Alfie’s final bow wow
Tears as Dales dog is killed off
EMMERDALE viewers shed a tear last night as Alfie the dog was killed off after 15 years on the soap.
The distraught Dingle family decided to have their pet put down after discovering he had an inoperable tumour.
The heartbreaking storyline came as the lovable dog who has played him for the last nine years – an 11-year-old also called Alfie – began a well-earned retirement.
Show bosses said some of the stars cried for real as they said goodbye to the large shaggy hound who they acted alongside.
His owner Lynda Woodrow said: “We realised Alfie was getting older as his hearing is not what it was. We felt it was kinder to put Alfie into retirement before his job got too hard for him to do well. Be reassured he is enjoying life in retirement.”
The grey mutt, whose talents include barking on command and playing dead, has been involved in some big storylines, including the time he was poisoned and when he dug up a dead body.
And last year on the soap, he was run over by a van at a vegan fair but just pulled through.
Alfie is the only character to feature in the show’s opening credits.
In Tuesday night’s episode viewers were left fearing the worst after the dog collapsed outside when owners Lisa and Zak Dingle argued about selling their home.
Lisa screamed when she saw their pet slumped on the ground.
One viewer said: “I can’t believe I’m getting a dog death storyline this close to Christmas. This is not what I asked Santa for.” Another said: “Killing Alfie the dog really is the final Emmerdale straw of 2017.”
We put Alfie into retirement before his job got too hard DOG’S OWNER ON THE 11-YEAR-OLD POOCH