SMYRNA, Ga. — Editor's note: The video in this story is from a previous report.
A beloved Georgia pup, who was the tiniest puppy to have ever competed in the Puppy Bowl, has tragically died.
"Sweetpea was rescued by a shelter that specializes in helping special needs puppies," Animal Planet wrote in a social media post. "Sadly, she was unable to overcome her health issues."
Puppy Bowl XX has been dedicated to Sweetpea to honor her memory.
At the time of the Puppy Bowl, Sweetpea was the all-time tiniest competitor-- weighing in at just 1.7 pounds. She was a Cavapoo, a mix between a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a poodle.
Jennifer Siegel, the director of Smyrna animal rescue, Bosley's Place, took to social media to say Sweetpea has received an outpouring of love and support from the community since her passing.
In an update, Siegel shared Sweetpea's necropsy report revealed she had passed from kidney disease.
Sweetpea had also been diagnosed with hydrocephalus-- which is a neurological disorder caused by an abnormal building of fluid in cavities deep within the brain, according to the Mayo Clinic. She also had a hole in her heart that grew together by the time she was eight weeks old, Siegel added.
"I feel so honored and so blessed to have been Sweetpea’s mom," she wrote on social media. "Sweetpea was a very, very, very loved little girl, and we are so grateful to have been able to give her the life that she had. Her journey with us was bittersweet but always sprinkled with the sweetest love."
Check out photos from Sweetpea's journey to the Puppy Bowl below:
For more information on Bosley's Place, including fostering and how to apply, click here. You can also find details on how to volunteer online here. Additionally, Bosley's Place has a puppy wishlist. You can choose to donate items online here.
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