The Big Bang Theory star Kaley Cuoco has opened up about the "excruciating decision" to rehome her late dog, Shirley.
The actor shared the story in an emotional video posted to Instagram, where she began: "There's something that's been weighing on me that I think I'm ready to share now, especially now that I run my own dog care company, Oh Norman! I think it's important to be honest about everything animal-related."
Cuoco explained that she started to get "a lot of questions" from fans after they stopped seeing Shirley on social media, "because it’s very unlike me to just stop posting about a dog that I’ve had since she was six weeks old".
Related: Best streaming services in 2024
She noted that Shirley was a "very special dog" to her, but things changed when her fiancé Tom Pelphrey moved in with his own dog a few years ago.
"The love of my life came into my life - Tom, who is also a mega dog lover - and he moved across the country with his beautiful German Shepherd, Blue," she said.
What to Read Next
"A couple years ago, unfortunately, Blue and Shirley started getting into some mega fights. Shirley was determined to kill him. It was very scary. She'd gotten in fights with other dogs, the only dog she didn't get in a fight with was Norman."
Cuoco said that she "loved" and "cherished" Shirley, but she could no longer live with them due to the way she was behaving.
Related: Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons responds to fan spin-off request
"I was really scared," she added. "I didn’t want something really bad to happen or possibly a person accidentally be there and get hurt."
Thankfully, Cuoco’s pet handler Tony and his wife offered to take Shirley in for "a while", but ended up keeping her until she recently passed away due to bone cancer.
"They have loved her so, so much. It was an excruciating decision...but this was for the safety of Shirley herself and I didn't want her to end up in a home that didn't understand her because she is so special and I've had her for so long."
She concluded: "This was a really serious decision that needed to be made as a family, and I think we did the right thing. I got to see her a ton. I got photos constantly. She was as happy as can be and lived an amazing 14 years."
You Might Like...
Social Executive, Entertainment Portfolio After completing her joint honours degree in Journalism and English Literature at Cardiff University, Iona joined Digital Spy as a Content Production Intern in 2022, where she wrote across both news and features, specialising in TV and movies. Following her internship, Iona continued contributing to the site as a freelance reporter, becoming social executive for the Hearst UK entertainment portfolio in summer 2025. Iona now leads the DS social channels, covering red carpets with stars such as Paul Mescal, Austin Butler, and more.
