THE family of late film legend Alain Delon have overruled his wish to have his beloved dog put down to be buried beside him.
The French actor, who died on Sunday aged 88, had spoken of his “special relationship” with ten-year-old Belgian Malinois Loubo.
But animal right campaigners were horrified at the idea of ting to sleep a healthy pet.
The French Society for the Protection of Animals insisted: “An animal life should not be conditional to a human life”.
Delon had told magazine Paris Match in 2018: “He’s my end-of-life dog. I love him like a child.
“If I die before him, I’ll ask the vet to take us away together. I’ve had 50 dogs in my life, but I have a special relationship with this one.”
Yesterday animal charity the Brigitte Bardot Foundation said on Instagram: “We have received lots of messages concerning the future of Loubo, Alain Delon’s dog. Don’t worry for Loubo.
“He has his home and family, who have confirmed to us they will take care of him. He will not be euthanised.”
During his stellar career, which spanned over 30 years, Delon appeared in more than 90 films and earned himself the nickname “angel-faced”.
He is recognised for his hits in the 1960s including The Leopard and Rocco and his Brothers.
The Leopard won the Palme dOr – the highest honor at the Cannes Film Festival.
Delon is best known to English audiences for his portrayals of Georges Simenon’s Inspector Maigret – the fictional French detective.
