Last week, Reese Witherspoon and her daughter, Ava Pihllippe, took to Instagram to mourn the loss of their family dog. Pepper, an adorable grey French Bulldog, had been suffering from an "aggressive" form of cancer, according to Phillippe.
"Our sweet Pepper passed away," Witherspoon shared with her followers. "My goodness, she was such a loyal and devoted family member. I am so heart broken, but I am also deeply grateful for all the love and comfort she brought our family. Now sheâs in dog heaven where all great pets go. Chasing tennis balls, running through open fields of wild flowers and being the Queen that she is. Thatâs what I believe. We will always love you, Pepper."
Less than a week later, Phillippe revealed that on they very same day Pepper passed away she welcomed a new furry friend into her life. "What a wild & bittersweet week. The day we lost Pepper just so happened to be the day I brought this sweet boy home with me," Phillippe wrote on Instagram alongside a slideshow of three photos showing off her new pup.
"This is Benji! Heâs from the [Best Friends Animal Society] sanctuary in Southern Utah and is a dream of a rescue dog," Phillippe continued. "He loves to cuddle and meet new friends (human & canine) and has quickly adjusted to life in his new home environment. Benji also enjoys squeaky toys, outdoor adventures, and anything he is allowed (or not allowed) to eat. He is the happiest, smartest boy, and Iâm so grateful to be his person. I cannot wait for him to perfect his manners and become his full, goofy self as time goes on!"
"Even though we just entered each otherâs lives, I feel like Iâve known Benji forever. Iâm super excited for many adventures with this guy by my side!" she wrote. She also encouraged her followers to "comment what breeds you think Benji is. Iâm pretty sure heâs got some Border Collie in him, but who knows what else!"
While Benji's is Phillippe's first pup of her own, the new addition will surely be friends Witherspoon's two other dogsâa labrador named Hank and a bulldog named Lou.
Photo: Getty/Ava Phillippe