'Modern Family' French Bulldog Stella 'Worked Her Butt off' Before Death According to Owner

On March 7, Modern Family fans were hit with some tough news when it was announced the show's dog, [...]

By Kyle Phillippi

On March 7, Modern Family fans were hit with some tough news when it was announced the show's dog, Stella, had passed away. Stella's owner, Steve Solomon, spoke with PEOPLE in the wake of the news. The French bulldog had appeared on the show for nine seasons.

Solomon said Stella "worked her butt off" on set for all those years, noting that, "We can't thank her enough for that."

"When she was a little puppy she was just as cute as a button," he said. "Never thought she would be the star that she was. She ended up proving herself to be a great puppy on that show. Ed O'Neill loved her to death just like the creators and that's why they put her on the show."

Stella was lost due to a health condition that saw her require surgery due to fluid around her heart. Solomon recounted her final day.

"When they went to take it out, she went into cardiac arrest and they revived her. But after that, they soon lost her again and of course, in the power of everything to be done was done but unfortunately, it was one of those things that you can't go backward on," he explained.

Her passing came after the final season was filmed.

Modern Family will air its series finale on April 8 after an 11-season run. The stars of the show shared some behind-the-scenes look during their final taping.

Speaking with Hollywood Life, Nolan Gould, who plays the role of Luke Dunphy, shared what i'ts meant to him knowing the lasting impact this show will have not just on him and the cast's lives, but for the viewers at home.

"Anybody who has been on the show for 11 years, it'll be such a monumental part of your life," he said in the interview. "It will never feel like it's truly over. People will always be watching the show no matter where I go. I'm always to a certain degree going to be Luke Dunphy. That's something I've kind of realized I'm never going to be able to escape and I'm embracing it. That's a really good thing to be known for, being that big of a part of people's lives."

Modern Family will air on ABC on Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET.

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