Author Bella Mackie has spoken about her profound love for her late dog, Barney, revealing that she would "never love a child as much as her dog." Mackie and her husband, Greg James, adopted Barney from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in 2019. She detailed in an article for Vogue that they viewed choosing a dog over children as a way they had "cracked it."
Barney passed away earlier this month, leading to public expressions of grief from both Mackie and James. Mackie wrote that she learned a significant life lesson: "not to get a dog in place of a kid... I love the dog so much I’ll never be able to love a kid more."
She described the adoption as "love at first sight" for James, but the dog later experienced significant ill health, requiring multiple operations before the couple made the decision to end his suffering.
Mackie referenced Philip Larkin's poem "An Arundel Tomb," adapting its sentiment to her Labrador, Barney. She stated, "His love was wonderful, wonderful enough that one day we’ll get another dog from Battersea (I miss those smug points) and upend our entire lives in service of them." Until then, she admitted, "I don’t know what the hell to do."
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The couple recently addressed a critical comment made online regarding their grieving process. After James announced Barney's death and Mackie shared a video expressing her sadness, a follower commented on Mackie's Instagram, suggesting it was "Too soon before your pup died!!" Mackie responded with a blunt "F**k you," while James defended their grief, stating it was "absolutely nothing to do with you."
Mackie is currently promoting her new book, "Claws Out!," due for release on August 27. She has been sharing promotional content, noting that despite her grief, she would continue with her book's release schedule. She shared an early review of the book, calling it "welcome good news at a very sad time."
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The review, shared by Mackie, highlighted comparisons to authors like Dickens, Christie, and Waugh, describing the book's tone as "deliciously spiky" and its plotting as ingenious. Mackie later shared the critical follower's comment on her Instagram stories, remarking that it provided a moment of "dark comedy."