Mario Lopez Opens Up The Devastating Loss Of His Longtime Dog

Is it just us, or does Mario Lopez have the cutest family? The "Saved by the Bell" alum loves to share glimpses of his family life on social media, especially when he's welcoming new members. In 2019, he had a good reason to celebrate, thanks to the birth of his son. "It's a BOY!!!! Healthy, beautiful baby boy... Santino Rafael Lopez!" he wrote on the update. "Baby & Mom are doing great. Mrs. Lopez came through like a Champ!" The star is also the proud father to kids Gia and Dominic.

It's also no secret that Lopez is a big animal lover. Like many other celebrities, the actor has a soft spot for pets, and he shares images of his pups on his Instagram feed from time to time. In 2020, Lopez and his family welcomed another four-legged friend with a furry face and sweet personality. "Lopez fambam here wIth a very important announcement: we decided we are going to expand the family" he said in an Instagram post before introducing Oscar DeLaHoya Lopez. "Always name the doggies after great fighters, this one after my boy Oscar, who's a perro in real life too," he added.

The family's other pup, Julio, also appeared in the video to welcome his new little brother. Unfortunately, just a few short years after welcoming Oscar to the family, their beloved Julio died.

Mario Lopez is reeling after the death of his pup, Julio Cesar Chavez Lopez. It's never easy to lose a family member, and the same is true with our fur babies. Throughout the years, the "Saved By the Bell" star shared images of Julio on social media. It's clear that the pup was a big part of Lopez's life, and in March, he shared a series of images online in honor of his now-late pup. "Tough day. After 13yrs we had to put down Julio. He was an awesome dog," Lopez wrote on the somber Instagram post.

"A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself." Ugh can someone please hand us a tissue? "Once you have a wonderful dog, a life without one, is a life diminished," the star added. "Julio.. Thank you, I love you, and I celebrate your time with us." Fans flocked to the comments section to send their condolences to the star and his wife, Courtney Lopez, also commented on the upload. "My baby. I'm broken," she wrote, adding a broken-heart emoji. 

According to Celebrity Pets, Lopez adopted the French bulldog in March 2010. Like his owner, Julio had some time in the spotlight, appearing on an Animal Planet special, per PR Newswire. One thing is for sure, though — Julio may be gone, but he will never be forgotten.