Actress Kaley Cuoco took to Instagram on Monday to announce the death of her dog, Shirley, revealing she made the “very difficult decision” to rehome the pit bull mix a few years before her passing.
“Most of you know I had [Shirley] for many, many, many years, and all of a sudden, you kind of stopped seeing her,” the animal welfare advocate continued. “I started to get a lot of questions as to where she was because it’s very unlike me to just stop posting about a dog that I’ve had since she was 6 weeks old.”
The “Big Bang Theory” star, who is engaged to 42-year-old actor Tom Pelphrey, said Shirley would often get in “mega fights” with her fiancé’s German shepherd, Blue, when they moved in together.
“Shirley was determined to kill him, and it was very scary,” recounted Cuoco, who welcomed her first child, daughter Matilda, with Pelphrey in March 2023.
“Shirley had gotten in other dog fights before, and it really scared me. ... We obviously bring many dogs into our home, and I started to get really worried that she would really hurt another animal, and I needed to make a very, very difficult decision,” Cuoco said.
‘Over the Rainbow Bridge’
Cuoco went on to explain that her pet handler, Tony—who she’s worked with for many years—and his wife, Angie, offered to take Shirley in.“This was a couple of years ago, and they’ve had her ever since,” the actress said.
Cuoco reiterated that rehoming Shirley was an “excruciating decision,” adding that her choice was ultimately made with the dog’s well-being in mind.
“I didn’t want her to end up in a home that didn’t understand her because she was so special, and I’ve had her so long,” Cuoco shared.
“So she’s been living the life out on the most beautiful farm with Tony and Angie for years, in fact, alongside other dogs that we’ve rescued over the past few years, too.”
Cuoco, who struggled to fight back tears throughout her video, said she recently received news that Shirley had died from an aggressive type of bone cancer.
“She was almost 14 years old, which is an unbelievable life for a dog, and I just wanted to share her story and what we had to do,” Cuoco said.
“It was the right thing to do for our family, and really for Shirley ... She had an amazing life with us and an amazing last few years with Tony and Angie.
Animal Advocacy
Cuoco, a skilled equestrian, has been an outspoken animal advocate throughout her acting career.Earlier this year, the actress gave People magazine an inside look at her sprawling ranch in Thousand Oaks, California, which is home to a variety of rescued animals, including pigs, cows, horses, and goats.
“Obviously I rescue dogs, and everyone knows that about me, but I’ve really expanded to farm animals and even Thoroughbreds and horses off the track,” Cuoco told the publication in May. “Really anything with four legs is welcome here. We don’t turn anyone away. It’s become this magical place.”
The “8 Simple Rules” star rescued her first animal in 2007, per the Los Angeles Times.
The pit bull mix, which she named Norman, went on to serve as the inspiration behind many of Cuoco’s entrepreneurial endeavors, such as her film and television production company Yes, Norman Productions, founded in 2017.
In 2021, Cuoco revealed in a since-deleted post that the beloved dog had passed away at the age of 14.
“Earth shattering deep gut-wrenching pain I didn’t know was possible,” she wrote, per People. “Norman, you were my entire world for 14 years. Thank you for smiling at me as you left this world, confirming for me once again our language was ours alone. You will always have my heart.”
In memory of her late dog, Cuoco co-founded a line of eco-friendly canine products called Oh Norman! last year. The company donates a portion of its proceeds to dog rescue organizations across the country.
On Monday, Oh Norman! reposted Cuoco’s video about Shirley on Instagram, thanking the actress for her “immense love for animals and authenticity.”
