Kelsea Ballerini Grieves the Loss of Her Beloved Dog Dibs After a Long Fight with Cancer
Kelsea Ballerini is grieving the loss of her cherished canine friend, Dibs.
“My sweet Dibs crossed over to doggy heaven yesterday,” Ballerini, 32, shared on Instagram on Thursday, January 8. “He spent his final days basking in the sunshine of his backyard, surrounded by his loving family.”
She added, “Words cannot express how significant he was in my life; I couldn’t have navigated the past decade without him. He will forever be my soul dog … and I truly believe we will reunite in every lifetime.”
Ballerini expressed that she felt “like the luckiest girl in the world” to have been Dibs’ “dog mom.”
“[It was the] greatest gift of my life,” she reflected, expressing gratitude to her fans for “loving him so loudly.”
Ballerini’s boyfriend, Chase Stokes, also paid tribute to Dibs in the comment section, simply saying, “My sweet sweet boy.”
The country artist, who adopted Dibs in 2015, remained by the pup’s side after his cancer diagnosis in 2024.
“In the last few days, we learned that Dibby has inoperable cancer in his heart,” Ballerini shared on her Instagram Stories in August 2024. “He’s not in pain, and thankfully it hasn’t progressed further.
At that time, Ballerini revealed that Dibs was prescribed “big” medications to ensure he had as many comfortable and happy days as possible.”
“My mom is here (he adores grandma), and Chase is the best dog dad ever,” Ballerini continued. “He’s receiving extra cuddles and goodies from his little family. [It has been a] complex and emotional journey. He’s been my baby and my rock for the past nine years, alongside us through it all. I know he’s wagging his tail, saying thank you.”
Earlier that day, Ballerini requested her fans to send prayers for her beloved pet.
“My sweet dibs needs all the prayers and healing energy possible,” she wrote at that time. “Please send love to our boy.”
After adopting Dibs, Ballerini launched “A Dog Named Dibs” Instagram page to document and share her treasured moments with the dog.
“I’m cancer-free now, and I had the happiest final days,” a Thursday post stated. “My mom and my aunts and dad and grandma are excited to share many memories of my life here because we have so many pictures and videos. Also, love you and thank you.”
Stokes, 33, has been Dibs’ “dog dad” since he began dating Ballerini in 2023. The couple faced a brief breakup last fall but rekindled their romance over the holiday season.
“This time, they’re approaching things with more care and intention,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly earlier this month. “Following a tumultuous breakup, they took considerable time apart to understand what they truly wanted.”
According to the insider, Ballerini and Stokes aim to keep their relationship “more private” this time around.
“They wish to safeguard what they’re building and minimize outside influence or pressure,” the source elaborated to Us. “It’s still early, but they are focused on rebuilding trust and better communication, hopeful that their relationship will thrive in a healthier manner than before.”
