Alain Delon is one of the cinematic stars with classic charm and immense stage presence that makes every kind of actor inspired by his work. There is, however, one particular aspect where a lot of controversy erupted after his demise: he requested that his favorite dog, Loubo, be euthanized and buried next to him.
Delon regarded his dogs as something more than just pets—he thought of his connection with them as almost spiritual. It’s not surprising, really, that he wanted Loubo, his end-of-life dog, to be necessarily present with him, including in death. He desired a final resting place where he and Loubo could be together for all eternity, and made it clear to his family.
The late Alain Delon’s wish to have his dog euthanized and buried with him has been overruled by his family following backlash from animal rights campaigners.
In 2018, Delon stated: “If I die before him, I’ll ask the vet to take us away together. He’ll put him to sleep in my… PIC.TWITTER.COM/0DK1AHNBC9
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The actor could not bear the thought of Loubo’s being left in a world without him. He felt that Loubo was intended by fate to follow him into death, as so many of his dogs had-before which fact it must be inferred that at least 35 of his dogs are already buried in the chapel situated on the property of his estate, La Brûlerie.
Delon’s wish quickly stirred outrage with animal welfare societies and public opinion in general. It just seemed too right to have a perfectly healthy dog be put to sleep to serve some human need for companionship in the afterlife. Leading the campaign were groups like France’s Société Protectrices des Animaux and the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, who voiced their condemnation at such a thought.
The animal rights activists contended that no matter how strong the bond between the actor and his pet, Loubo should never have been expected or called on to sacrifice his life for sentimental reasons. They brought out the point that animals are not the property of humans, and therefore if, based on the wish of human beings, such a decision is supposed to be taken for animals to be put to peace, then by such definition they should not be called animals. As a result of the progression, many voices emerged on social media, all crying out in disbelief, insisting that Loubo deserved to live out his natural life in peace.
But with the controversy rising, Delon’s family, his daughter especially, Anouchka, publicized that they would not honor Delon’s wish for Loubo to be put to sleep. She assured the nation that Loubo would be maintained and well taken care of in the family. This assured the dog continued getting the care and concern it was accustomed to receiving. The decision was-euphorically received with a sign of relief from the public and animal rights advocacy groups, with some justifiably commending the family for the humane option.
The French animal charity Fondation Brigitte Bardot, one of the very loud voices said to be against Delon’s first wish, issued a statement regarding the family’s take on the whole thing. To them, Loubo “has a family and home,” and no need arises in the world to kill a healthy dog. They lauded the Delon family for having taken sides against such a controversial wish. The fondation said the value in an animal’s life had to be respected.
While Alain Delon’s life was full to brimming with roles and work that would leave a rich legacy, his dog-loving nature would create a different legacy. That Delon died wishing to be buried next to his beloved pets should indicate just how close he was to them, the depth of this love. This, many remembered with a little flair, irony, or sadness, considering they too couldn’t grant him burial.
