Singer Halsey has revealed their heartbreak over the death of their dog Jagger at just five years old, urging people to ‘love your pets every single second because anything can change in a moment’.
Sharing the news on Instagram, alongside a carousel of pictures of the beloved pit bull mix, the Closer chart-topper, whose pronouns are she/they, branded it the ‘worst week of my life’ as they revealed that Jagger had succumbed to a ‘sudden and uncommon and unfair’ progressive condition.
The singer, who sparked engagement rumours with partner Alev Aydin in November, adopted the adored pooch in 2017.
They and Alev also share baby Ender together, who was born in July 2021.
Halsey penned: ‘Before I had a dog of my own, I would hear people mourn their pets and think “it’s just a dog…” well I couldn’t have been more wrong.
‘I got Jagger when he was just a few weeks old. I sometimes thought about him passing. How would it feel? Well he’d be old and rickety and grumpy by then. We’d spend the last few years giving him extra ice cream and lazy sunbathing days that he loved when he was too old to run in circles.
‘I knew it would hurt and I feared it immensely, but I was at peace that we’d have many more years together and he’d have a long good life.’
Revealing how that ended up being far from the reality, the 27-year-old continued: ‘Unfortunately that is not how it happened for us. Jagger was 5 years old and yesterday we lost him to a progressive condition called Myelomalacia. It is sudden and uncommon and unfair with a catastrophic prognosis. Within 3 days my beautiful baby boy went from chasing imaginary birds around the yard and laying in my lap turning his ears up at the sounds of Sesame Street, to having paralysis spread through his body by the hour.’
Calling it ‘sudden and shocking’ and admitting that they ‘still haven’t even really processed it’, Halsey added: ‘I don’t know why I’m sharing all this besides to just say love your pets every single second because anything can change in a moment. My very first love, who taught me how to be a mommy. My sweet, sarcastic, so very human boy.
‘Every single person who had the privilege of meeting jagger will never forget him. He was that special.
‘If you’re reading this and you don’t have a pet, you might be thinking “it’s just a dog.” Like I maybe used to. But I can tell you you’re wrong. So f**king wrong. It’s the most visceral loss I have ever felt. Like the absence of a vital appendage.
‘Every single second of my day that once revolved around his little habits and routines is now full of just emptiness and silence. If you loved Jagger along with me, thank you for giving him the best life the bestest boy could have ever had. 🌈🌼👑’
Fans and friends rushed to offer their condolences in the comments to the singer, real name Ashley Frangipane, with Finneas O’Connell writing: ‘Oh my god my heart is broken for you!!!’
‘I’m so sorry 🥺😭😭😭😭💔,’ posted Hailey Bieber, while make-up artist Lottie shared: ‘I’m so sorry Ash, I unfortunately went through this two years ago and it’s so painful. I love you and am sending you lots of hugs ❤️’
In among the photos Halsey shared, Jagger was shown in a stripey party hat, being cuddled in a towel by the star, with Ender and receiving lots of pats on the head.
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