Orlando Bloom is hoping his desperate search to find his missing dog has proven to his fiancée Katy Perry how much love he has in his heart.
The 43-year-old star was left devastated after only finding his pet pooch Mighty’s collar after a week of looking for the mutt, who he has since declared dead, but he thinks his significant other – who is expecting a daughter with the Hollywood actor – may have seen just how caring he is because of the lengths he went to for his four-legged friend.
He said: "It was probably good for Katy to see me go to the lengths that I went to, to try and find him. Mighty was the physical, outward representation of my heart. He was a gift to me from Katy and he travelled everywhere with me and it’s going to make me cry, so I don’t want to talk about it too much because I miss him very, very much.
"I spent seven days looking and searching because I couldn’t believe it until we found his collar. It was very painful, but he will always be with me. And funnily enough, he’s probably made way for this little girl who is coming into my life soon."
Orlando has nine-year-old son Flynn from his previous marriage to model Miranda Kerr, and the youngster "couldn’t be more excited" about having a little sister.
He said: "I love being a father to Flynn and I’m excited to be bringing another little baby into the world in these really unusual times.
"It’s going to be new in so many ways, but I think there’s an instinctive aspect to being a father that I felt very aligned with the first time around so I’m actually very excited about this next chapter, as is Katy. And Flynn couldn’t be more excited to be getting a little sister."
Orlando admitted he and his singer fiancée are taking her pregnancy "day-by-day", and she is considering a home birth after her sister gave birth the same way.
He added to the Daily Mirror newspaper: "Everything is on the table, because it needs to be. And Katy’s sister had both of her children that way. For the moment, we’re taking it day-by-day."
Last month, Orlando took to Instagram to tell his followers he is convinced Mighty has met his maker.
He wrote: "Mighty’s on the other side now. After 7 days of searching from sunrise to sunset and into the wee hours, today, the 7th day – the number of completion – we found his collar…
"I have wept more this week than I thought possible, which has been very cathartic and healing…
"I left no stone unturned, crawled thru all the man holes, under the roads, searched every back yard and creek bed. Had two separate sniffer dogs do their best as well. I feel so grateful to have learned from my little Mighty man that love is eternal and the true meaning of devotion.
"I feel sure he was looking down on me whistling in every back yard and knowing that I was doing all I possibly could to respect our bond. He was more than a companion. It was a soul connection for sure. I’m sorry. I love you. Thank you. RIP my MIGHTY HEART my little fellow (sic)"