know they’re not the ideal thing to take on and obviously it’s sad when they die but it’s no comparison to the feeling you have knowing you soiled someone in their twilight years,” Bell wrote.
She gave a special shout-out to Dog Cafe, the rescue where she adopted Barbara.
Dog rescue has always been a passionate subject for Bell, who has long encouraged others to adopt instead of buying from stores or breeders.
“I believe in adopting not buying,” she told People in 2016, calling her dogs “kids I didn’t birth.”
“There are so many wonderful pets in shelters around the country ready and waiting to find a home.”
Our hearts are with Kristen Bell and her family after the loss of their beautiful dog!
We’re also grateful that even in this sad moment she still encouraged people do adopt senior rescue dogs, who are so often overlooked and need a good home to spend their final years in.
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