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Ariel Winter is best known for her role as Alex Dunphy on Modern Family, but she's also a dedicated dog lover. She lives with four adorable furry friends who she calls her "fur babies" and she's an activist for the adoption of dogs who've been abandoned by their owners.
Check out our photo gallery to learn more about this celebrity’s passion for her four-legged friends.
A good friend
It all began when the actress had to face some difficult moments in her family life whereby she ended up living with her older sister, who would later get custody of the then teenage Ariel. At the age of 14, she adopted her first dog, as it is well known that pets are often excellent companions for those coping with depression and stress.
The furry family
She now lives with four dogs: a white Samoyed named Casper; a black French bulldog named Rocco; little Chloe, a rescued German Shepherd who joined the canine family in October 2019; and Cash who was adopted by the actress together with her boyfriend Levi Meaden.
Her favorite
Casper – who she refers to as "my little prince" – has developed a strong online social media presence in his own right, already accumulating more than 6 million followers! The actress admits that this particular "baby" holds a special place in her heart.
A Family Christmas
During the 2017 Christmas holidays, Ariel shared a photo of her and Levi together with their dogs, all decked out in matching red PJs printed with penguins, snowmen, and snowflakes. Adding: "Kids are a struggle y'all. But Merry Christmas from our little dysfunctional family to yours!!!!"
Ariel Winter and her boyfriend Levi Meaden had a white Christmas
She expressed her gratitude on social media in December 2018 when she posted: “This was my first white Christmas and I feel so grateful I was able to share it with my babies. Our family photo this year (swipe) was just as much of a struggle as it was last year [. . .] Merry Christmas to you and yours.”
Her love for dogs goes way beyond adoption
Her soft spot for puppy dogs inspired the Modern Family actress to volunteer at Animal Haven (Manhattan), so that she could be in charge of finding homes for abandoned dogs and cats.
Bonds that make for a happier life
Ariel's puppy dog adventure began as a way of coping with her complicated family life and studies have shown that as well as establishing a loving relationships, pet ownership comes with myriad of other benefits. These include promoting a more active life, improving cardiovascular health, making you feel safer and happier, and helping to reduce stress.