Alain Delon’s family reject his dying wish to be buried with his dog
The family of the late iconic French actor Alain Delon have rejected his request for his dog, Loubo, to be euthanised in order to be buried with him.
Delon passed away on August 18th, 2024, aged 88. In the statement provided by his family to confirm his death, they included Loubo among the family members, writing, “Alain Fabien, Anouchka, Anthony, as well as (his dog) 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.”
While no cause of death has been revealed, Delon had battled serious health problems for a number of years and had also become reclusive. Furthermore, legal issues overshadowed his final years, and earlier this year, a vast array of firearms were seized from his home, including 72 weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
Additionally, his family were embroiled in a legal battle with his live-in assistant Hiromi Rollin, who they accused of harassment and threatening behaviour towards Delon before she was evicted in July.
In 2014, Delon adopted his Belgian malinois, Loubo, and publicly revealed that he wanted the dog to be put down upon his death. During an interview with Paris Match in 2018, Delon described Loubo as “my end-of-life dog” and also said, “I love him like a child”.
The late actor’s residence in Douchy, Loiret, was home to a dog cemetery which contained the remains of 35 pets, and he claims to have had over 50 dogs during his life.
Speaking about Loubo, he also told Paris Match, “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.”
His plan to have Loubo euthanised caused outrage among animal rights activists, such as the French animal welfare charity, The SPA, who said, “The life of an animal should not depend on that of a human. The SPA is happy to take his dog and find it a family.”
Another animal rights group, Fondation Brigitte Bardot, have since confirmed that Loubo will not be killed. A spokesperson said in a statement: “I’ve just had Anouchka Delon on the phone and she has told me that Loubo is part of the family and will be kept. The dog will not be put down.”
Under French law, it’s legal for owners to decide the fate of their pets; however, vets have the right to sanction their requests.
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