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AIPROPX ReportRolling Stone · 3h ago
What Happens to Dolly Parton’s Pup, Who Inspired the Singer’s Series of Children’s Books?
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Aside from her l ove for music , her husband , and her fans, Dolly Parton was a devoted dog mom to her French bulldog, Billy the Kid (a.k.a. her "god dog"). In fact, the entertainer wrote a series of children's books inspired by her pet Frenchie, which followed an illustrated Billy as he pursued his dreams of country music stardom.
Of course, while the Billy the Kid book series was based on a fictional tale, Parton's pup was somewhat of a celebrity in real life, amassing more than 56,000 followers on his own Instagram account, while showing up in numerous photoshoots with his famous owner.
Now, fans are taking to Billy's Instagram page to post condolences following Parton's death, but also to raise questions about who will take care of him, now that both Parton and her husband, Carl Dean, have passed away .
"As a fellow Frenchie parent, my first thought was about Billy," reads one concerned comment. "Dolly will always love you," reads another.
The last photo of Billy was posted seven days ago — ostensibly by Parton — but it's not clear who the dog is currently staying with. Parton is survived by six living siblings, including her youngest sister, Rachel Parton George (with whom she co-authored a cookbook in 2024) and it's conceivable that Parton George is now looking after her late sister's beloved pet. A family statement issued by her nephew did not address Billy.
Billy was first introduced in the singer's 2023 book, Dolly Parton's Billy the Kid Makes It Big , which was described as a book about "following your dreams, and the magic of music."
Written by Parton herself, with help from Erica S. Perl and illustrations by MacKenzie Haley, the book followed Parton's French bulldog, as he decides to head to Nashville to pursue his dream of becoming a country star. Along the way, he runs into some stiff competition in the form of some four-legged bullies who he must out-sing and out-perform at the "Battle of the Bow-Wows."
Taking cues from Parton's iconic discography (and with an appearance from the singer herself), Billy must turn to his favorite songs — including "Jowlene" and "I Will Pawlways Love You," natch — to "regain self-confidence and be the star he always knew he could be."
A holiday spinoff was released a year later, with the children's book following a now-famous Billy as he gets set to perform with his band at Barkafeller Center on Christmas Day. But as a book description teases, even with "a place in Nashville, a great band, and even a cross-country tour," the popular pooch "can't help but feel that something's missing." Consider the title of Parton's book as a spoiler, as Billy learns about the meaning of family over fame.
Parton released her final Billy the Kid book this past December, with the 40-page picture book following the Frenchie as he works to overcome his fear of dancing, ahead of a big event. As Parton wrote, the moral of the story is simple: never be afraid to put your best paw forward.
Fans who want to hear Parton's distinctive voice in a different capacity can listen to each of the books in audiobook format . The singer narrated all three titles in the Billy the Kid series herself.
The book series wasn't the first time Parton put her pooch front and center — the noted animal lover had a line of pet toys and accessories dubbed, "Doggy Parton," which she launched in 2022 , with a percentage of proceeds donated to rescue organizations.
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