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British race car driver Lewis Hamilton has confirmed that his beloved dog Roscoe died on Sunday.
Hamilton, who currently races for Ferrari, pulled out of a Formula 1 tyre test with Pirelli last week in order to be with Roscoe, who was hospitalized with pneumonia.
Read more: Jenna Ortega Fostered Chinchillas And Adopted A Dog While Filming Wednesday
In a post on Friday, Hamilton described how Roscoe’s heart stopped during sedation for medical examination. The vets were able to get Roscoe’s heart beating again, but he had entered a coma. On Sunday night, Hamilton had Roscoe put down, which he described as “the hardest decision of my life.” Writing on social media earlier today, he described his relationship with Roscoe as “one of the most beautiful parts of life” and thanked his followers for their continued support for his dog.
“After four days on life support, fighting with every bit of strength he had, I had to make the hardest decision of my life and say goodbye to Roscoe,” said Hamilton. “He never stopped fighting, right until the very end. I feel so grateful and honoured to have shared my life with such a beautiful soul, an angel and true friend. Bringing Roscoe into my life was the best decision I ever made, and I will forever cherish the memories we created together.”
‘Thank you for all the love and support you’ve shown Roscoe’
Roscoe was a 12-year-old English bulldog with his own dedicated online following. Hamilton adopted him in 2013 – the same year he secured his historic first win for Mercedes at the Hungarian Grand Prix – because he wanted a small dog who could travel with him to races. He also adopted Roscoe’s sister, Coco, and the pair attended a number of events with Hamilton over the following years.
The two dogs were paddock regulars until Coco’s death in 2020. Since then, Roscoe has continued to travel with Hamilton, most recently to the 2024 British Grand Prix at Silverstone. In a Q&A video for Mercedes, Hamilton said that he tried to take Roscoe to as many events as possible because of his advancing age. Earlier this year, Roscoe even appeared alongside Hamilton on the cover of Vogue’s May 2025 issue.
“Thank you all for the love and support you’ve shown Roscoe over the years. It has been so special to witness and feel,” said Hamilton.
Read more: Is Lewis Hamilton Vegan? A History Of His Animal Advocacy
Hamilton and Roscoe’s plant-based diets
Hamilton follows a plant-based diet and has been outspoken in his animal and environmental advocacy since going vegan in 2017. In 2021, he urged his 21.8 million Instagram followers to “take a moment to think” and “please stop eating meat.”
Roscoe also followed a plant-based diet, and Hamilton has spoken about the lifestyle’s positive impact on his dog’s health multiple times. In October, he said that Roscoe had been a “different dog” since going vegan, and in November added that he was behaving “like a puppy again.”
In 2021, Hamilton even invested in the plant-based dog food startup Bramble. A growing body of research indicates that dogs – and cats – can thrive on plant-based diets, provided they are well-planned and take each species’ needs into account.
Read more: Is 2025 The Year Of Ethical Dog Food?
