French actor Alain Delon’s request to have his dog euthanized and buried with him was met with fierce backlash from animal rights groups

French actor Alain Delon’s request for his 10-year-old dog to be put down and buried with him has been denied and his family have spoken out.

On August 18, the highly acclaimed French actor passed away at the age of 88 in his home in Douchy, France.

Delon’s family announced his passing in a statement shared with French media, stating the actor’s children ‘as well as Loubo [his dog] are deeply saddened to announce the passing of their father’.

Alain Delon passed away at the age of 88. (Archive Photos/Getty Images)

The statement continued: “He passed away peacefully in his home in Douchy, surrounded by his three children and his family.”

French president Emmanuel Macron took to Twitter to brand Delon a ‘French monument’ and Delon’s co-star in 1961 film Amours Célèbres, Brigitte Bardot released a statement from her foundation for animals page.

The tribute focused on the actor as being a ‘great friend to animals,’ explaining: “Alain was a close friend of our president, Brigitte Bardot, who is devastated by his death. Their friendship, based on a shared love of animals and a shared concern for their welfare, was precious and genuine. Alain understood the profound link between man and animal.”

However, it was later revealed that Delon’s desire to be close to animals extended to when he died too.

Delon requested his 10-year-old dog be euthanized and laid to rest with him. (Mike Marsland/WireImage)

The actor requested Loubo be ‘put to sleep’ and placed in his grave alongside him, The Guardian reports, however the demand was met with fierce backlash from animal rights groups.

La SPA France – the country’s oldest animal protection organization – took to Twitter on August 19, writing: “The SPA wanted to pay tribute to Alain Delon, animal lover and defender of the cause. Before his death, he had expressed the wish to euthanize his dog Lobo. However, the life of an animal should not be conditioned by that of a human. The SPA is volunteering to take in his dog and find him a family.”

Thankfully, a spokesperson for the Brigitte Bardot Foundation later responded to the controversy, explaining they’d ‘just had Anouchka Delon [Delon’s daughter] on the phone’.

They revealed the family had resolved the dog ‘will not be put down’ but ‘kept’ instead.

The foundation added in a post to Twitter: “[Translation] Many of you have sent us messages regarding the future of Loubo, Alain Delon’s dog.

“‘He has his home and his family’ confirmed the actor’s relatives who will take care of him. Loubo will of course not be euthanized!”