Tayla Meath, star of Channel Ten's The Dog House Australia, has died at age 30 after battling an aggressive form of cancer. She died on September 1.
Meath was diagnosed with Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma (ACC), an aggressive cancer that forms in glandular tissue, in 2024 when she was 27. A GoFundMe page set up to help cover her medical expenses revealed her health deteriorated in June after the cancer spread to her liver and grew significantly.
"On Tuesday morning 1st September, Tayla took her last breath surrounded by the people she loved the most," the final post on the GoFundMe page said.
"Tayla's family would like to thank every single person who has loved her, supported her, encouraged her, and walked beside them through the hardest chapter of their lives. They are now learning how to live with the unimaginable loss of their girl."
"Tayla's journey was long and painful, but she never gave up. She fought every single day. She lived, she loved, she laughed, and she kept pushing forward even when things were incredibly hard."
Tributes to her impact on others
The message went on to say Meath made a strong impression "on the people around her."
"She will live on through every person she touched, every friendship she made, every laugh she shared, and every life she made brighter simply by being in it," it read.
"Tayla got more time with her friends, her family, her husband, and her beloved [dog] Archie. She made memories, she celebrated milestones, and she continued to live her life on her terms."
"Now it's time to give Tayla the celebration of life she deserves. Her service will be beautiful, just as she wanted, and just as she was."
"Thank you to everyone who has followed Tayla's journey, supported her family, shared her story, and contributed towards giving her the farewell she deserves. Your love and generosity have meant more than words can say," the post added.
The GoFundMe page raised more than $36,000 to help Meath and her family manage her medical and end-of-life expenses.
Diagnosis and treatment
In March 2025, some of the funds raised helped Meath and her partner of 10 years, Curtis, go on a honeymoon to the Maldives, her first ever trip overseas.
According to Cancer Council Australia, ACC usually affects the head and neck, develops slowly and may not present any symptoms, often being diagnosed as a single tumour.
Meath suffered from throat issues for years because of the cancer, which resulted in the removal of a portion of her vocal cord and voice box.
Announcement from The Dog House Australia
Meath's death was announced publicly on Thursday when a spokesperson for The Dog House Australia shared a message on Instagram.
"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Tayla, after a long and incredibly difficult battle with cancer," the message read.
"Tayla will be remembered for the extraordinary love, kindness and care she showed our four-legged friends through The Dog House Australia, and for the lasting impact she made on everyone fortunate enough to know her."
"Our hearts go out to her family, friends and all who loved her during this incredibly difficult time. Working with animals wasn't just a job for Tayla. It was her passion and a huge part of who she was," the statement continued.
"She loved being able to help give dogs the second chance they deserved and to play a small part in finding them their forever homes," the spokesperson said.
Her role on The Dog House Australia
Meath was best known as a star of The Dog House Australia, a dog dating show in which people are matched with dogs for their family at the Animal Welfare League's Kemps Creek Shelter.
She is survived by her husband, Curtis, and their dog, a three-year-old Labrador named Archie.
