Most people occasionally think about their own deaths and may have a final wish in mind. Sometimes, those wishes are honored, but that wasn’t the case for the French actor Alain Delon, whose last request was a bit unusual and ultimately denied by his family.
Alain Delon, famous for his many film roles and even recognized by the French president after his passing, had one final wish: to be buried with his beloved dog, Loubo. However, this would have required euthanizing the dog, a decision that sparked controversy.
The leading animal welfare organization in France, SPA, opposed the idea, arguing that Loubo’s life shouldn’t be taken simply to fulfill Delon’s desire. Delon’s family agreed and decided to keep Loubo alive, committing to continue caring for him.
Delon, who passed away at 88, leaves behind a lasting legacy in cinema, but it’s his final wish that has garnered the most attention. In a 2018 interview, Delon expressed his deep bond with his dogs, saying, “I want to be buried with my dogs. I don’t care about anything else, I just want to be with them. They were the only ones who loved me unconditionally, always there for me, asking nothing in return.”
This statement ignited strong reactions from animal rights activists, who argued that euthanizing a healthy dog to fulfill such a wish was unethical. The SPA issued a statement, saying, “The life of an animal should not be conditioned by that of a human,” and even offered to find Loubo a new home if needed.
In the end, Delon’s family chose to respect the welfare of Loubo, keeping him alive and well cared for. Pictures of the dog have since appeared on Instagram, one of which was captioned: “Wherever there is an unfortunate person, God sends a dog. Thank you, my Loubo, for being there for your master.”
Though it’s always sad to lose someone who provided so much entertainment, in Delon’s case, it’s his unique final wish—and the ethical debate it sparked—that many will remember him for.