"The Brigitte Bardot Foundation wishes to honor the memory of an exceptional woman who gave everything and sacrificed everything for a world more respectful of animals," her foundation wrote on Instagram.
Brigitte Bardot was hoping to find a forever home for dogs that had been brought to her rescue shelter in the final social media posts before her death at 91.
On Sunday, Dec. 28, the Brigitte Bardot Foundation for the Welfare and Protection of Animals announced in a statement shared with the French news agency AFP that the actress had died.
The news came just one day after the foundation shared a video on Instagram, appealing for a young Doberman named Urphé, who suffers from severe generalized arthritis, to be adopted.
The French film legend was seen petting the dog in the clip, captioned, "He is a very sweet dog, very people-oriented, very affectionate, and very playful. He needs to experience life because he has only known the kennel. We are sending out an SOS today for Urphé."
Two days prior, the foundation had shared a photo of Bardot kissing another rescue dog as part of their holiday post.
"🎄All the teams at the Brigitte Bardot Foundation wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays," the caption read. "Thank you for your support! Take care of yourselves, your loved ones, and your pets. 💕"
The foundation, which Bardot launched in 1986 after retiring from acting over a decade prior, shared a tribute video on Instagram following the widespread news of her death.
"The Brigitte Bardot Foundation announces with immense sadness the passing of its Founder and President, Brigitte Bardot, the world-renowned actress and singer, who chose to abandon her prestigious career to dedicate her life and energy to animal welfare and her Foundation,"
the foundation captioned the video, which documented the decades Bardot dedicated to animal activism.
The foundation didn't specify the time or place of the screen icon's death. Back in October 2025, it was reported that the actress had undergone surgery for "serious illness."
Bardot's commitments to speaking out for animal rights began in 1962 when she appeared on the French television program 5 colonnes à la une to demand the stunning of animals before slaughter, according to the foundation. She even went on to travel the Arctic ice floes in 1977 to help baby seals and advocate for the protection of the vulnerable species.
"The Brigitte Bardot Foundation wishes to honor the memory of an exceptional woman who gave everything and sacrificed everything for a world more respectful of animals,"
the foundation added in their tribute. "Her legacy lives on through the actions and campaigns that the Foundation pursues with the same passion and unwavering commitment to her ideals."
Before she dedicated her life to giving a voice to animals, Bardot began her career as a model, appearing on the cover of Elle in 1950 at the young age of 15.