Why did Carrie Fisher have a service dog? Beloved French Bulldog Gary Fisher dies at 12

The beloved therapy dog of late actress Carrie Fisher, Gary Fisher, passed away recently. The tragic news was shared by Carrie Fisher’s former assistant, Corby McCoin, who looked after Gary after the actress’ passing.

Gary Fisher became a constant companion for the Princess Leia actress later in her life. Carrie Fisher was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at a young age and also struggled with drug addiction. She had adopted Gary as a therapy dog to help her with her condition. Carrie reportedly adored her French Bulldog friend and even mentioned Gary in one of her interviews with The Herald Tribune,

“Gary is mental also. My mother [Debbie Reynolds] says Gary is a hooligan. Gary is like my heart. Gary is very devoted to me and that calms me down. He's anxious when he's away from me.”

Carrie Fisher passed away in December 2016 following an in-flight cardiac arrest and four days of medical care. Gary Fisher was by the actress’s side when she encountered a medical emergency during her flight from London to Los Angeles.

A couple of days later, Gary was pictured with Carrie’s daughter, Billie Lourd, at the hospital where she was admitted. Before Carrie adopted Gary, the French Bulldog was owned by Billie.

Lourd even mentioned the same during her appearance on NBC’s Today Show in 2016, shortly before Carrie’s unfortunate death,

“I live for Gary. He was mine first and she actually stole him from me because she fell in love with him.”

After Carrie’s death, Corby McCoin started looking after Gary Fisher. In 2019, McCoin posted from Gary’s official account that they had shifted to Florida.

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Princess Leia’s faithful companion, Gary Fisher, passed away on January 30

The elderly pup passed away on Thursday, January 30, 2025. Corby McCoin, Gary Fisher’s owner, penned a heartfelt post to pay tribute to her dog. She posted a picture of her beloved four-legged friend on the “Gary Fisher the Dog (@garyfisher)” Instagram account and wrote,

“This is the hardest post I have EVER had to make. Gary crossed over the rainbow bridge to be with his mom Thursday night 💔💔💔 it has been a very hard 2 days without him. He was such an amazing lil fur baby to me, his fans, friends and the joy he brought will be irreplaceable.”

She further wrote about the time she shared with Gary and Carrie,

“The first 5 years with Carrie and Gary were amazing and when she left us Gary and I continued on for the next 8 years. He never left my side and he was truly my best friend. His heavenly birthday is in 3 weeks and he would’ve turned 13.”

Corby also asked the account’s followers to pay their respects on February 21, 2025, which coincides with Gary’s 13th “heavenly birthday.” She asked everyone to share their pictures to give Gary a "proper sendoff."

Gary’s official account has over 147K followers and posts dating back to 2015. Corby occasionally posts Gary’s pictures and shares posts dedicated to Carrie every year on her birthday and death anniversary.