Miranda Lambert is saying goodbye to a faithful friend.
The country singer, 42, took to Instagram on Sunday to share with fans that her beloved rescue dog Cher died Saturday at the age of 15.
Lambert, a longtime advocate for rescue animals, shared a heartfelt tribute to the chihuahua, who has been a highly visible pal to the Grammy winner for years, appearing on red carpets, in press rooms, and on tours.
“Our sweet bear Cher crossed over the rainbow bridge yesterday,” Lambert captioned a carousel of photos on Instagram, showing the little dog in a variety of poses with the singer and her husband Brendan McLoughlin over the years. “Cher gave us 15 years of love and all the chihuahua attitude and energy she had to give. And if you have ever had a chi chi you know what I mean.
“I adopted her from a shelter when she was 10 weeks old in 2010. I put her in my overalls pocket at the shelter and that was it,” Lambert continued, adding that the pooch’s first big event was the Academy of Country Music awards that year, where she appeared on the red carpet and did the press room.
“She was on every tour I have done since,” Lambert noted. “Thank you to her sweet soul for all the road miles she traveled.”
Lambert has long been an avid dog rescuer, but shared that she has lost a considerable amount of her pups over the years. “I was a rescue dog mom of 9 when I met @brendanjmcloughlin 7 years ago, and now we are down to one,” she wrote.
“We sure are ready for a break from the heartbreak y’all, but they are worth every tear we have cried,” she concluded. “Animals bring so much joy but I sure do wish dog years didn’t go by so fast.”
Lambert secretly tied the knot with husband McLoughlin in January 2019, with whom she’s raised a menagerie of animals over the years, including horses and cats as well as their rescue dogs.
She broke the news of their marriage with 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 hitched! My heart is full. Thank you Brendan Mcloughlin for loving me for…. me. ❤️.”
She split from fellow country singer Blake Shelton in 2015 after four years of marriage.
