Christopher Meloni is saying goodbye to an important family member.
On June 5, the Law and Order: Organized Crime star went on Instagram to announce the death of his rescue dog, Scotty. Having had the animal for more than a decade, Christopher disclosed that Scotty passed away at age 14 after a quick battle with cancer. As he shared a series of photos featuring Scotty with his wife Doris Sherman Williams, and their kids, Sophia and Dante, Christopher expressed the grief he felt about losing a beloved pet.
"He began as a rescue pup from Kentucky," he began his message in the caption. "The kids named him Scotty, I wanted to name him Biscotti … the kids won. My 'pet' name for him was Little Mister, pronounced Lidder Midder. Towards the end I found myself calling him 'Puppy' as if to recall happier times and maybe stave off the inevitable."
"He had cancer and was given 1 month to live," he added. "He gave us 3- he was a giver. 14 years was a good run, and in the words of Jon Stewart, 'in a world of good boys, Scotty was the best.' It is never easy … Godspeed Lidder Midder."
Shortly after Christopher broke the news of Scotty's death, it didn't take long for another special person in his life to share her condolences.
"Sending you love my friend," Christopher's former Law and Order: SVU co-star Mariska Hargitay replied in the comments. "Rest in peace sweet Scotty ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨."
Just like Mariska, Christopher's longtime fanbase also felt terrible about his heartbreaking personal loss.
"So sorry for the loss of your fur baby Chris. Sending love to you and the family. *hugs* 🐾🌈🤍," one person wrote. "Oh Chris so sorry! Scottie was always a welcome sight in your pics, just the sweetest boy. So truly sorry," another penned. "So sorry for your loss! It is so hard to say goodbye," a different follower added.
As some may know, Christopher has been vocal over the years about the effect having a pet has had on his family. As he explained to People in November 2010, he loved how having a dog taught Sophia and Dante the importance of understanding patience and tolerance.
"We thought it was important that the kids see that life isn’t about perfection," he stated at the time. "It’s about caring for things, accepting things that are different."
We're sending lots of love to Chris and his family.
As the entertainment and news associate editor for Good Housekeeping, Adrianna (she/her) writes about everything TV, movies, music and pop culture. She graduated from Yeshiva University with a B.A. in journalism and a minor in business management. She covers shows like The Rookie, 9-1-1 and Grey's Anatomy, though when she’s not watching the latest show on Netflix, she’s taking martial arts or drinking way too much coffee.
