Marnie, the Instagram-Famous Dog, Has Died at 18

Marnie, the Instagram-famous Shih Tzu known for her side-tongue emoji expression, has sadly passed away.

As noted by People, Marnie’s owner, Shirley Braha, posted an announcement on Saturday, March 7 to tell the pup’s followers the tragic news. “It is with much grief I share the news that Marnie passed away painlessly & peacefully in my home on Thursday afternoon at the age of 18,” Braha wrote on IG, adding that Marnie’s comfort had been rapidly declining over the past few days. “I’m grateful to the universe for entrusting me with her beautiful soul and providing me with the perfect best friend and companion,” she wrote. “I’m grateful I was able to give this magical creature the fun and deeply loving life she wanted and deserved. I’m thankful I was chosen to be the conduit for Marnie to bring joy into the world.”

Braha’s message also emphasized the importance of adopting older dogs, noting that she first adopted Marnie when the pup was 11 years old. “When I hear from people that Marnie has made them adopt their senior dogs it’s truly the most beautiful legacy she and I could hope to leave in this world.”

At the time of writing, the post has garnered almost 450,000 likes, and the dog’s fans have flocked to her IG page to leave their condolences. “Marnie was the most special soul. Thank you for sharing her with us,” one person wrote, while another commented: “Marnie changed the game for senior [dogs] across the country. Her memory will be eternal!”

According to CNN, Marnie’s first IG post was in 2013, and she soon skyrocketed into internet puppy fame, joining the circle of other IG-famous pets, like Boo the Dog, Grumpy Cat, and Lil’ Bub, all of whom have since gone towards the rainbow bridge themselves. During her short viral career, Marnie had a book published, and was dubbed the “most famous American dog on Instagram” by The New Yorker. She’s even met plenty of celebrities, including Demi Lovato, Betty White, Kelly Ripa, and Anderson Cooper.

There’s no doubt that Marnie’s memory will live on for quite some time, and hopefully she will continue to inspire dog lovers to adopt senior pups for years to come. RIP lil’ angel!

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Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue