"This dying wish is dead on arrival" — Internet reacts after Alain Delon's family rejects his request to have his dog euthanized after his death

French actor Alain Delon, who died at age 88 on August 18, 2024, had requested before his death that his 10-year-old Belgian malinois dog, Loubo, be euthanized and laid on his grave. Speaking with Paris Match magazine in 2018, he said:

“He’s [Loubo] my end of life dog … 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’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.”

However, this decision was met with intense backlash on social media, with many animal rights organizations championing the dog's right to live. Several netizens also voiced their distaste for this request, with one person tweeting:

A netizen's reaction to the actor's request (Image via X/@PopCrave)

Several mirrored this sentiment, saying it was weird for Alain Delon to want his dog to die with him.

"He was so weird like at least let the dog live," one person said.

"Will you call this love or what?? So what if the dog goes before him, will he join it too?" another person added.

"Dude, that’s wild! Animals gotta live free, not go down with us," one wrote.

Others claimed Alain Delon gained global embarrassment after his death due to this request.

"He received international embarrassment after his death," one person commented.

"Just find a new loving owner for the dog -.-," another user said.

"It is surprising that dogs are loved so much even though they should be loved more by humanity," someone noted.

"Why would he take away that dog’s time. I know the dog can decide for itself but that shouldn’t be its fate. W animal rights campaigners," another person added.

On August 20, 2024, the Brigitte Bardot Foundation announced that Delon's daughter, Anouchka, confirmed her family would continue to care for Loubo and that he would not be put down.

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Alain Delon adopted Loubo in 2014

The late French actor was a huge dog lover who raised over 50 dogs during his lifetime. He even had a chapel in a cemetery in his Paris home where he laid to rest over 35 of his dogs.

Alain Delon adopted Loubo in 2014. The 10-year-old Belgian Malinois was also included in the statement released by his children following his death on August 18, 2024.

“Alain-Fabien, Anouchka, Anthony, as well as Loubo, are deeply saddened to announce the passing of their father. He passed away peacefully in his home in Douchy, surrounded by his three children and his family,” the statement read.

Alain Delon was last seen in public during the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, where he received the honorary Palme d'Or. According to the BBC, the actor had been in poor health for the past few years.

Alain Delon starred in almost 90 films in his lifetime, appearing in hit movies like The Leopard, Rocco And His Brothers, and Monsieur Klein, to name a few.