LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Comedian Pete Davidson found himself engaged in a heated dispute with animal rights organization PETA after purchasing a new dog. Venting his frustrations, Davidson left a profanity-laced voice mail for PETA's senior VP of Cruelty Investigations, Daphna Nachminovitch.
The dispute arose after Nachminovitch issued a statement expressing PETA's disappointment with Davidson's decision to buy a puppy from an NYC pet store rather than to adopt from a shelter. Responding to Nachminovitch's statement in the voicemail, Davidson introduces himself and criticizes her for what he perceives as an uninformed and premature judgment. While Davidson doesn't regret his actions, he explained that his emotional state influenced his choice of words.
Who is Daphna Nachminovitch?
Daphna Nachminovitch is the senior vice president of Cruelty Investigations at PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). As part of her role, she is involved in advocating for animal rights, investigating cases of animal cruelty, and raising awareness about the ethical treatment of animals. "Nachminovitch worked with state and federal officials in what may be the largest animal seizure in history: Nearly 27,000 animals were confiscated from international exotic-animal dealer U.S. Global Exotics in Texas. The company was shut down overnight, and its operator is now a federal fugitive," reported PETA's website.
Davidson revealed that he is allergic to dogs, which is why he opted for a cavapoo, a nearly hypoallergenic breed known for its minimal shedding. Furthermore, Davidson explained that he purchased the dog for his grieving mother, whose previous pet had recently passed away. However, his frustration escalated in the voice mail, resulting in the profanity-laden tirade directed at Nachminovitch, dropping an F-bomb including a vulgar suggestion involving his own anatomy.
Pete Davidson and PETA clash over dog purchase
Although PETA stands firm in their stance, stating that "If Pete had done his research, he would know that there’s no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog, that at least a quarter of dogs in shelters are purebreds, and that Petfinder has listings for homeless dogs of every breed under the sun, including the one he purchased," reported TMZ. However, Davidson acknowledged that he was unaware he could "adopt a specific hypoallergenic dog." He claims he was told "it wasn't an option, and if it was, it was rare."
'Pete must know in his heart that there's no excuse for buying a dog!'
Addressing his anger, Davidson emphasized that his family was already going through a difficult time following the loss of his mother's dog. "I haven't seen my mom and sister cry like that in over 20 years. I was trying to cheer up my family. I was already upset that the store had filmed me without my permission or acknowledgement. Then this organization (PETA) 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."
In response to Davidson's explanation, PETA expressed condolences to the Davidson family for their loss, but maintained their stance on the issue. They emphasized, "Our hearts go out to the Davidson family for the loss of their dog, but Pete must know in his heart that there's no excuse for buying a dog and propping up the puppy mill industry when millions of dogs await loving homes in shelters, and we hope he'll do the right thing and adopt next time."
