Kristen Bell makes plea to adopt senior dogs after death of beloved pet
After saying goodbye to her dog Barbara, Kristen Bell is encouraging potential pet parents to consider adopting senior dogs.
In an emotional video posted to her Instagram Stories on Sunday, the "Frozen" actor thanked fans and followers for their well-wishes after the beloved family pet passed away on Saturday.
"I'm going to miss her a ton, but I'm also really, really grateful that I got to spoil her in her last two years," said Bell, 40.
"I had and I continue to have such a good experience with adopting senior dogs, and I hope by seeing some of Barbara's antics, it inspires other people to open their hearts to older dogs," she continued. "I know they're not like the ideal thing to take on and obviously it's sad when they die, but it's no comparison to the feeling you have knowing that you spoiled someone in their twilight years."
Bell and her family took care of Barbara for two years after adopting her from The Dog Cafe in Los Angeles. The family has another dog, Frank, who is a rescue from the same organization.
Bell has used her celebrity and social media presence to advocate for senior pets and other animals over the past few years. She has posted pictures of rescue animals in need of a home in an attempt to connect with potential owners and has shared fundraisers from animal rights' groups. She has also urged fans and followers to adopt animals instead of purchasing from pet stores and included hashtags about adopting senior pets in many of her posts.
"I will miss Barbara's proclivities so much, but I'm so grateful I got to know her and spoil her," Bell said. "I feel really lucky to have been able to do that and I hope that anyone who is considering being open to a senior dog does so because they are just the best."