Top 20 Saddest Animal Deaths in Movies

#20: Old Jack & Dewey

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Top 10 Saddest Animal Deaths in Movies

“Eight Below” (2006) An American remake of the Japanese film “Antarctica,” “Eight Below” is a survival movie starring Paul Walker as Jerry Shepard. Jerry works at an Antarctic research base that is evacuated due to a nasty storm. Unfortunately, the sled dogs are left behind and forced to fend for themselves. Yes, this is a survival movie not about humans, but about dogs. And, like human survival movies, they don’t all make it out alive. Six of the eight dogs survive, with Old Jack and Dewey being the unfortunate victims. Old Jack starves to death, and Dewey falls down an incline and dies of his injuries. These are brutally sad deaths, but still, two out of eight ain’t bad!

#19: Ray

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“The Princess and the Frog” (2009) Disney can be remorseless when it comes to character deaths - especially ones involving animals. Tiana and Naveen meet Ray, a Cajun firefly who leads them on the right path to Mama Odie. He’s actually quite a romantic, and believes that the Evening Star is a lost love of his named Evangeline. Ray also plays a huge role in securing the voodoo talisman, but he is slapped and squished by Dr. Facilier for his efforts. It comes as a shockingly dark and morose scene in an otherwise fun movie. In the end, Ray is reunited in the sky with his Evangeline.

#18: Daisy

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“John Wick” (2014) It’s no wonder John Wick went on a rampage. He’s seen some things. While the movie contains some highly entertaining action, the first twenty minutes or so are devastatingly heartbreaking. First, John loses his wife to illness. In a very sweet gesture, she arranges for him to receive an adorable little beagle named Daisy after her passing. Yeah, about that… When John rebuffs some Russian gangsters at a gas station, they break into his house in the middle of the night, beat him up, and kill his dog. The murder happens off-screen, but we are not spared the sound of Daisy’s yelp, or the sight of her lifeless body. It’s gut-wrenching stuff, and it’s oh-so satisfying when John finally gets his revenge.

“Sonic the Hedgehog” (2020) We came to “Sonic the Hedgehog” expecting goofy banter, inventive filmmaking techniques, and large doses of nostalgia. And, yet, we were sobbing like children in the first five minutes. Young Sonic is raised by a warrior owl named Longclaw. But, like many movie heroes, Sonic loses his guardian at a young age. They are ambushed by attacking echidnas and Longclaw is hit by an arrow. Knowing that her time is at an end, she opens a portal to Earth and urges her son to go through it. She, of course, stays behind to ensure his safety. Longclaw goes out like a badass, but it’s terribly sad watching a sorrowful Sonic run back toward his mother only to realize it’s too late.

“Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” (1989) In this classic, Rick Moranis stars as inventor Wayne Szalinski. When a baseball goes through the Szalinski’s attic window, Wayne’s shrinking machine is accidentally activated and both his own children as well as the neighbors' kids are shrunken. While in the backyard, the tiny kids befriend a baby ant that they name, suitably, Antie. Antie grows attached to the human children and later sacrifices himself by fighting off a scorpion. Antie is stung during the fracas and dies from the poison, but not before sharing an emotional goodbye with Ron. We love a good heroic sacrifice - especially one involving a loyal pet. You fought well, Antie.

“Hachi: A Dog's Tale” (2009) Parker Wilson is a Rhode Island professor who finds an abandoned dog at the train station. He eventually adopts the young pup and names him Hachi. The two also develop a super cute routine - they walk to the train station together, Hachi sees Parker off to work, and then returns to greet him at 5:00pm. And this is where things get really sad. One day at work, Parker suffers a stroke and passes away, leaving Hachi to wait at the station into the night. He returns every day to wait for his friend, until he grows old and eventually passes. Hachi’s final thoughts, of course, are of Parker. Sad? Intensely. Know what’s even sadder? This is a true story. For your own well-being, don’t look it up.

