Miranda Lambert is saying goodbye to a loyal friend.
The country singer, 42, took to Instagram on Sunday to share with fans that her beloved dog, Cher, passed away on Saturday at age 15.
Lambert, a longtime animal rights advocate, appeared on the red carpet, in the press room and on tour to pay heartfelt tribute to the Grammy winner’s longtime friend, the Chihuahua.
Lambert posted a photo on Instagram of a merry-go-round with the caption, “Our sweet bear Cher crossed the Rainbow Bridge yesterday,” showing the pup in various poses with the singer and her longtime husband Brendan McLaughlin. “Cher gave us 15 years of love and all the Chihuahua attitude and energy she had to give. And if you’ve ever had a Chi Chi, you’ll know what I mean.”
“I adopted him from a shelter in 2010 when he was 10 weeks old. I put him in my overalls pocket at the shelter and that was it,” Lambert continued, adding that the dog’s first big event was that year’s Academy of Country Music Awards, where he appeared on the red carpet and attended the press room.
“She’s been on every tour I’ve done since then,” Lambert said. “Thank you to her kind soul for all the journeys she has traveled.”
Lambert has been a passionate dog rescuer for many years and revealed that she has lost quite a few puppies over the years. “When I met @brendanjmcloughlin 7 years ago, I was the mother of 9 shelter dogs and now I’m down to 1,” she wrote.
“I’m sure we’re all ready to move on from heartbreak, but those tears are worth every tear we’ve shed,” she concluded. “Animals bring us so much joy, and I wish the dog years didn’t go by so quickly.”
Lambert secretly married her husband McLoughlin in January 2019, and over the years they have been raising horses, cats, rescue dogs and other animals.
She announced the marriage news in a Valentine’s Day post on Instagram.
“I wanted to share some news,” she wrote at the time. “I met the love of my life and we got married! My heart is so full. Thank you Brendan McLoughlin for loving me…and for me.❤️”
She divorced fellow country singer Blake Shelton in 2015 after four years of marriage.
