Alain Delon’s family has overruled his wish for his pet dog, Loubo, to be put down and buried with the late French actor.
Delon, who died on Sunday aged 88, previously said he wanted the 10-year-old Belgian malinois to be killed and laid in his grave alongside him.
But after outrage from activists, the actor’s family have confirmed Loubo will not be killed.
The French animal charity Fondation Brigitte Bardot said Delon’s family confirmed that relatives will take care of Loubo, adding: “He has a home and a family.”
The French equivalent of the RSPCA also volunteered to take in his dog, adding: “The life of an animal should not be conditioned to that of a human.”
Delon had previously told media outlets he had built a dog cemetery, which contained the remains of at least 35 pets, in his home La Brulerie in the village of Douchy, Loiret – around 85 miles southeast of Paris.
Alain Delon with Romy Schneider in The Swimming Pool in 1968. Pic: AP
“He’s my end-of-life dog… I love him like a child,” Delon told Paris Match in 2018.
“I’ve had 50 dogs in my life, but I have a special relationship with this one. He misses me when I’m not there.
“If I die before him, I’ll ask the vet to take us away together. He’ll put him to sleep in my arms. I’d rather do that than know that he’ll let himself die on my grave with so much suffering.”
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Delon’s daughter Anouchka posted a picture of Loubo on Instagram last year, with the caption: “Wherever there’s an unfortunate person, God sends a dog. Thank you, Loubo, for being there for your master.”
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Delon was known for his roles in films such as Purple Noon in 1960, The Leopard in 1963, and Le Samourai in 1967.
The actor had been in poor health since suffering a stroke five years ago. His last major public appearance was to receive an honorary Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2019.