Miley Cyrus, 28, is mourning the loss of her sweet dog Mary Jane. The 10-year-old pit bull mix sadly had to be put down after battling cancer for over a year. “Anyone who knows me & it doesn’t have to be well is aware that my best friend in the whole world is a rescued pit bull mix named Mary Jane,” Miley began her emotional tribute to her furry friend on Thursday, Jan. 7.
The Hannah Montana alum went on to detail Mary Jane’s health struggles. “MJ was diagnosed with cancer over a year ago …. & since then multiple types and tumors,” she explained. “I was told it’d be an uncertain amount of time until she’s gone. Advised to spend every second savoring her special spirit… which wasn’t anything new. I had been for 10 years,” she added. Miley originally adopted the adorable black and white dog with ex-husband (but then boyfriend) Liam Hemsworth back in 2012.
Miley also shared a powerful message about love and loss with her millions of followers. “In life it is easy to take things for granted. To let little miracles pass you by without moments of gratitude. To be oblivious when the rays of heaven shine down onto you,” she penned in the lengthy note. “But when it came to my ANGEL mary Jane… never once did I forget the gift I had been given. She made it impossible to. She was a dog with wings in a way,” she added.
The Plastic Hearts singer has long been a dog lover, adopting beagle Barbie, chihuahua mix Bean, sheepdog Emu and Rottweiler mix Happy over the years. The star shared a particularly special bond with Mary Jane — named for Miley’s love of marijuana — even getting a tattoo of the pup on her arm. Miley went on, “This time it was my duty to return all her favors and keep her comfortable, happy, & free of any pain for as long as possible… She has always done that for me. She is no longer hurting but I am. That’s what love is.” She and ex-boyfriend Cody Simpson, 23, also adopted pup Bo in quarantine.
Most recently, she wrote a song for the dog called “Mary Jane” which was released on Dec. 11. The 28-year-old reposted the song along with a sweet video montage dedicate to her “angel” dog. “Mary Jane passed with grace, dignity, peace & power. She lived by the golden rule of kindness and compassion towards all. She was strong when she needed to be but never for to [sic] long. She would never let her soul close. She lived so open. To love and be loved. If only we were all more like Mary Jane,” Miley concluded.