Elvin Ng had to euthanise his 17-year-old dog due to declining health: 'I felt I could have done better for her'

Elvin Ng made the decision to let his dog, Bagel, go peacefully following advice from his veterinarian.

Anyone who has loved a pet knows there are some decisions you hope you will never have to make.

For Mediacorp actor Elvin Ng, that day has sadly come.

The 45-year-old took to Instagram on Tuesday (Aug 18) to share that his beloved dog, Bagel, had died at the age of 17.

Alongside a series of photos celebrating their years together, Ng shared that Bagel had been part of his family for the past nine years. He adopted the senior beagle from Voices for Animals (VFA) when she was already around eight years old.

Looking back on their time together, Ng described Bagel as a true warrior.

"She was a brave, resilient and simple dog. Life was not always easy for her, but she was a real tough Beagle who never grimaced in pain or yelped during injections," he wrote.

Ng recalled how Bagel gradually came out of her shell after joining his family. She began making eye contact, dancing around the house and happily hopping from room to room.

As Bagel grew older, however, her health began to decline.

Although her body grew frail with age, Ng said her eyes remained bright and alert until the very end.

Following his veterinarian's advice, Ng eventually made the heartbreaking decision to let Bagel go peacefully through euthanasia.

"She was probably in pain and suffering, and it was likely to be a matter of days," he wrote.

Even knowing it was the right thing to do did not make the decision any easier. Ng described it as the hardest decision he has ever had to make and admitted that he was struggling with feelings of guilt.

“I feel guilty though, also because I felt I could have done better for her in her later years as she couldn't be in the room so much due to her recurring skin issues and condition,” he wrote.

Ng later echoed those feelings in an Instagram Story.

“Rest now, Bagel. To make the call to euthanise her was the most difficult action to take, and I feel guilty too, that I could have taken care of her better in her later years,” he wrote.

Many of his showbusiness friends, including Zoe Tay, Kym Ng, Desmond Tan, Romeo Tan, Pierre Png, Felicia Chin, Chantalle Ng, Sheila Sim and Shane Pow, flooded the comments with messages of love and support.

Rather than dwelling solely on his grief, Ng chose to remember the lessons Bagel had taught him over their nine years together.

He wished his beloved companion to be happy and free now, and to remain the same easy-going, happy-go-lucky dog who had faced life's challenges with quiet resilience.

"If there is another life, I hope you get to enjoy one that is happier and easier. I've learnt so much from you and your tenacious and indomitable spirit, Bagel,” he wrote.

This story was originally published in 8Days.

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