Scott Van Pelt’s dog Otis has sadly passed away

Scott Van Pelt's dog Otis has died
(Image credit: ESPN Press Room / @notthefakeSVP)

American sports commentator Scott Van Pelt has paid tribute to his dog Otis who recently passed away at the age of eleven. 

Taking to Twitter in order to break the news to over 2 million followers on April 27, ESPN host Van Pelt wrote, “Crushed to share that we had to say goodbye to Otis The Dog. Truly the most special friendship and bond of my entire lifetime."

"He was an absolute King. Love on your good boys and good girls with all your might - every day that you can. There aren’t ever enough of them.”

See more

Still clearly feeling the weight of what had happened the next day, he later added another post, saying, “He was the King of our home. Honor him. One Big Thing. See you after the draft.” 

See more

The news was immediately met with well-wishes and condolences from both the public and the wider sporting world, with colleague Seth Davis writing, “Anyone who has loved and lost a dog understands the deep pain. Happy trails Otis.”

A fan wrote, “11 years is a great run. May Otis run freely across the rainbow bridge.”

Van Pelt has regularly shared stories and anecdotes about Otis during his time on the air, a popular feature of his shows that didn’t escape his viewers, with one fondly recalling, “Enough stories of Otis The Dog from back on radio days that we all felt like we knew him, and his luxe Five Guys eating habits. A real one indeed.”

Outside of family and friends, it’s hard to think of a sadder experience than being with a beloved pet as they pass away. While it’s important to remember the good times, it doesn’t make the situation any easier, and we pass on our condolences to Van Pelt at this time.

Steve Wright

Steve writes and proofreads buying guides, news stories and advice for Pets Radar, drawing on his lifelong experience as a pet owner. Currently sharing his house with two cats and a dog, he draws on the many highs and occasional lows of pet ownership he has borne witness to in his writing. He has worked in publishing for 15 years as an editor, sub editor and writer on a range of titles, such as SciFiNow, How It Works, All About History, Real Crime and Horrorville. You can follow him on Twitter @stevewright22