Britain’s Got Talent star Pudsey the dog dead after heartbreaking battle with leukaemia and was looking into Ashleigh Butler’s eyes as he was put down
Beloved pup was too ill to come home from the vets
BRITAIN’S Got Talent star Pudsey the dog died after a heartbreaking battle with leukaemia and he was looking into owner Ashleigh Butler’s eyes as he was put down.
The talent show winner was put down at the vets after he was deemed too ill to go home.
His devastated owner Ashleigh, who won BGT with Pudsey in 2012, announced the sad news via Instagram, saying she was “heartbroken” to say goodbye.
Her mum Penny has now added her own tribute to the daring dog and revealed he had been battling “acute leukemia”.
She also opened up about the heartbreaking decision to put him down, and revealed the whole family gathered around him to say goodbye.
In a post on Facebook, she wrote: “We, as a family, had to make the hardest decision yesterday to let Pudsey go to sleep.
“We are absolutely devastated and in shock with how quick this has all happened, and our hearts are broken.
“We would have done anything to keep him with us, even for a little longer, but he didn’t have any more time as acute leukemia made us take the heart breaking decision to end his pain.
“We so wanted to bring him home to the place where he was born and lived his whole life, but he was too ill to make the journey home from Davies vets.
“All five of us were with him when we said goodbye, and he was looking into Ashleigh’s eyes as he went.
“This is going to take us forever to get over, as he meant everything to us.
“We just can’t believe we won’t see his big brown eyes again.
“Night night, Pud Pud. You gave us everything and wanted so little in return, just to be loved by Ashleigh and to spend your time doing the things you loved – agility, dancing and showing off.
“You were our special boy, and truly a dog of a lifetime. Sleep tight little man. Come and rest your head on our legs once in a while.”
He was also remembered in a statement released by BGT bosses on Twitter.
They said: “We are saddened to hear that today we lost Pudsey, a most marvellous winner. Our thoughts are with Ashleigh.”
Pudsey competed in his last Crufts competition in March, and Ashleigh got teary eyed as her dog, full name Pudsey Bear, completed his final run.
They became household names in 2012 after winning Britain’s Got Talent.
Ashleigh was just 17 when she secured a spot at the Royal Variety Performance and a £500,000 prize after the duo impressed judges with their dance routine.