“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.”

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.