Kelly Ripa Pens Tearful Tribute to Beloved Shih-Tzu “Chewie” and Everyone’s Sobbing

It’s only been about two weeks since Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos announced the death of their beloved 17-year-old Shih-Tzu, Chewie, and now, the talk show host is sharing more about her grief. In an emotional Instagram post that Ripa shared on Wednesday, February 19, she paid tribute to her pup — something that she admitted she’d been avoiding to share publicly since it “somehow makes it real” to share just how much Chewie meant to her after losing her.

It’s impossible to explain in words what the heartbreak of losing a pet is like, but those of us who have been there before know exactly what Ripa is going through right now. But from her tribute alone, it’s easy to tell just how much Chewie meant to her and her family.

In the post, Ripa wrote that losing Chewie has been “extremely painful” for her family. “We ache for her every single day. We still look for her and call to her and frankly feel lost,” she wrote, alongside a video of her dog through the years.

She also looked back on the happier times she shared with her dog over the years, writing, “We are so grateful for the almost 18 years we had with this special lady. She grew up with our kids and remained at our sides when each left the nest. She waited by the front door to welcome her siblings back home when they returned for visits. She was our stoic constant companion.”