The family of Alain Delon has announced that they will not euthanize the French actor’s dog and bury it with him, denying his dying wish.
Delon’s children revealed the news on Tuesday, two days after their father passed away on August 18 at the age of 88, in an interview with French network BFMTV. They also spoke to The Brigitte Bardot Foundation, confirming the 10-year-old Belgian Malinois, Loubo, would not be put down.
“No worries for Loubo!” the organization dedicated to protecting domestic and wild animals wrote on X on Tuesday, August 20.
“Many of you have sent us messages regarding the future of Loubo, Alain Delon’s dog,” the post continued.
“’He has his home and his family’ confirmed the actor’s relatives who will take care of him. Loubo will of course not be euthanized!”
Concern over the fate of Delon’s dog emerged after his death as past remarks he made about Loubo surfaced online.
In a 2018 interview with Paris Match, Delon said he wanted his pet to be put to sleep in his arms and buried with him in the cemetery on his estate in the French village of Douchy.
“He’s my end of life dog,” Delon said. “I love him like a child. I’ve had 50 dogs in my life, but I have a special relationship with this one. He misses me when I’m not there.”
“If I die before him, I’ll ask the vet to take us away together,” he continued. “He’ll put him to sleep in my arms. I’d rather do that than know that he’ll let himself die on my grave with so much suffering.”
The former heartthrob built a chapel in the cemetery on his property, which contained the remains of at least 35 dogs he had during his life.
France’s most prominent animal rights group, the Society for the Protection of Animals (SPA), insisted Delon’s dog not be euthanized.
“The SPA wanted to pay tribute to Alain Delon, animal lover and defender of the cause,” the group wrote on X.
“Before his death, he had expressed the wish to euthanize his dog Lobo. However, the life of an animal should not be conditioned by that of a human. The SPA is volunteering to take in his dog and find him a family.”
However, Loubo won’t need a new home. Delon’s children revealed that the dog will get to live out the rest of his days at the actor’s house in Douchy. And not make an early trip to its cemetery.
The actor passed away over the weekend after his son revealed he had been diagnosed with B-cell lymphoma, a type of cancer. Delon’s health had declined over the past year.
His tough guy persona and charm quickly made him one of France’s most memorable leading men. Besides starring in a slew of television movies and plays, Delon was also a producer — making him a threat on and off camera.
