Jennifer Garner's Golden Retriever Birdie Dies After Vet Visit Revealed the Dog Was at the 'End of Her Life'

Garner thanked Birdie "for being the world’s best dog"

Jennifer Garner is saying goodbye to her dog Birdie. 

On Wednesday, Nov. 27, the Deadpool & Wolverine actress, 52, announced the death of her beloved golden retriever, Birdie, 9. 

“It is hard to know how to write this— it seems nuts, given the world, to mourn a pet, but since we have shared Birdie with all of you, it only seems fair to let you know of her passing,” she began as the caption to an Instagram tribute in Birdie’s honor. 

According to Garner, the family began to notice signs last week when Birdie, “a renowned foodie” who “never missed a meal” stopped eating, so they took her to the doctor. 

“We were surprised to learn that, not only was she very ill, she was at the end of her life,” the actress wrote.

Related: Jennifer Garner's Golden Retriever Birdie Nails the Viral 'Hands In' Challenge the 'First Time'

However, there was one thing Birdie needed to do before she could go, and that was say her own goodbyes to one of her favorite humans. 

“The vet told us that dogs often hang on until their person comes home from college,” Garner said, referring to her oldest daughter, Violet Anne Affleck, 18. “And we believe Birdie did just that, so that we could pet her soft ears together and thank her for being the world’s best dog.”

One of Birdie’s favorite things to do was read, Garner said.

Her Instagram carousel showed a video of them lounging on the sofa as Garner read William Steig’s Pete’s a Pizza. Both Birdie and Garner wore reading glasses in the cute clip. 

“She lived a happy dog life and is now in the role she was born to play: angel girl. It’s a gift to love and be loved by such a creature as Birdie the Doggie.