25 Super Sad Animal Deaths That Still Make Us Weep

By Tyler Coates @tylercoates
Published Sep. 14, 2014, 8:45 a.m. ET

It’s National Pet Memorial Day, and what better way to honor those animals we’ve loved and lost by revisiting some of their greatest moments on film? Grab a hanky or two, you’re gonna need ’em.

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Bambi
Bambi’s mother, ‘Bambi’ (1942) Photo: Walt Disney Pictures; Courtesy Everett Collection
The Yearling
Flag, ‘The Yearling’ (1946) Photo courtesy Everett Collection
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Old Yeller
Old Yeller, ‘Old Yeller’ (1957) Photo courtesy Everett Collection
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
Blanche’s parakeet, ‘Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?’ (1962)Photo: Warner Bros.
Where the Red Fern Grows
Old Dan and Little Ann, ‘Where the Red Fern Grows’ (1974) Photo courtesy Everett Collection
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The Godfather
Khartoum, ‘The Godfather’ (1972)Photo: Paramount Pictures
Sounder
Sounder, ‘Sounder’ (1972) Photo courtesy Everett Collection
Badlands
Holly’s dog, ‘Badlands’ (1973)Photo: Warner Bros.
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The Road Warrior
Mad Max’s dog, ‘The Road Warrior’ (1981) Photo: Warner Bros.; Courtesy Everett Collection
National Lampoon’s Vacation
Dinky, ‘National Lampoon’s Vacation’ (1983)Photo: Warner Bros.
Artax, ‘The Neverending Story’ (1984) Photo: Warner Bros.; Courtesy Everett Collection
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Project X
Virgil, ‘Project X’ (1987) Photo: 20th Century Fox; Courtesy Everett Collection
Fatal Attraction
Ellen’s rabbit, ‘Fatal Attraction’ (1987)Photo: Paramount Pictures
The Land Before Time
Littlefoot’s mother, ‘The Land Before Time’ (1988)Photo: Universal Pictures
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Turner & Hooch
Hooch, ‘Turner & Hooch’ (1989) Photo: Buena Vista; Courtesy Everett Collection
Pet Sematary
Church, ‘Pet Sematary’ (1989) Photo: Paramount Pictures; Courtesy Everett Collection
All Dogs Go To Heaven
Charlie, ‘All Dogs Go to Heaven’ (1990) Photo: United Artists; Courtesy Everett Collection
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Dances With Wolves
Two Socks, ‘Dances With Wolves’ (1990) Photo: Orion Pictures
The Lion King
Mufasa, ‘The Lion King’ (1994) Photo: Walt Disney Pictures; Courtesy Everett Collection
Walking and Talking
Big Jeans, ‘Walking and Talking’ (1996)Photo: Miramax Films
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The Royal Tenenbaums
Buckley, ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ (2001)Photo: Buena Vista
My Dog Skip
Skip, ‘My Dog Skip’ (2000) Photo: Warner Bros.; Courtesy Everett Collection
I Am Legend
Sam, ‘I Am Legend’ (2008) Photo: Warner Bros.; Courtesy Everett Collection
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Marley & Me
Marley, ‘Marley & Me’ (2008) Photo: Fox 2000 Pictures; Courtesy Everett Collection
Moonrise Kingdom
Snoopy, ‘Moonrise Kingdom’ (2012) Photo: Focus Features; Courtesy Everett Collection
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