Ryan Dorsey grieves the passing of his dog Emmy, which he co-owned with his late ex-wife Naya Rivera: ‘You were the gentlest and most tranquil pup’

Naya Rivera’s ex-husband Ryan Dorsey announced that Emmy, the pet dog he shared with the late Glee star, has died.

Dorsey, 40, who shares son Josey, seven, with the late actress, took to Instagram Sunday with a montage of memories of the late dog scored to Somewhere Over the Rainbow from the late Israel Kamakawiwoʻole.

Dorsey – who was wed to Rivera from 2014-2018, welcoming Josey on September 17, 2015 – explained the sad series of events in which he and his son found their beloved pet had passed away.

‘Josey and I came home from opening day for baseball and came to find Emmy at her final resting place, on the bathroom floor laid up next to her older sister Lucy,’ Dorsey captioned the shot. ‘Her heart beat all it could and she lived a good life.’

Dorsey said that Emmy ‘would’ve been 10 this summer’ and that ‘it’s been a tough weekend’ amid the family’s loss.

He continued: ‘Oh my sweet sweet babygirl, Emmy. I remember the day we picked you up.

‘We drove just north of San Diego to meet you. You were the runt of the litter. The last one left. You already had the name of an award so we didn’t even change it. Emmy you were. Aka Emmington Brown aka Sweet Baby Emmers…’

Dorsey continued, ‘I remember your real mommy following us to the door as I carried you out in my arms alongside your new mommy. Driving out of the gravel parking lot, I remember crying as I bucked up and started the engine.

‘I was happy to have you but I was also sad about taking you from your mom the way she followed us out. But hey this is the dog slangin’ business and I wiped those tears and hit the 5 North back to LA and you were ours now.’

Dorsey said that the family’s dog ‘Lucy wasn’t happy to see’ Emmy at first ‘but she finally warmed up to you,’ adding, ‘It might’ve a few years, but who’s counting?’

He remembered Emmy’s relaxed demeanor, saying, ‘You were the sweetest and most quiet dog.’

Dorsey added, ‘I would take you to set with me and people would barely know you were in the trailer. They’d call me to set, I’d leave, you never barked or anything. You didn’t give a s***.

‘On walks if a dog barked at you or walked up to you to say whats up – you paid them no mind, you kept your eyes up, and your head down – so what if you were deaf – you were the s***.’

Dorsey called Emmy his ‘road dog’ and ’emotional support animal through it all,’ adding, ‘We went everywhere together, and you could sleep like no dog’s business.’

Dorsey said he was ‘gonna miss’ his dog Emmy, adding, ‘You were one of the good ones.’

He noted, ‘I could say so much more but I know you never had an Instagram – but you were so cool, I know you never gave a s*** about IG tributes so I’ll wrap it up.’

Dorsey thanked his late pet ‘for all the love and cuddles,’ wrapping up in saying, ‘Keep mommy company and we’ll see you on the other side of the [rainbow]. We [love] you.’

Rivera died at the age of 33 on July 8, 2020 in an accidental drowning while she was out on a pontoon boat ride with Josey in Lake Piru, California. The star’s body was recovered July 13 and her funeral took place July 24.

The actress was honored by a group of her Glee costars late last year, as they released a rendition of her single Prayer For The Broken for the nonprofit organization Alexandria House. 

Among the costars who took part in the single included Kevin McHale, Heather Morris, Amber Riley, Jenna Ushkowitz, Vanessa Lengies and Ashley Fink.