Lily Allen has responded to media reports about her returning a rescue dog after it chewed through her and her children’s passports. She described the coverage as “deliberately distorted” and called for an end to the “abhorrent messages,” including death threats, she received following the incident.
In a statement posted on X on August 25, 2024, Allen shared her perspective on the situation. She referenced her podcast, Miss Me?, where she first discussed the decision to give up the adopted puppy.
During the podcast, Allen explained that the puppy, named Mary, had caused significant problems for her family. “She ate all three of our passports, and they had our visas,” Allen said. She detailed the financial burden of replacing the documents during the COVID pandemic, calling it an “absolute logistical nightmare.” The situation prevented her children from visiting their father, Sam Cooper, who lives in England, for several months.
Allen adopted Mary from a New York shelter but noted that the puppy developed severe separation anxiety and was unstable. Despite efforts to train her with the help of a behavioral specialist, the situation did not improve. “We loved her very much, but it just didn’t work out,” Allen said.
The singer emphasized her long history of rescuing dogs and stated that she has never been accused of mistreating animals. She expressed her frustration over the backlash, stating, “The last couple of days have been quite difficult for me to process.” Allen urged people to stop reacting to sensationalized articles without verifying the facts.
Despite the challenges, Allen remains focused on her family. She revealed plans to adopt a Chihuahua mix soon, sharing that her daughters have already chosen a name for the new puppy.
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