Beloved Animals We Lost in 2019

As 2019 draws to a close, ET is looking back at the animals we had to say goodbye to this year.

From celeb pets to Instagram-famous pups, 2019 was a year full of sad animal deaths. Sofia Richie, LeAnn Rimes and Reese Witherspoon all lost their dogs, while Ed Sheeran and Jonathan Van Ness' cats both passed away.

Keep reading for 11 of the most devastating animal deaths this year.

Boo the Pomeranian, Jan. 18

Just over a year after Boo's "brother," Buddy, died, the Instagram-famous Pomeranian who was once voted the world's cutest dog also passed away. In a Facebook post, Boo's owners wrote that they "find comfort knowing that he is no longer in any pain or discomfort."

"Boo brought joy to people all over the world. Boo is the happiest dog I’ve ever met," the post continued in part, adding that they think Boo's "heart literally broke when Buddy left us."

"He hung on and gave us over a year. But it looks like it was his time, and I’m sure it was a most joyous moment for them when they saw each other in heaven," the post continued. "Boo, we love you with all our hearts and will miss you until the day we meet again. Have fun running around with Buddy and creating adorable mischief wherever you guys go."

Boo had more than 16 million followers at the time of his death, as well as a stuffed animal made in his likeness and two picture books about his life published.

Poochie, Luke Bryan's foster dog, Feb. 21

Two weeks after adopting the 18-year-old rescue dog, Luke Bryan's wife, Caroline Boyer, took to Instagram to reveal that Poochie had died.

"'If the kindest souls were rewarded with the longest lives, dogs would outlive us all,'" she wrote, sharing a quote. "My heart is sad but full to post this..our sweet Prince Poochie has passed away. He lived 18 years and was loved by so many people. My kids especially loved to hear him snore when he slept!"

Grumpy Cat, May 14

The perpetually grumpy feline died in May, with the news announced to her more than 1 million followers with the declaration "some days are grumpier than others."

"We are unimaginably heartbroken to announce the loss of our beloved Grumpy Cat," the Twitter statement read. "Despite care from top professionals, as well as from her very loving family, Grumpy encountered complications from a recent urinary tract infection that unfortunately became too tough for her to overcome. She passed away peacefully on the morning of Tuesday, May 14, at home in the arms of her mommy, Tabatha."

The statement continued, "Besides being our baby and a cherished member of the family, Grumpy Cat has helped millions of people smile all around the world -- even when times were tough. Her spirit will continue to live on through her fans everywhere."

Grumpy Cat initially rose to Instagram fame after her owner's brother shared a photo of the kitten on Reddit, which went on to garner 1 million views in two days. She was later named the Most Influential Cat by MSNBC, appeared on shows including Good Morning America, The Bachelorette and Today, and was written about in Time, Forbes and The Wall Street Journal.

Waldo, Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner's dog, July 24

Over the summer, TMZ reported that Waldo, Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner's Alaskan Klee Kai pup, was being walked by their dog walker when he got spooked by a pedestrian, broke free and ran into the street, where he was struck by a vehicle. The outlet reported that the couple waited two days to go to the police because they were so distraught.

Jonas and Turner welcomed Waldo into their family in April 2018. Following his death, both Jonas and Turner got a tattoo of Waldo on their arms.

"R.I.P my little angel," Jonas wrote on Instagram at the time.

"I miss you, Waldo," Turner added. "Rest In Peace my little baby."

Dolly, Justin Theroux and Jennifer Aniston's dog, July 28

In July, exes Justin Theroux and Jennifer Aniston said goodbye to Dolly, their Mexican-born White Shepherd. Theroux took to Instagram to mourn the loss and, in one pic from the pup's funeral, many speculated that Aniston and her ex were holding hands over Dolly's body.

"Tonight, at sunset, after a heroic struggle... our most loyal family member and protector, Dolly A. laid down her sword and shield. 🐺💔," Theroux captioned the pics. "She was surrounded by her entire family."

To conclude his emotional post, Theroux shared a quote from former U.S. Senator George Vest and encouraged people to adopt their pets.

"'The one that never deserts, the one that never proves ungrateful... is the dog -- faithful and true, even in death.' -George Vest," Theroux quoted. "Rest In Peace Dolly #adoptdontshop #rescuedog"

Bug, Jonathan Van Ness' cat, Aug. 6

Queer Eye's Jonathan Van Ness was "hurting so bad" after his cat, Bug, "fell from an open window and passed away" while Van Ness was sleeping.

“Not sure how I’m going to make this loss mean something more but in the meantime, please make a donation to an animal shelter near you," Van Ness wrote alongside a selfie of him cuddling with Bug.

Picasso, Shannen Doherty's horse, Aug. 12

Shannen Doherty had to mourn the death of her horse, Picasso, after he died suddenly as a result of a ruptured intestine. The actress took to Instagram shortly after Picasso's death to share a lengthy message to the late animal.

"Picasso. I guess you're not supposed to have favorites but he was in fact my favorite," Doherty captioned several photos of him. "I fell in love with him out at a barn where my other horses were. He was for sale but serious professional riders were looking at him to be their Grand Prix horse. When they were done testing him, I would give him a bath, walk him, feed him carrots and apples and talk to him. We were bonded. I was told to not buy him. He was too strong, hard to handle, needed a male rider etc. I bought him anyway cause I didn't like how the people who were looking to buy him treated him."

