A beloved member of the Real Housewives of New Jersey cast has passed away. Actually, she was more of a “friend” of the cast. On June 25, Margaret Josephs sadly announced on Instagram that her dog, Bella, had crossed the Rainbow Bridge.
Bella enjoyed a very well-loved and cherished existence with Margaret and her husband Joe Benigno. She always greeted anyone who rang the doorbell with a few excited yaps, resulting in Margaret shushing her, “Bella, stop!”
But little Bella “loved everyone … and everyone loved her.” She will be missed.
Margaret announces that her dog Bella has passed: “Our world and hearts are broken”
In her post, Margaret described Bella as “the perfect, the happiest little bff in the world.” She adopted the Yorkshire terrier in 2018 when Bella was five years old. She quickly became a member of the family, starring in many of her mama’s Instagram posts.
Margaret and Joe were looking for a small hypoallergenic pet when they came across Bella at a dog adoption event. “I came into Pet Value to adopt a dog because it’s so important to rescue dogs,” she told The Daily Dish at the time.
“I got super, super emotional because I … want every dog, and I [can’t] take every dog,” she admitted. “They need homes and to be adopted.”
But when they spotted Bella, Margaret decided she wanted to be Bella’s mom. “I raised my own two kids, I raised someone else’s kids,” she remembered. “So I was like, ‘Okay, don’t worry, I can take care of little Bella.'”
In her tribute, Margaret said that her four-footed “angel … was always ready to kiss, cuddle, play, and brighten up your darkest day. A piece of me died along with her. She was a rescue, but in reality, she saved us.”
Our hearts go out to Margaret and Joe as they grieve their “angel baby Bella.” If you’ve ever loved a dog, you know they’re like our children. They give us so much love while they’re here, but they break our hearts when they leave. RIP, little Bella.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey airs Sundays at 8/7c on Bravo.
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