"I am sad to say that today I lost not only a dog but my best friend of 12 years... love you buddy," tweeted Vinny Guadagnino, star of the famed reality show Jersey Shore. Any pet lover out there can commiserate with Vinny, whose beloved pitbull, Jelly, passed in October.
While many people know Vinny for his less tenderly moments that unfold on Jersey Shore (we've seen him at the gym, we've seen him tanning, and yes, even doing laundry), few people know him for the pet lover that he is.
He is, indeed, a sincere animal rescue advocate (find out more in a recent Animal Fair post). And thus the heart-break that arrived on his doorstep with the fact of Jelly's death a few months ago. The story serves to highlight the fact that pet lovers are ubiquitous and often found in people that would seem unlikely candidates.
At the time, even Vinny's co-star Pauly D acknowledged the loss on Twitter, tweeting "Damn I'm sorry my dude... I know how much Jelly meant to [you]." For the cast of "Jersey Shore," pet loss is unfortunately not unfamiliar, as co-star Sammi also lost a pet last year. She claimed it was one of the worst days of her life. And rightfully so.
With Jelly's death a few months in the rear view, Vinny is poised to release a book soon on how to deal with anxiety, something that he has struggled with incessantly his whole life. The release of the book, Control the Crazy: My Plan to Stop Stressing, Avoid Drama and Maintain Your Inner Cool, due out in April, may help remove weight from Vinny's back, which has carried not only the burden of constant anxiety, but the devastation of pet loss.
My heart is with you, Vinny, especially right now when my own Lucky's health has been wavering. You know who to turn to if you need to talk!
For those of you out there who have a sick pet, or have recently lost one, it may be helpful to read through a recent post of mine, which offers tips on pet loss. You can read it here.
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