Ben Affleck changes Thanksgiving plans to comfort Jennifer Garner over painful loss

Actress Jennifer Garner revealed in an emotional message the death of her dog Birdie, a loss that came just a day before Thanksgiving and is likely to disrupt the plans of the whole family, including Ben Affleck.

According to a source from RadarOnline.com, Affleck would be willing to change his plans to accompany his ex-wife at this painful time.

"Jennifer's pain is deep and Ben has said he will be more than happy to spend time with her over Thanksgiving," the source told Radar Online, of a reunion that Birdie's death would spark, to get back together with their children: "Jennifer leads a very healthy life that was always good for Ben during his battle for sobriety, and his friends believe he would do well to get back with her."

Affleck's appearance at the celebration could cause a conflict in Garner's relationship with her partner, businessman John Miller, but the source added that the actress is more concerned about the loss of Birdie: "Jen runs the risk of alienating John by spending time with Ben over the holidays, but she's so upset about the loss of her dog that she doesn't care."

Jennifer Garner's emotional farewell to her pet Birdie

Jennifer Garner published a long message to announce the death of her pet Birdie, with photos and videos of her time with her Golden Retriever.

"It's hard to know how to write this; it seems crazy, given the world, to mourn a pet, but as we've shared Birdie with you, it seems only fair to let you know of her passing," Garner posted on Instagram, where she explained that they realized she was not feeling well because she stopped eating and she never missed a meal.

"We were surprised to learn that not only was she very sick, but she was at the end of her life. The vet told us that dogs often hold on until their person comes home from college and we believe Birdie did just that, so we could stroke her soft ears together and thank her for being the best dog in the world," Jennifer Garner continued about Birdie's wait to say goodbye to her eldest daughter, Violet.