InstagramSocial media will never be the same.
On Saturday afternoon, news broke that the beloved Instagram star, Marnie the Dog, had passed away. The adorable Shih Tzu rescue, who quickly became an internet sensation with her famous "lolling" tongue and tilted pose, died on Thursday.
The iconic dog was 18 years old.
Shirley Braha, who adopted her fur baby from a Connecticut shelter in 2012, took to social media to share the heartbreaking 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," the statement read on Marnie's Instagram page, which amassed 1.8 million followers.
"Her comfort had been notably declining over the past few days with little hope for improvement and she let me know she had had enough," the statement continued. "She enjoyed her chicken until the very end."
Shirley thanked those who followed her and Marnie's "unexpected journey," as well as shared her most cherished moments with her fur baby.
"All I can feel right now is loss but beneath that I have so much gratitude," the statement read. "I'm grateful to the universe for entrusting me with her beautiful soul and providing me with the perfect best friend and companion."At
"Im 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," Shirley shared. "And I'm thankful for all the human and dog friends Marnie and I made along the way, and the strangers on the streets and on the internet, who have shown us so much love."
She continued: "Most of all, I'm amazed that the sweet little hot mess of a pup that I picked up from a shelter at age 11, who at first didn't seem like she would be around very long at all, has managed to inspire others to adopt senior dogs. 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 this time, the beloved Instagram star "will be buried in a pet cemetery in LA."
Additionally, Shirley explained that she hopes to organize a public memorial gathering for Marnie's fans. However, "due to Coronavirus" nothing has been scheduled yet.