“Mary was very difficult to deal with and despite my best efforts it just wasn't working. The passport incident was the final straw.”
British pop star Lily Allen has revealed that she received death threats after returning an adopted puppy that had chewed through her family's passport.
Animal rights group PETA responded in an open letter saying it was outraged by Allen's decision, saying “pets should not be treated like accessories to be discarded when they become a nuisance.”
PETA appealed, “Please, please, don't get any more dogs.”
In her episode miss me? During Thursday's podcast, Allen revealed that she had adopted a dog during the COVID-19 pandemic, but decided to return it after the dog ate her passport.
Allen shared an update on her Instagram Story on Sunday, saying that while she'd never been accused of animal cruelty before, the past week has been extremely upsetting.
She also slammed the reaction on social media, calling it a “violent response to a deliberately distorted quote intended to incite outrage.”
“The dog, named Mary, was very difficult to deal with and despite all our best efforts, it just wasn't working out. The passport incident was the final straw,” Allen explained on the podcast.
“This is the part of the podcast the tabloid conveniently left out of their story,” she shared in her latest Instagram Story.
Allen continued, “I have also received some truly vile messages, including death threats. The most nasty comments have been inundating my social media accounts and I honestly am not surprised – this is exactly the reaction these articles are intended to provoke.”
“I'm OK but it's been a really tough few days which has affected me and my family.”
The topic came up when she told guest co-star Steve Jones, the Welsh TV presenter, that her family might be considering getting a Chihuahua-mix puppy.
After Jones asked Mary if she was prepared to take on the responsibility of owning a dog with her husband, she told him about Mary. Stranger Things The film stars David Harbour.
Why Mary's adoption was a turning point
Allen, who lives in New York, revealed that her dog had chewed through the passports of her two daughters, Ethel, 12, and Marnie, 11, whom she shares with ex-husband Sam Cooper.
Ms Allen said exchanging passports had become a “total logistical nightmare”, forcing the children to postpone visits to their father in the UK for four or five months.
“My children's father lives in the UK and I haven't been able to let them see their dad for four or five months because this bastard ate their passports.
“I couldn't even look at her,” she joked. “I thought, 'You've ruined my life.'”
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