Reese Witherspoon’s Daughter, Ava Phillippe, Adopts Rescue Puppy Same Day Family Dog Passes Away

Reese Witherspoon and her daughter, Ava Phillippe, took to Instagram on October 20 to share the devastating news that their beloved family dog, Pepper, had passed away after a long battle with cancer. Reese and Ava both shared heartfelt tributes to the French bulldog.

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Our sweet Pepper passed away yesterday. My goodness, she was such a loyal and devoted family member. I am so heart broken, but I am also deeply grateful for all the love and comfort she brought our family. Now she’s in dog heaven where all great pets go. Chasing tennis balls, running through open fields of wild flowers and being the Queen that she is. That’s what I believe. 🎾🌸 👑 We will always love you, Pepper.

A post shared by Reese Witherspoon (@reesewitherspoon) on Oct 20, 2020 at 5:09pm PDT

“Just when we thought she was getting better, things took a turn for the worst, and she passed peacefully, surrounded by those who love her,” posted the 21-year-old.

Photo: Instagram/avaphillippe

Amid all the sadness, the family received a glimmer of joy thanks to fate. The same day Pepper passed away, Ava brought home a rescue puppy named Benji.

She adopted the sweet pup from Best Friends Animal Society and wrote, “What a wild & bittersweet week. The day we lost Pepper just so happened to be the day I brought this sweet boy home with me…”

Photo: Instagram/avaphillippe

She goes on to describe Benji as “a dream of a rescue dog.” He loves to cuddle, which Ava is taking full advantage of, and loves to make new friends. Just like other puppies, he enjoys squeaker toys, outdoor adventures, and “anything he is allowed (or not allowed) to eat.”

“He is the happiest, smartest boy, and I’m so grateful to be his person. I cannot wait for him to perfect his manners and become his full, goofy self as time goes on!”

Photo: Instagram/avaphillippe

While the family is still grieving, Benji has been a welcomed source of comfort and joy.

“Even though we just entered each other’s lives, I feel like I’ve known Benji forever. I’m super excited for many adventures with this guy by my side!”

She thanked Best Friends Animal Society for rescuing animals and for “helping her and Benji find each other.”

Photo: Instagram/avaphillippe

Benji is a mutt and while Ava believes he is part border collie, she asked her fans to guess what breeds he could be. He looks like pure perfection to us. Be like Ava and adopt don’t shop!

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What a wild & bittersweet week. The day we lost Pepper just so happened to be the day I brought this sweet boy home with me… This is Benji! 🐾 He’s from the @bestfriendsanimalsociety sanctuary in Southern Utah and is a ✨dream✨ of a rescue dog. He loves to cuddle and meet new friends (human & canine) and has quickly adjusted to life in his new home environment. Benji also enjoys squeaky toys, outdoor adventures, and anything he is allowed (or not allowed) to eat. He is the happiest, smartest boy, and I’m so grateful to be his person. I cannot wait for him to perfect his manners and become his full, goofy self as time goes on! I want to give many thanks to Best Friends Animal Society for all the work they do to save the lives of animals big and small and for helping me and Benji find each other. If you love animals of any kind, you should definitely check them out! 🧡 Even though we just entered each other’s lives, I feel like I’ve known Benji forever. I’m super excited for many adventures with this guy by my side! P.S. Feel free to comment what breeds you think Benji is. I’m pretty sure he’s got some Border Collie in him, but who knows what else! 🐶

A post shared by ava (@avaphillippe) on Oct 25, 2020 at 11:13am PDT