Mickey Rourke`s Beloved Chihuahua Dies In His Arms

Rourke said: `Loki is deeply missed but with me in spirit. I feel very blessed that she fell asleep peacefully in my arms.`

'The Wrestler' star has been left devastated by the death of Loki, the pet he recently declared "the love of my life".

The dog died on Monday (17.02.09) night, aged 17.

Rourke said: "Loki is deeply missed but with me in spirit. I feel very blessed that she fell asleep peacefully in my arms."

The 56-year-old actor - who is nominated for Best Actor at the Academy Awards on Sunday (22.02.09) - says his dogs helped him get through his 14-year career slump and paid tribute to his pets in his Golden Globe acceptance speech last month.

He said: "I'd like to thank all my dogs, the ones who are here and the ones who aren't here anymore.

"Sometimes, when a man is alone, that's all you got is your dog. And they've meant the world to me."

Mickey also recently said his dogs were like children to him. He explained: "I sort of self-destructed and everything came out about fourteen years ago or so. The wife had left, the career was over, the money was not an ounce.

"The dogs were there when no one else was there. I don't have kids, the dogs became everything to me."