Tess’s heartbreak as she runs over and kills her dog on driveway
TESS Daly has been left ‘heartbroken’ after running over and killing her dog on the driveway of her £3.5 million home.
The Strictly Come Dancing presenter, 49, hit Maltese shih tzu Minnie with her Range Rover after builders left the door open and the six-year-old dog escaped.
The mother of two said she was ‘devastated’ by the death, which has had a ‘huge effect’ on her daughters, Phoebe, 14, and Amber, nine, as well as husband Vernon Kay, 44.
‘I’m horrified and devastated by this terrible, tragic accident’, she said. ‘It has had a huge effect on the whole family and we are heartbroken at losing Minnie.
‘This has, and continues to be, a very emotional time for us all.’
The BBC star hit Minnie as she returned to her Buckinghamshire home in her white Range Rover, unaware that the dog had run outside. It left her with no time to react as Minnie ran under her front wheels, The Sun on Sunday reported. The accident happened last month, just before the family were due to go on a break to the Maldives to celebrate Miss Daly’s 50th birthday on April 27.
But after considering postponing the holiday, the family went ahead for the sake of their daughters.
Minnie frequently appeared on Miss Daly’s Instagram page, with their surviving dog, a fouryear-old chihuahua called Blue.
A source told the newspaper: ‘Tess is absolutely beyond heartbroken. She and Vernon have drummed it into the girls that they must never, ever let the dogs out and sure enough, the animals always stayed indoors.
‘But they have had the builders in, carrying out various bits of repair work in the courtyard. And one of the labourers foolishly left the front door open – and Minnie escaped.’
The source added: ‘It all happened in a flash and there was absolutely nothing she could do. But it was sickening.’
It is believed the family held a memorial in the garden.
Their lavish estate includes a swimming pool, conservatory and marble fittings.
Speaking previously about her love of the family’s pets, Miss Daly said: ‘Dogs teach children about love and loss. I’ve always been an animal lover. Throughout my childhood, I begged my parents for a dog. ‘Every year, as birthdays and Christmas approached, I pleaded, “please, let me have a puppy!” I was determined that once I had a family of my own, my children would have a dog to love.’
The star has previously campaigned to raise awareness of dog health after the sudden death of her beloved labrador Sam in 2015, who died from lungworm disease.
Speaking at Crufts, she said: ‘I didn’t even realise lungworm existed. It was only subsequently I became aware of the parasite and symptoms and I thought, “hang on, this sounds horribly familiar”.
‘It’s devastating to lose any animal, they’re a member of the family.’
‘Horrified and devastated’