Thomas Rhett shared a heartfelt tribute to his beloved dog, Cash, who died on Thursday (October 16).

The country star remembered Cash as “the most loyal, kind dog that I have ever known.” Cash was “best friend” to Rhett’s wife, Lauren Akins, and was with the family to greet each one of the couple’s babies when they arrived home for the first time, Rhett reflected. Rhett and Akins — who met in elementary school, dated in high school and got married in 2012 — are parents to four young daughters. They announced earlier this year that Akins is pregnant with Baby No. 5, who will join Willa Gray (9), Ada James (7), Lennon Love (5) and Lillie Carolina (3). Rhett wrote in his tribute on Instagram as he shared photos with Cash over the years:

“Today our sweet little Cash man went to go be with Jesus. He was the most loyal, kind dog that I have ever known. He was Lauren’s best friend. He was there when every single baby came home for the first time. He would stay up so many late nights with her while she was sick and I was gone. I never in a million years thought that a dog I got so frustrated with for eating food or tearing up things in the house would make me this sad. If you’ve got a dog, go give them some extra love. Our house is so quiet today. I know Cash is running around in heaven and will be the first one to greet us when we get there.”

Rhett’s post quickly garnered hundreds of sympathetic messages, including from Dan + Shay’s Dan Smyers and wife Abby Smyers, Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild, and more. See the tribute to Cash here:

Shelley Rome