Kelly Ripa Recalls ‘Memories of Joy’ with Late Dog Chewie in Sweet Tribute

Kelly Ripa‘s memories of her late dog Chewie will never go away.

Two weeks after she and husband Mark Consuelos‘ Shih Tzu died at the age of 17, Ripa, 54, is sharing new videos and photos of the beloved dog’s life.

Ripa said that sharing the sweet Instagram Reel on Wednesday, Feb. 19, full of memories of the pet, was something she avoided at first “because it somehow makes it real, and I’m not quite ready to let go.”

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The Live with Kelly and Mark co-host said Chewie’s Feb. 4 death, which occurred after her health began deteriorating, has been “extremely painful” for her family. Ripa and Consuelos share sons Michael, 27, Joaquin, 21, and daughter Lola, 23.

“We still look for her and call to her and frankly feel lost. We are so grateful for the almost 18 years we had with this special lady,” said Ripa.

The mom of three recalled Chewie being a “stoic constant companion” for her and Consuelos as they raised their three kids and “when each left the nest.”

“We know she is running free now somewhere warm and sunny, unburdened by her failing body. We were the luckiest family to have loved and been loved by Chewie,” she said.

Ripa ended her post by taking time to thank those who have sent her family “beautiful messages.”

“Our hearts may be broken, but are filled with the memories of joy Chewie gave us,” she said.

Ripa and Consuelos got Chewie after Ripa met her during an adoption segment on Live. In March 2021, the couple also adopted a Maltese/ Shih Tzu mix named Lena.

While announcing Chewie’s death on the Wednesday, Feb. 5, episode of Live, Consuelos, 53, said they had to put Chewie down because the last few weeks of her life had not been easy.

“Chewie had stopped eating for a couple of days and had been eating less and less for the past few weeks. She was extremely dehydrated and had some neurological stuff going down,” he said.

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“And you think, ‘Okay, I’m doing the right thing, this is going to be not easy but…’ It’s probably one of the toughest things we’ve had to do as a married couple,” Consuelos added.