Julianne Hough is known for her bubbly personality and positive outlook on life, but now she's dealing with every pet owner's worst nightmare. Hough and husband Brooks Laich's dogs both passed away unexpectedly on the same day, and while no cause of death has been revealed, Laich called it 'tragic.'
Hough posted an emotional tribute to her dogs, Harley and Lexi on Instagram.
Pure love is real, it existed through us. My heart expanded and felt the truth of what is possible. I am forever grateful.Thank you for your love.
Thank you for being my babies, my daughters. Thank you for choosing me. Thank you for teaching me how to be your mother. Thank you for allowing me to give and receive love. Thank you for your kisses. Thank you for your blessings every single minute of every single day. Thank you for your souls. Thank you for protecting me.
Thank you for letting me protect you. Thank you for protecting each other. Thank you for the timeless memories. Thank you for your magic. Thank you for being the most consistent and constant beings in my life. Thank you for being you. Thank you for being my guardians on this earth and even more so now.I’ve never experienced a love like ours.I miss you
I love you forever
Now You Are Free
Lexi July 21 2008 - September 28 2019
Harley March 28 2011 - September 28 2019
Laich also posted a lengthy message to the two pups, and thanked his wife for letting him be a part of their lives. Hough adopted the dogs in 2008 and 2011 respectively, but didn't marry Laich until 2017.
It is with the heaviest heart that I share with you the passing of our beloved dogs Lexi and Harley.Their tragic passing has left my wife and I heartbroken. Lexi and Harley were not just pets to us, they were our children, and we loved them as such.
They were the purest example of love that I have ever seen. They showed me that true love did exist in the world. The way they loved their mom @juleshough and the way she loved them back was the first time I knew that there was hope for me to have love in my life. And they accepted me into their little family, and helped me become a dad for the first time.
The past 2 weeks have been filled with tears of sorrow, and tears of joy. The immense pain we feel by their loss is due to the overwhelming love we had for them. Every single beautiful part of them will be missed, but we trust that they are in a better place now, and can still feel their presence in our hearts. I want to thank the many people who have helped see us through the past 2 weeks. The outpouring of love and support we have received from our family and friends has helped heal our hearts. I am eternally grateful for everyone who has held space for my wife and I to grieve and mourn.
There are too many names to list, but you all know who you are, and know that we couldn’t have made it through this without each and everyone of you. In the most sincere way possible, thank you very much.Thank you to @kristysowin, @derekhough, and @camilaforeroo for going above and beyond what we could ever imagine asking of you. There simply are no words to express our gratitude, we love you deeply and are so grateful for you.
Thank you to my wife for allowing me to share in their world, and trusting me to be their dad. I wasn’t perfect, but I loved them with every ounce of my heart.And thank you Lexi and Harley, for teaching me grace, softening my heart, and showing me love. You are perfect, and may you Rest In Peace. ❤️🐶🐼🐺💑❤️
Derek Hough, Julianne's brother, also posted his condolences about the dogs on Instagram.
"I honestly don’t know what to say except that these two creations brought so many beautiful memories into our families lives for the past 11 years," he wrote. "Their abrupt end was tragic but their memory will always be remembered with joy love and happiness."
While it's not clear how the dogs passed, the fact that both passed on the same day means it was likely some type of accident. I only hope that Laich and Hough can find the peace they need. Losing pets is extremely rough, and people who don't have pets don't know how much it hurts.