The actor suggested that Birdie, her furry friend, was able to "hang on" until Garner's daughter returned home from college.

Jennifer Garner has made an emotional announcement on social media ahead of Thanksgiving. The 13 Going on 30 actor, 52, announced the death of her dog, a golden retriever named Birdie, who she welcomed into her life just after her break up from Ben Affleck in 2015.

Jennifer Garner shared the heartbreaking news that the beloved family pet, Birdie, had passed away just before Thanksgiving.

Saying goodbye to animals is always so hard, especially around the holidays. Unfortunately for Jennifer Garner and her family, they had to do just that with their beloved dog, Birdie. And when it happens,

“The vet told us that dogs often hang on until their person comes home from college,” Garner said, referring to her oldest daughter, Violet Anne Affleck, 18. “And we believe Birdie did just that, so that we could pet her soft ears together and thank her for being the world’s best dog.”

Jennifer Garner is grieving ahead of the holiday season. The 13 Going on 30 actress revealed that her dog, Birdie, died just before Thanksgiving in a heartbreaking tribute post shared to her Instagram.

She lived a happy dog life and is now in the role she was born to play: angel girl,” the actress wrote in a heartfelt Instagram tribute.

Actress Jennifer Garner has announced the death of her beloved 9-year-old golden retriever, Birdie. "It is hard to know how to write this -- it seems nuts, given the world, to mourn a pet, but since we have shared Birdie with all of you,

"It is hard to know how to write this — it seems nuts, given the world, to mourn a pet, but since we have shared Birdie with all of you, it only seems fair to let you know of her passing," Garner wrote alongside images and videos of her and Birdie by each other's side.