The late Shannen Doherty had specific wishes regarding her dog, Bowie.
On Saturday, July 13, Shannen Doherty passed away at her Malibu home after years of battling cancer. She was only 53.
In addition to her indelible acting career and her speaking up during her years battling cancer, many also remember Doherty as an advocate for dogs.
Shannen Doherty spoke specifically about her dog, Bowie, when expressing her last wishes.
Bowie was with Shannen Doherty until the very end
Across various Instagram posts, Shannen Doherty affirmed her love for her dog, Bowie.
Just a few months ago, the late actor celebrated her precious dog’s birthday.
Additionally, Bowie was one of those who were with her when she passed away at her Malibu home.
In January of 2024, Shannen Doherty spoke on her own podcast about her final wishes. At the time, of course, she still hoped to have years of life before her.
During that particular Let’s Be Clear podcast episode, Doherty expressed a desire for cremation.
Specifically, Shannen Doherty wanted for her eventual cremains “to be mixed with” the ashes of her dog, Bowie, and of her father.
Both her dog and her father figure into Shannen Doherty’s final wishes
“Like, really mix it up so it’s a healthy mixture of my father, me, and Bowie,” Shannen Doherty expressed.
“I do not want to be buried,” she then emphasized. “I want to be cremated.”
Her guest on the episode was Chris Cortazzo. Shannen Doherty also gave him permission to wear some of her ashes on a necklace — something that she did in 2010 when her own father, John Thomas Doherty, Jr., passed away.
Half a year later, and Shannen Doherty passed away at home. Family was with her. So was her beloved dog, Bowie.
To be clear, there is no reason to believe that the lifelong animal rights advocate was asking that her dog die with her, as if she were some ancient king having his subjects interred alive in his tomb.
Instead, Doherty was clearly speaking about her hopes for the future, knowing that neither she nor Bowie would live forever. And perhaps, at the time, she was optimistically imagining outliving her dog’s natural lifespan. She very much did not want to die.
Despite her hopes, Shannen Doherty prepared for this
By April, Shannen Doherty had been sorting through her worldly possessions. She also moved out of her Tennessee home.
Her goal was to make things easier for her mother when she eventually passed away.
Obviously, she still held onto hope that the promising treatments that she was undergoing would triumph. It is likely that her determination and optimism helped her to live as long as she did.
