15 Celebrities Who Have Shared Tributes to Their Late Pets
By Angeline Simmons, December 26, 2024
No one is immune to the searing pain of losing a pet, and that goes for celebrities as well. When actors, musicians, chefs and other celebs have to say goodbye to their pets, they often publicly memorialize their best friends.
Read on to see what 15 celebrities had to say about their pets’ journeys to the Rainbow Bridge.
Celebrity Dogs
These stars had to say farewell to their beloved dogs within the past few years.
Ozzy Osbourne
“Two days ago I lost my good friend Rocky, who has been at my side for 15 years,” rocker Ozzy Osbourne wrote on Instagram in August of 2024. “I’ll see you on the other side, my friend. I love you always."
Jon Stewart
Daily Show host Jon Stewart tearfully announced on a 2024 episode of the program that his dog Dipper had passed away. He’d met the brindle pitbull at a pet adoption event after the dog had been hit by a car, and adopted Dipper the same day. “In a world of good boys, he was the best,” Stewart said. “Dipper passed away yesterday. He was ready. He was tired. But I wasn’t.”
Guy Fieri
Celebrity chef Gui Fieri wrote a moving tribute to his German shepherd Cowboy on Twitter in 2023. “Today is the saddest day in the Fieri family,” he said. “We lost our Cowboy today. He was one of a kind and brought so much love and energy to our family.”
Russell Crowe
Actor Russell Crowe lost his 16-month old Papillon Louis in 2023 after a traffic accident, he wrote on Twitter. “Tiny, cheeky, brave, he won my heart,” Crowe said. “Unfortunately today, on the second anniversary of my father’s passing, Louis was hit by a truck. We tried to get him to the vet, but he died in my arms while I was telling him how much we loved him.”
Billie Eilish
Singer Billie Eilish lost her 15-year-old dog Pepper in 2023 and paid tribute to her on Instagram. “Pepper, my lifelong best friend. I will see you again someday, sweet girl. I love you. Rest easy mama, I’ll miss you forever. This is a really hard day.”
Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton’s chihuahua, Harajuku, lived for over two decades, and passed away in 2023. Hilton memorialized her on Instagram. “Today, my heart breaks as I say goodbye to my precious chihuahua, Harajuku,” she wrote. “For an incredible 23 years, she filled my life with so much love, loyalty and unforgettable moments … words cannot express the immense pain I’m feeling right now. She was more than just a pet; she was family to me.”
Hugh Jackman
In 2022, actor Hugh Jackman had to say goodbye to his French bulldog, Dali. “It’s a very sad day for our family,” he wrote. “Dali, our beloved Frenchie, passed away last night. He would’ve been 12 next month … which I’m told is a long life for this breed. I always, always called him the ROCKSTAR. Because he was! He marched to the beat of his own drum, was beloved by the whole world, and boy did he have a good life.”
Gavin Rossdale
Bush lead singer Gavin Rossdale had to say goodbye to his pomeranian, Chewy, in January 2024. “This is the last post I ever wanted to write,” he wrote on Instagram. “So regretfully, we buried Chewy today. We lost him suddenly a few days ago. It’s been a rough few days. Me and the fam are pretty heartbroken.”
Celebrity Cats
The celebs below said farewell to their much-loved cats via online tributes.
Anthony Hopkins
Actor Anthony Hopkins said farewell to his 13-year-old cat Niblo in 2022 with a TikTok post memorializing him. “Our beloved Niblo, forever in our hearts. And the waltz goes on, 2009-2002,” he wrote.
Kate Beckinsale
Actress Kate Beckinsale paid tribute to her cat Clive on Twitter in 2023. “Clive has died,” she wrote. “I don’t have it in me to make a montage or even look at pictures of him yet. Every single part of my house feels like he should be in it … My heart is absolutely and totally broken.” She later got a pet memorial tattoo of Clive on her shoulder to remember him.
Bobby Flay
Celebrity chef Bobby Flay paid tribute to his cat Nacho last year on Instagram. “It is with an absolute broken heart that I report Nacho has passed away peacefully,” he said. “Nacho had a magic about him that was truly special. He came into my life when I needed him most and brought joyful moment after joyful moment to my household.”
Jonathan van Ness
Queer Eye star and celebrity hairstylist Jonathan van Ness shared the news in 2019 that his cat, Bug, had died. “At some point last night while I slept, my baby Bug fell from an open window and passed away,” he wrote on Instagram. “I’m hurting so bad today and I can’t put it into words, for anyone else experiencing grief and loss, I’m with you.”
Other Celebrity Pet Farewells
Celebs have had to say goodbye to other pets besides dogs and cats. Below are a few of the other animals that were lost in recent years.
Viggo Mortensen — Horses
After filming the Lord of the Rings trilogy, actor Viggo Mortenson bought three horses that had appeared in the films. In 2020, he shared the news that two of them had passed away. “They were of a certain age already when we were shooting, and that’s 20 years ago now,” he said.
Nicolas Cage — Snake
Actor Nicolas Cage donated his famed two-headed gopher snake, Harvey, to the Audubon Institute in 2008, and at 14 years old, the snake passed away of old age. “Harvey will be missed dearly,” the Audubon Institute said in 2021.
Laura Dern — Goldfish
Actress Laura Dern hit a milestone with her goldfish when it surpassed 14 years of age, but it passed away in 2020, she shared with her Instagram followers. “RIP to our amazing goldfish we loved so much,” she wrote. “14 YEARS!!!!”