“My Dog Skip” (2000) This is a story that hits a little too close to home for many, but especially for college-aged teens who move out and leave their beloved pets behind. It’s the early 1940s and Willie Morris’ mom gifts him a Jack Russell Terrier for his birthday. He names the puppy Skip, and they live as best friends for most of Willie’s upbringing. When Willie moves out to attend Oxford University, an elderly Skip sleeps on his empty bed and eventually passes away at home. Willie’s parents call him at school and inform him of the dog’s passing. The reality of the sequence makes it all the sadder, and watching Skip sleeping on Willie’s bed breaks our hearts into a million pieces.

#13: Old Dan & Little Ann

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“Where the Red Fern Grows” (1974) Published back in 1961, “Where the Red Fern Grows” is an autobiographical novel from writer Wilson Rawls, which tells of his childhood with two hunting dogs. Old Dan and Little Ann are adopted by young Billy Coleman and become his loyal protectors. In the climax of the film, Old Dan is fatally wounded by a mountain lion while protecting Billy. Despondent and without the will to live, Little Ann follows him just a few weeks later, leaving Billy utterly devastated. It’s an extremely powerful one-two punch of death that leaves us feeling just as disheartened as the characters.

“Charlotte's Web” (1973) Since its publication in 1952, “Charlotte’s Web” has been a masterpiece of children’s literature. Over twenty years after its release, the beloved book was adapted into a memorable piece of animation distributed by Paramount Pictures. And, yes, it leaves the iconic ending intact. Charlotte tells Wilbur that she is dying and he’s of course devastated at the news, so Charlotte does her best to cheer him up. Her maturity and grace in facing death certainly helps with the pain, but it doesn’t make her passing any less terrible. When Charlotte passes, we cry just as hard watching her death as we did reading it as kids.

“Turner & Hooch” (1989) A different sort of buddy cop comedy, “Turner & Hooch” is about a detective, played by Tom Hanks, who adopts and works with a French Mastiff named Hooch. It’s a funny little movie, but it does not have a funny little ending. During the climax, Hooch is shot by the main bad guy and, despite Turner’s valiant effort at saving his life, he perishes from blood loss. It’s quite a violent way for the poor dog to go, and it makes for some highly upsetting viewing. The acting throughout the sequence is also remarkable, both from Tom Hanks and Beasley the Dog.

#10: Two Socks

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“Dances with Wolves” (1990) Kevin Costner’s masterpiece earned its name thanks to the canine character of Two Socks. Costner plays Lieutenant John Dunbar, who befriends a wolf: Two Socks. As their relationship quickly develops, the Sioux nickname Dunbar “Dances with Wolves.” Unfortunately, it’s Two Socks’ devotion to Dunbar that results in his untimely death. When Dunbar is arrested as a traitor to and charged with desertion, his wolf attempts to follow him as he’s being escorted away, but is mercilessly shot and killed by soldiers. The gleeful way that the Army shoots at Two Socks is sickening, and it makes his tragic demise even more dismal.

“War for the Planet of the Apes” (2017) This stellar trilogy received widespread praise for the quality of its visual effects and storytelling. The franchise follows Caesar, a chimpanzee who develops a high degree of intelligence and begins leading an army of talking apes. It all culminates in the third installment, “War for the Planet of the Apes,” where Caesar is fatally shot by a crossbowman named Preacher. The trilogy comes to a bittersweet end as Caesar leads the apes to the promised land but dies of his injuries in the process. After spending over six hours with Caesar and seeing him develop as a character, it was extremely painful watching him go.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1” (2010) “Harry Potter” never shied away from killing off characters. Whether human, animal, or any other kind of magical species, the Second Wizarding War left a trail of bodies in its wake. Poor Hedwig was one of them. She had been with Harry since the very beginning, after Hagrid bought her at the Eeylops Owl Emporium, which is part of why her death is so tragic. The other part is that there’s no tearful farewell, no loving embrace - she just gets hit and drops out of the sky. And, just like that, Harry’s long-time companion is gone.

