Ariel Winter is grieving the loss of her dog Chloe, revealing the sad news in an emotional Instagram post shared with her millions of followers.
The 28-year-old Modern Family star told fans she had struggled to talk about the death after the beloved pup passed away earlier this month.
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She wrote, "It's taken me a bit for me to share this because I truly can't handle the fact that I've lost her."
Winter added, "I haven't even wanted to talk about it with my therapist, let alone anyone else because it makes it real and then I can't avoid the pain, but she was loved by so many and I feel it's time."
The actress described Chloe as "the love of my life, my best friend, my soul dog, my first rescue."
She said the dog was "the one who ignited that purpose and passion within me."
Winter also shared the painful moment she said goodbye, telling followers, "My beautiful, sweet, special Chloe girl… crossed the rainbow bridge on the 6th."
She continued, "She passed peacefully in my arms while I told her how much I loved her, how much of a special girl she was and that it was okay…after the vet made her comfy and we spent some time together."
According to Winter, the dog died after "a very quick, aggressive form of cancer that typically only shows symptoms when it's too late."
She explained, "She had just had her physical, dental, an extra check up because she just had a little BUMP that ended up being benign…everything and yet…"
Winter said she rescued Chloe back in 2016 and felt an immediate bond, writing, "I felt a connection I'd never felt before and one I knew I never wanted to live without."
She added, "I know some people won't get it, and that's okay. We had a soul bond."
The actress described the dog's constant presence in her life, writing, "She was my shadow. Everywhere I went, she followed. Didn't matter if she had to curl up somewhere super uncozy, she'd do it just to make sure she could be with me."
She even shared a personal hope she once had for the future, saying, "I always pictured her lying with me one day when I got pregnant, comforting me the way she always has and then protecting the baby after they were born— protecting things she loved was something she just did."
Winter's post comes just three months after she lost another dog.
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