Our hearts go out to Kaley Cuoco, whose dog just passed away

It’s not hard to say Kaley Cuoco is not having the best start to 2016. In a touching Instagram post Thursday, the Big Bang Theory actress posted some sad news: Her first dog, Petey, has passed away.

The adorable daschund-chihuahua mix had been her four-legged friend for the last 15 years, given to her by a boyfriend on her 16th birthday. “I was so afraid I would get in trouble so I hid him in my bedroom for three days until my parents found out,” Cuoco shared. “They said I had to take care of him if I was to keep him, that he would be mine! I was so excited.”

Turns out Petey was quite a charmer, however. By the time the star was ready to move out of the house at 17, her parents had fallen so hard for the soulful-eyed pup that they couldn’t bear to let him go, and he has lived with them ever since.

When dogs enter our hearts, however, they tend to snuggle right down, and so the thought of Petey was never far from Kaley’s mind. In her post, she notes that, despite him living with her parents, Kaley named her corporation, PeteyPieInc, in his honor. If you need some tissues right now, that’s okay, we’re with you.

The unfortunate news came on a day that already was probably not a great one for the actress: It would have been the two year anniversary of her New Year’s Eve marriage to tennis star Ryan Sweeting, but the couple separated in September of 2015 and filed for divorce shortly afterward. No divorcee marks the first passing of an anniversary without a few pangs, and added to Petey’s sad passing, this makes our hearts break for Kaley.

Still, her Instagram post envisioned a wonderful future for Petey in the afterlife. “I know he will enjoy doggie heaven where there will be an abundance of greenies just for him.” We know he will too, Kaley, and here’s wishing you a brighter year after a sad start.

(Image Via Instagram.)