Lily Allen has slammed animal rights organisation PETA for “perpetuating lies” in her dog rehoming row.
The singer recently came under fire for admitting she rehomed her dog Mary, a black puppy she rescued from a shelter in 2021. Allen said she returned Mary after she “ate my passport”, saying the dog ate other items, calling her “very badly behaved” and adding: “It just didn’t work out and the passports was the straw that broke the camel’s back so to speak.”
At the time, PETA was amongst the many to criticise Allen for her decision, writing: “While you could get new passports and rebook your flights, Mary may spend many months in the shelter waiting for a new family – if she’s lucky enough to find one at all.”
Now, Allen has responded to PETA, writing on X/Twitter: “Also thank you to PETA for adding fuel to the fire. Very responsible of you.”
PETA replied that “YOU laughed when speaking about abandoning Mary and ruined this poor dog’s life,” adding: “She thought she had a loving forever home before you tossed her out, calling her “that f******* dog” who “ruined my life.” Shame on you. You don’t deserve even the toy dog we sent you.”
In response, Allen fired back: “People laugh when they talk about painful things all the time, it’s quite normal. I’ve clarified that we didn’t abandon her and that she was rehomed with people we knew almost immediately.”
“Why are you perpetuating lies?,” she added. “What kind of animal welfare charity tries to shame someone for wanting to improve the welfare of an animal. Your post is dangerous.”
Also thank you to @peta for adding fuel to the fire. Very responsible of you.
— Lily Allen (@lilyallen) August 25, 2024
YOU laughed when speaking about abandoning Mary and ruined this poor dog’s life. She thought she had a loving forever home before you tossed her out, calling her “that f******* dog” who “ruined my life.” Shame on you. You don’t deserve even the toy dog we sent you.
— PETA (@peta) August 25, 2024
People laugh when they talk about painful things all the time, it’s quite normal. I’ve clarified that we didn’t abandon her and that she was rehomed with people we knew almost immediately. Why are you perpetuating lies ? What kind of animal welfare charity tries to shame someone… https://t.co/SLORFjFauN
— Lily Allen (@lilyallen) August 26, 2024
Yesterday (August 25), Allen took to X/Twitter to give extra context to her controversial decision, writing that Mary had “pretty severe separation anxiety and would act out in all manner of ways”.
Despite working with behavioural specialist, a professional trainer and a “volunteer from the shelter who would come and dog sit her when we were away”, “everyone was in agreement that our home wasn’t the best fit for Mary” after deliberating for a number of months.
“The person that she was rehomed with was known to us and that rehoming happened within 24 hours of her being returned,” she continued. “We couldn’t meet Mary’s needs and her happiness and welfare were central to us making that decision, as difficult as it was.”
The singer went on to say: “I’ve had rescue dogs pretty consistently throughout my life since I was 4 years old, I’m pretty good at ascertaining a dogs needs, I have never been accused of mistreating an animal, and I’ve found this whole week very distressing.”
Elsewhere, James Corden has reportedly responded to Lily Allen’s “beg friend” comments.
A source apparently told The Daily Mail: “He thought for Lily to bring up their past was tacky and that she was a bit of a twat to have said anything at all.
“He believes he has never been desperate and deserves better and is pretty much over people talking about him in a negative way.”
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