All About Shannen Doherty’s Dog Bowie, Who She Said Sensed Her Cancer Before She Was Diagnosed

Doherty, who died on Saturday, July 13, was a passionate advocate for animals and often shared photos of Bowie on social media

Shannen Doherty had a unique bond with her dog Bowie.

The late star even credited her canine sidekick with detecting her cancer before her diagnosis.

The Beverly Hills, 90210 star died on Saturday, July 13, at age 53 after first being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. She said she was in remission in 2017, but the cancer returned in 2019. In November 2023, Doherty shared with PEOPLE that the cancer had returned and spread to her bones.

When she began speaking publicly about her cancer journey, Doherty told Entertainment Tonight in 2016 that she thought her dog sensed something was wrong with her before her 2015 diagnosis.

"She would obsessively sniff right here on my right side for a long time before," the Charmed star said at the time. "So, it made sense when I got diagnosed.”

Related: Shannen Doherty Reflects on Letting Go of Possessions amid Cancer Journey: 'Do I Really Need Any of It?'

Doherty most recently wished Bowie — who has her own Instagram account, missbowiedoherty — a happy birthday in a social media tribute post back in March. "Happy birthday to the best dog in the world. I love you to an obsessive point," her caption read.

Bowie posed outdoors and wearing a pink sweater that said "Security" on it in the set of photos.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer??, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

The earliest post on Bowie's personal Instagram account dates back to October 2016 and is packed with plenty of cute dog content.

The most recent post on the German Shepherd's Instagram account featured the dog FaceTiming with a fellow canine friend in December 2020.

Related: Shannen Doherty and Luke Perry Had a 'Special Kind of Love' as Friends Throughout the Years After '90210'

Doherty, who was hosting her podcast Let's Be Clear up until days before her death, spoke often about Bowie, including during the final interview she did for the show, which was released on June 28.

Bowie was a pure breed given to the Little House on the Prairie alum by her ex Kurt Iswarienko, Doherty told the episode's guest, Katherine Heigl. Though she owned a pure breed, the late star was an advocate for rescuing animals.

"I love my dog more than anything else in the world, I just wish she was not so high-strung, which is what you get from a lot of these breeders," Doherty told the Grey's Anatomy alum.

"You get the dog that's like a little off mentally, a little too aggressive. I would have 20 dogs running around my property [if they were rescues] versus...one who if she sees another dog she's gonna lunge and...try to kill it."

She spoke out against kill shelters and encouraged people to rescue dogs, saying that by buying from a breeder, "we're taking away the lives of...probably 10 dogs."

Related: Olivia Munn Recalls Becoming ‘Instant Friends’ with Late Shannen Doherty amid Cancer Journeys: ‘We Bonded'

In a separate episode of her podcast in January 2024, Doherty shared that her final wishes for her remains involved Bowie.

"I want [my remains] to be mixed with my dog, and I want it to be mixed with my dad. I do not want to be buried and not cremated," she said at the time, adding that she was also interested in the idea of her ashes being used to "grow them into a tree."

The actress also had a love for horses, and once spoke about starting a foundation for them on her podcast with her friend and Charmed costar Holly Marie Combs.

Doherty's longtime publicist, Leslie Sloane, confirmed the actress' death to PEOPLE in an exclusive statement on Sunday, July 14.

"It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of actress Shannen Doherty. On Saturday, July 13, she lost her battle with cancer after many years of fighting the disease," the statement said. "The devoted daughter, sister, aunt and friend was surrounded by her loved ones as well as her dog, Bowie. The family asks for their privacy at this time so they can grieve in peace."

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.