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Time Square Billboard Calls Out PETA for Killing Animals Amid Pete Davidson Puppy Feud

Recently, Pete Davidson and his girlfriend, Chase Sui Wonders, went to a store in Manhattan called Citipups to get a purebred Cavapoo puppy. They later found out that an employee had filmed the couple, and the footage was leaked to the media, and PETA spoke out about his choice to purchase from a breeder.

Source: Inside Edition/Youtube

Shortly after, Daphna Nachminovitch, the senior VP of cruelty investigations at PETA, released a statement calling out Davidson for not adopting a dog.

“It’s tragic that Pete didn’t seek out a borough-born mutt from a city animal shelter, because a scrappy New Yorker with charm, personality, and unconventional handsomeness could have been his perfect match,” Nachminovitch reportedly told the outlet.

“Since shelters in New York and across the country are overflowing with homeless animals, PETA urges Pete to show some big heart energy by adopting, not shopping, in the future,” she continued.

Then, Davidson found Nachminovitch’s work number and left her a voicemail explaining that because of his allergies, he can only be around Cavapoos and that the puppy was for his mother and sister, who had recently lost their dog. He explained that his family was distraught over the loss and said, “I haven’t seen my mom and sister cry like that in over 20 years,” Davidson later told TMZ.

“I was trying to cheer up my family. I was already upset that the store had filmed me without my permission or acknowledgment. Then this organization made a public example of us, making our grieving situation worse. I am upset. It was a poor choice of words. I shouldn’t have said what I said, but I am not sorry for standing up for myself and my family.

Davidson added that he was not aware at the time that he could have possibly found a Cavapoo in a shelter. PETA responded to Davidson’s statement and told People:

“Our hearts go out to Pete and the rest of the Davidson family for the loss of their beloved dog, but there’s no excuse for promoting the puppy mill industry by buying a dog from a pet store when millions of wonderful dogs await loving homes in animal shelters. Anyone set on finding a dog of a specific breed can go to shelters, where an estimated 25% of dogs are ‘purebreds,’ check with adoption groups, or search Petfinder online…puppies in pet stores, almost without exception, are obtained from puppy mills, deplorable massive dog prisons…. We know Pete cares about animals and was trying to do a nice thing for his family, but he has millions of impressionable fans, and his choices matter—so the next time he’s ready to welcome an animal into the family, we hope he makes the compassionate choice to adopt, not buy.”

Now, a billboard by The Center for Organizational Research and Education (CORE) will go up on Wednesday, June 7, in Support of Pete Davidson. The billboard is responding to the viral feud between Davidson and PETA, who criticized the actor’s decision to purchase the dog. The billboard plays on Davidson’s notorious BDE—or, in this case, Buy a Dog Energy— and exposes PETA and claims that they kill more cats and dogs than they find homes for.

The billboard will encourage viewers to visit PETAKillsAnimals.com, where they can learn more about PETA’s alleged record, including facts, including:

Government records show that PETA killed 2,092 cats and dogs at its Virginia shelter in 2022, a 74% kill rate.
PETA has killed almost 50,000 pets at its Virginia animal shelter since 1998.
A government inspector compared PETA to a “euthanasia clinic” and discovered that PETA’s shelter did not meet its own published guidelines on operating a humane shelter. The inspector found that PETA killed most animals within 24 hours of receiving them.

CORE spokesperson Will Coggin, says about the initiative:

“We all think dogs deserve love; PETA thinks dogs deserve an early grave. Maybe instead of harassing celebrities, PETA should focus on actually helping animals. The world could use a little more BDE… and by that, I mean Buy a Dog Energy, of course.”

In response to the billboard, PETA told One Green Planet:

“This attack ad is from a company funded by industries, including puppy mills, that have a financial interest in propagating misinformation about PETA’s rescue team, which is on call 24/7 to offer relief to abused and suffering animals and provide end-of-life services for people who can’t afford to pay for their sick and dying animals to be put to sleep. Please take a moment to watch this short video, which will give you a good look at the work we do and the animals we help.

“New York State lawmakers have taken life-saving measures to end the sales of dogs from puppy mills (effective next year), so this billboard and anyone who supports it is on the wrong side of the issue. PETA encourages everyone who cares about dogs to adopt form a shelter—and ignore this greedy group’s attempt to make a buck off the backs of suffering puppy mill dogs.”

We encourage everyone thinking of getting a pet to only adopt instead of shopping. Read more resources about adopting animals on One Green Planet, including 7 Reasons to Adopt Your Next Furry Best Friend, 5 Reasons Why Everyone Should Adopt a Pet, and These Heartwarming Before and After Pictures of Adopted Rescue Animals Will Make Your Day! Read tips for pet adoptions and what to consider before adopting an animal. We recommend using these apps to find shelter dogs near you!