Jennifer Garner shared the sad news on Wednesday that her beloved dog -- and sometimes Pretend Cooking Show co-star -- Birdie had died.

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.”