Meghan Markle made a tribute to her beloved rescue dog, Guy, via a post on Instagram. In her post, she shared the story of Guy, from his days in a shelter to becoming the family pet of the Duchess of Sussex.
"He had been at a kill shelter in Kentucky and given a few days to live," she wrote on her Instagram post. "I swooped him up....and fell in love."
Like many pup parents, the meeting between Guy and Markle was love at first sight. Markle describes Guy as having been "small and frail," hence his being nicknamed "the little guy," by shelter staff.
"And he was the best guy any girl could have asked for," she wrote.
Meghan Markle shares sad video in remembrance of rescue dog, Guy
Guy will also be featured in the upcoming Netflix series about Meghan Markle, With Love, Meghan. The series is set to be released on Jan. 15. Markle added that his appearance would compel the audience to "fall a little bit in love" with Guy, too.
The loss of a cherished pet is more than sad; it's devastating. We grieve them as we would any family members or loved ones. Markle expressed her own grief in her post, writing, "I have cried too many tears to count."
Markle ended her post with a message of love to her beloved pup, writing, "Thank you for so many years of unconditional love, my sweet Guy. You filled my life in ways you'll never know." At the very end, she added the hashtag #adoptdon'tshop, referencing Guy's roots in a kill shelter, and reminding readers of the importance of animal adoption.
Overcrowded shelters are no breaking news for anyone, but despite reminders, they have a tendency to fall from the public's attention. Shelters' numbers of animals are ever-increasing, and millions of animals are in desperate need of safe and loving homes. Puppy-mills and overbreeding perpetuate the already colossal issue of overcrowding in shelters and stray animals.
Guy's humble beginnings in a shelter remind animal lovers of the presence of animals that have yet to find their forever homes. The Duchess of Sussex's words remind readers that they need not locate a breeder for their next animal companion. Instead, they can head to the nearest rescue shelter, and hopefully meet the four-legged love of their lives, just as Markle met Guy.