For many Americans, a pet cat or dog can become a beloved member of the family, and their inevitable death can have a profound and devastating impact on their human companions.
Such is the case for Hollywood actress Jada Pinkett Smith, wife of actor Will Smith, who recently announced the painful passing of a Husky named Fang that had been by her side for 15 years, People magazine reported.
Smith and her family are now balancing their mourning of the dog's passing with their continued love of the other members of their furry pack of canine friends.
In an Instagram post on Wednesday, Smith wrote, "Last night we lost one of our furry sons Fang. He brought so much love into our family, our animal pack and community."
"Thank you Fang for 15 years of pure joy. We are going to miss you soooooo much," she added.
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The post included a couple of photos of Smith and Fang hiking together, as well as one of the dog sprawled out on the floor, plus a video of the Husky playing in the snow with one of Smith's other dogs.
It also included a comment from Smith's mother, Adrienne Banfield-Norris, who wrote in the replies, "We will miss our furry, gentle giant."
That other dog that appeared briefly in the video of Fang playing in the snow was identified in a separate report from People in August 2023 as Bandit, a French bulldog that she had received as a birthday gift in 2020.
The gift of Bandit the bulldog came from none other than celebrity dog trainer Ceaser Milan, who has been personal friends with the animal-loving actress for decades.
However, the purpose of that People article was to share the announced news from Smith at that time of the newest member of her dog pack, a small tan and white puppy she rescued from a shelter named Lucco.
The PetHelpful site also reported on Smith's loss of Fang after 15 years and noted that the dog had obviously been well cared for given that the life expectancy for large breeds like Huskies is generally around 12-15 years at the most.
The site further shared some advice for others with senior dogs on how to handle potential changes in their activity levels, behaviors, and nutritional needs that are different from younger dogs, not to mention the increased risks of health issues that come with old age.
Losing a beloved family pet is always a sad and terrible thing, and we offer our heartfelt condolences to the Smith family as they grapple with Fang's death after 15 years of companionship.
