Russell Crowe Grieves 16-Month-Old Puppy Louis Who Died In Accident On Anniversary Of His Dad’s Death

Apr 04, 2023

"Gladiator" star Russell Crowe revealed he’s grieving the unexpected death of his puppy, Louis, after a tragic accident on the day of his father's second death anniversary. The actor said that the 16-month-old black and white Papillion was hit by a truck on March 30, 2023, and could not be saved at the veterinary's clinic.

Crowe posted about his puppy's death on Twitter and said that Louis died in his arms. His only consolation was that he was still able to tell the dog how much he was loved by the family before he crossed over the rainbow bridge. 

Losing a pet can be extremely devastating for many pet owners because they are like surrogate children, according to Psych Central. Crowe said in an interview on an Australian radio show that their lives as a family were "wrapped around" Louis so his death will be hard to get over. 

The dog's passing may be even more devastating because it was the second death anniversary of John Alexander Crowe, the actor's father. On March 30, 2021, the elder Crowe passed away aboard a flight from Sydney to Coffs Harbour. Reports cited that the actor’s old man was given CPR on the plane for 18 to 20 minutes until the flight landed. He was 85 years old. 

The Hollywood star moved to Coffs Harbour before his father passed away because he wanted to look after his parents during the lockdowns. Crowe told Extra TV that his parents suffered from age-related health issues so he felt good with the decision to move in and quarantine with his parents. 

Louis the Papillion had been featured on the actor's Twitter account before. In December 2022, Crowe posted a photo of himself and his puppy with a matching fashionable shirt on. 

"I’m not at all a fan of dressing dogs up, but, a friend bought little Louis a ⁦@RalphLauren polo so he can match with dad," the star tweeted. "I think the other dogs on the farm are going to get jealous. Pretty funny."

In August 2020, Crowe also shared a photo of another pup in the family that was unusually the only offspring in the litter. The actor is a known animal lover who used to go around the local spots with a pet in tow because he could not bear to leave the puppy alone.

While filming the biblical drama, "Noah," in 2014, director Darren Aronofsky promised Crowe that there will be no animal abused and stressed on the set's long working hours. Instead, the production had to use advanced digital technology to bring the computer-generated animals to life on the big screen. 

Crowe also wrote a tribute to his mother's rescued cat that died in 2020. The "Cinderella Man" star said that his mother asked for a pet cat in 2003, but he kept turning her down. One time during a filming break, he chanced upon an abandoned cat as he went for a bike ride with some friends. He felt that this was destiny and took the cat home to his mother, who named her Cinders. 

"She had never grown to be fully trusting of humans, but, she loved my mum and my mum loved her," Crowe said of Cinders, per Good Morning America. "She never scratched me. I took that as gratitude."

Did you know that Russell Crowe is such a softie when it comes to animals? Do you relate to his grief about losing a pet? Tell us what you think of this story and pass this along to another animal lover!