Zac Efron mourns dog Puppy's death: You were my 'best friend'

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Zac Efron is mourning the death of his dog Puppy.

The 28-year-old actor revealed his pet had died in a loving tribute to the pooch Thursday on Instagram.

"Through thick and thin you've always been my best friend. I'll see you at the finish line, RIP Puppy Efron," he wrote before quoting Chance the Rapper's song "Finish Line/Drown."

"'Felt hog tied ever since my dog died/He lived to 84, damn, that's a long ride/I know he up there he just sit and he wait/I'll be racing up the stairs I'mma get to the gate singing.'"

Zac Efron paid tribute to his late dog Puppy on Instagram. Photo by Zac Efron/Instagram

Efron has another Australian Shepherd named Dreamer and adopted a dog, Chappelle, with then-girlfriend Sami Miro in 2014. The actor had introduced Puppy to fans in April 2012.

"I've got a dog named Puppy. He's an Australian Shepherd," he tweeted at the time. "Here's the photo of Puppy I promised earlier. It's from last Christmas morning. Hilarious! Cheers & thanks again!"

Efron, who last starred in Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, is slated for The Masterpiece with Seth Rogen and The Greatest Showman on Earth with Hugh Jackman. The actor is a well-known dog lover who gushed about his pets to Seventeen in 2008.

"My dogs are crazy. They're always getting into some kind of trouble... but then again, they're my most loyal friends," he told the magazine.