"He became mine and I became his. He was gentle with me. Took me over jumps perfectly," she added. "I trusted him completely and he trusted me. I was in love. That love has never wavered. I turned him out to pasture many years ago. I wanted him to be a horse. To run free. To hang out with other horses. To just be a horse. I saw him often. Our love was still intact. Today, he suffered a ruptured intestine. No surgery possible. No way to save him. He died 20 minutes before I could even get to him. My heart is shattered. #picasso August 12-2019."

Lexi and Harley, Julianne Hough and Brooks Laich's dogs, Sept, 28

One month after the fact, Julianne Hough and her husband, Brooks Laich, revealed that both of their Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Lexi and Harley, tragically died on the same day. In an Instagram post at the time, Hough thanked her late pups for "being my babies, my daughters."

"Thank you for choosing me. Thank you for teaching me how to be your mother Thank you for allowing me to give and receive love. Thank you for your kisses. Thank you for your blessings every single minute of every single day. Thank you for your souls. Thank you for protecting me. Thank you for letting me protect you," she captioned a series of pics of the dogs. "Thank you for protecting each other. Thank you for the timeless memories. Thank you for your magic. Thank you for being the most consistent and constant beings in my life. Thank you for being you. Thank you for being my guardians on this earth and even more so now."

"I’ve never experienced a love like ours," she added. "I miss you. I love you forever. Now You Are Free."

In Laich's tribute he said that the dogs "were our children, and we loved them as such."

"Thank you to my wife for allowing me to share in their world, and trusting me to be their dad," he wrote in part. "I wasn’t perfect, but I loved them with every ounce of my heart."

Bruley, Queer Eye dog, Oct. 3

Nearly two months after Van Ness' cat died, the rest of the Queer Eye guys -- Tan France, Antoni Porowski, Bobby Berk, and Karamo Brown -- had something to mourn when the dog who appeared on seasons three and four their show, Bruley, passed away.

The pup's owner, Michelle Silva, shared the tragic news on Instagram, revealing that the French bulldog "had been suffering from heart problems" prior to his death at age 10.

"He just had too much love and heart for his physical body. It all happened so fast, but I held him as he took his last breath, and I was able to tell him I loved him the very most," Silva, a producer for the Netflix series, wrote in part. "I told him everyday I loved him more than anything in the world, and I reminded him of that over and over as he slipped out of this life. My best friend and boyfriend held us both. He gave me more than I could have ever given him, and I was able to thank him for allowing me to be his mom. He chose me."

"Over the course of 16 episodes of @queereye, in just a few moments on screen, you guys all got a glimpse of the Bru I knew and loved," she added later in the post. "He was hilarious, stubborn, sometimes inappropriate, and always a sucker for a snack. He was pure love. It’s been so fun capturing his spirit and sharing more with you all here."

Pumpkin the Raccoon, Oct. 16

Instagram was heartbroken when Pumpkin the Raccoon, who counted over 1.4 million followers on the platform, died in October. The Bahamian rescue animal's owner -- who took in Pumpkin after discovering her with a broken leg -- shared the sad news on Instagram, writing that she was "so completely ruined" by the "complete shock" of the loss.

"Pumpkin changed my life. And not from her social media presence. This little raccoon literally fell into my life when I was going through a tough time. She gave me purpose and gave me confidence. She helped me get out of a dark hole on more than one occasion," the caption read in part. "... For the past five years this little girl was always by my side, through happiness and tears. I like to think she helped prepare me for motherhood. I would always joke that having a raccoon was like having a permanent toddler, I wasn't completely wrong."

"She is going to be one missed raccoon," she concluded the caption. "I love you my darling Pumpkin. We miss you so much. xox"

Prior to her death, Pumpkin worked to raise money for World Central Kitchen and the Bahamas Humane Society after Hurricane Dorian struck neighboring Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama in September.

Bronco, Tim Tebow's dog, Nov. 20

Former NFL player Tim Tebow posted a video of himself sobbing while feeding his dog, Bronco, for the last time, which he deemed "one of the toughest goodbyes."

"Wanted to make a special tribute to the sweetest boy ever -- thank you for all the joy you brought and all the memories," Tebow captioned a series of videos and photos of the Rhodesian Ridgeback. "Aunt Patty, thank you for loving him, and thank you to all the other people including Miss Shea and Miss Mindy for sharing so much love with Bronco. If you had the pleasure of meeting Bronco, one of the best dogs ever, I would love to hear your story."

In a follow-up tribute, Tebow wrote, "Im so thankful and humbled by everyone’s support, prayers and love. I was able to lay Bronco to rest in a really special place. Thank you all for so much encouragement. I love you Bronco, thanks for being the sweetest boy."

RELATED CONTENT:

Lil Bub, Instagram Famous Cat, Dies at Age 8: 'She Was a Constant Source of Warmth and Love'

Julianne Hough and Brooks Laich Mourn the Death of Their Two Dogs: 'I Love You Forever'

Bruley, the French Bulldog from 'Queer Eye,' Has Died at Age 10

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