“The Land Before Time” (1988) ‘80s kids know one thing: there was a time before Littlefoot’s mother, and a time after. The movie starts out strong, with Littlefoot’s mother battling a T-Rex. She is mortally wounded during the fight and gives Littlefoot some brief words of encouragement before passing on. The entire scene is a mega tearjerker, from the mother attempting to get back up for her son, to Littlefoot’s desperate pleading. The moody rain and thunder only adds to the disheartening atmosphere of the scene and the soft music? Forget about it. When it comes to animal deaths, this is a real heavy hitter.

#6: Old Yeller

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“Old Yeller” (1957) The ending of this Disney movie is very famous, and it has been haunting young viewers for generations. Young Travis Coates befriends a stray Black Mouth Cur whom he lovingly names Old Yeller. But, you know how it goes. Old Yeller ends up bitten by a rabid wolf and starts getting aggressive with the Coates family. If that isn’t distressing enough, his death certainly is. The idea of a young child having to shoot their own dog is just way too agonizing, and it’s the scene from “Old Yeller” that everyone regards as being difficult to watch.

#5: Sam

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“I Am Legend” (2007) While many of these deaths are despairing, they typically don’t leave the grieving owner completely alone. That isn’t the case with “I Am Legend” and poor Robert Neville. Robert is one of the few survivors of an apocalyptic event that wiped out 99% of Earth’s population. His days consist of scouring the deserted streets of Manhattan with his dog, Sam. Unfortunately, Sam gets injured in an attack and begins to show signs of infection. Robert is forced to… let’s just say, euthanize her, and it leaves both us and Robert absolutely gutted. It also leaves him completely alone in the cold, empty streets of New York before he meets Anna and Ethan. Losing a dog is tough. Losing your only companion in a desolate city is agonizing.

#4: Marley

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“Marley & Me” (2008) In 2005, journalist John Grogan published his memoir “Marley & Me,” which chronicled his family’s reaction to their troublesome dog. Like all beloved pets, Marley eventually passes, and Grogan explores the honest feelings of grief he and his family experienced upon Marley’s death. This memoir was eventually adapted into the movie we all know. Marley lives a good life with John, but he eventually succumbs to an intestinal disorder and is euthanized. Watching Marley grow sicker and more feeble is almost too much to bear, and the euthanization scene is way too real. Many people have been in this position at one point in their lives, and watching it recreated on the big screen conjures up painful memories.

“The NeverEnding Story” (1984) The ‘80s were a really tough time when it came to movie deaths. For instance, Artax and the scene inside the Swamp of Sadness have been burned into the memories of millions. The setting is absolutely haunting; it’s perfect for the scene’s nightmarish atmosphere. As Artax and Atreyu make their way through the swamp, Artax begins slowly sinking into the murky gloop. The tense synth music combined with Atreyu’s desperate pleading is enough to make us sink into the Swamp of Sadness too! This is an infamously disturbing sequence, and even though Artax turns out okay in the end, that doesn’t make his initial death any less dreary.

#2: Bambi’s Mom

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“Bambi” (1942) It really didn’t take long for Disney to establish themselves as masterful storytellers and conjurers of tears. Being just the fifth animated Disney feature, “Bambi” was initially rejected by some for being too dramatic, but it is now held as one of the greatest (yet saddest) movies ever made. The death of Bambi’s mother is legendary. Even those who haven’t seen “Bambi” know that his mother dies, and they know that the scene is really, really depressing. In fact, some people may even avoid “Bambi” because of its massive reputation as a melancholic movie. It’s amazing what just three of a film’s 70 minutes can do for its legacy.

“The Lion King” (1994) Just over fifty years after “Bambi,” Disney somehow managed to top themselves in the “traumatizing children forever” department with “The Lion King.” We all know the story: King Mufasa is killed by his brother, Scar, so that he can take the throne for himself. Everything about Mufasa’s death is just heartwrenching. There’s Hans Zimmer’s somber score, the fact that Simba witnesses his father’s demise, and, of course, the sequence in which he discovers the lifeless body. Everyone remembers the heart-shattering image of Simba curling up under his father’s paw for comfort. It’s every child’s worst fear to lose their parent and, in this scene, that fear is put on full display. You know, for kids.