NEWSJennifer Garner's Tragedy: Actress Reveals 'Angel Girl' Dog Birdie Died at 9 Years Old: See Her Heartfelt Tribute
Jennifer Garner shared a touching tribute to her dog Birdie following her passing at 9 years old.
Jennifer Garner and her family said a heartbreaking goodbye to their beloved golden retriever just before Thanksgiving.
On Wednesday, November 27, the 13 Going on 30 star shared the sad news on Instagram, posting a carousel of cherished photos of their pet Birdie alongside a touching caption.
“She lived a happy dog life and is now in the role she was born to play: angel girl,” Garner wrote. “It’s a gift to love and be loved by such a creature as Birdie the Doggie. 🐾🪽.”
Birdie died at 9 years old.
Garner explained that Birdie, a “renowned foodie” who “never missed a meal,” suddenly stopped eating last week. Initially, the family thought she was simply unwell, but a visit to the vet revealed that “she was at the end of her life.”
The doctor shared that dogs often wait for a loved one before letting go, and Garner thinks Birdie held on until her eldest daughter, Violet, returned home from college for Thanksgiving.
“We believe Birdie did just that so that we could pet her soft ears together and thank her for being the world’s best dog,” Garner penned.
Birdie had been a cherished member of the family since Violet, now 18 and a freshman at Yale, turned 10. Garner also shares two younger children, Fin, 15, and Samuel, 12, with ex-husband Ben Affleck.
Violet Affleck got Birdie when she was 10 years old.
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Since her owner left for college, the furry friend loved sticking by Garner’s side.
“Birdie loved to be read to,” the actress shared, posting a sweet video of the dog wearing glasses as she listened to the star read Pete’s a Pizza.
“[She] always found her way into a Pretend Cooking Show, and knew just how to give people what they needed (as evidenced by her happy days as a dog therapy team with Mo),” the Emmy-nominated actress continued, referring to her YouTube cooking vlog.
Jennifer Garner shared that her dog was recently promoted to a therapy dog.
Earlier this year, Birdie and Garner teamed up for We Rate Dogs’ YouTube channel, where they humorously shared Birdie’s “bucket list” goals ahead of her ninth birthday in May.
“She wants to read some new books for kids. And speaking of kids, Birdie is a therapy dog,” Garner said in March. “And she just got a promotion to work at Children's Hospital L.A.”
The duo also had plans for some exciting and adventurous activities together.
“Birdie would like to sit at a Parisian bistro. While she’s there, she wants to swim in the Olympics. She loves to swim,” she quipped. “Oh, she wants to eat an entire string of cheese. The whole thing. Birdie wants to skydive. Everybody should once and she thought before she turns nine is a good time."
“Oh right, she wants to go on a date with Major Biden. She has a big crush,” she said, referring to Joe Biden's dog.
The matriarch often featured Birdie on her cooking vlogs.
The Alias alum kept joking around about her canine at the time.
“Oh, and she wants to stop biting her nails. It’s hard, but it’s good to have a goal,” she joked. “Birdie has a beautiful coloratura voice. So she’s a soprano and so she wants to sign with the Metropolitan Opera.”
