Pete Davidson is NOT happy with the animal rights activists over at PETA!
The non-profit animal rescue and activism group lit into him in recent days after the Saturday Night Live alum was spotted on video buying a Cavapoo puppy for his family. Of course, the folks over at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals would much rather he adopt a dog than buy a breeder dog from a puppy mill. So, when undercover video came out of the stand-up star purchasing the pup, PETA went on a full-out media blitz.
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On Monday, the 29-year-old comedian retaliated against PETA’s public relations slam. He left a voicemail with the organization that was directed at a woman named Daphna Nachminovitch. She is the non-profit’s Senior Vice President of Cruelty Investigations, and Pete is NOT a fan of her work!
Early on Tuesday, TMZ published a recording of that voicemail — and it went IN! The message starts normally enough, with Pete leaving his full name and asking for Daphna. You can tell its him based on the voice, as he opens up by saying:
“Hi, my name is Pete Davidson, this message is for Daphna. Thank you so much for making comments publicly that I didn’t adopt a dog. I just wanted to let you know that I’m severely allergic to dogs, so I have to get a specific breed. I’m only not allergic to cavapoos, and those type of dogs.”
That breed of dog, the Cavapoo, is a cross between the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the poodle. It’s a very cute mixed-breed dog, and one that doesn’t shed, so it’s nearly hypoallergenic for someone like Pete who is “severely allergic” to dogs. But that’s not the only reason he purchased the dog. As the Meet Cute star explained, he was getting it as a gift for his mother. She had been mourning the sudden death of the prior dog at just two years old.
That dog, Henry (pictured in the inset, above, from last year) had been a family favorite of both Pete’s momma Amy and his sister, Casey. The younger Davidson sis was heartbroken when she lamented Henry’s sudden loss back in early May:
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr6mKLfuV4f/
Thus, Pete laid out all that in the second half of the voicemail.
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And during that second part of the phone call push, Pete got really angry at Daphna’s media blitz criticizing his puppy mill purchase in the public eye:
“And my mom’s f**king dog, who was two years old, died a week prior, and we’re all so upset. So I had to get a specific dog. So why don’t you do your research before you f**king create news stories for people because you’re a boring, tired f**k. F**k you, and suck my d**k!”
Damn!!!
Pete was going off!
And PETA isn’t backing down, either! In a response sent to TMZ after the voicemail was first released, the non-profit org re-stated their wish that Davidson had “done his research” and adopted a dog from a shelter rather than hand out big bucks to pay for a special breed:
“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.”
The org also softened up a little bit, too, though. They added a second statement lamenting the loss of the Davidson’s family prior dog Henry while begging people to adopt rather than shop for canine companions in the future:
“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.”
As for the King of Staten Island star, he also spoke to TMZ following the voicemail debacle. For one, he admits he was not aware he could “adopt a specific hypoallergenic dog.” He claimed he was previously told by others it “wasn’t an option, and if it was, it was rare.”
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But more to the point of the controversy, he also addressed his outburst of anger on the recorded voicemail. The Wizards! star explained how the Cavapoo’s arrival into his family’s lives was very emotional. And between that and the stresses of being filmed surreptitiously without his knowledge or consent, he simply snapped:
“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.”
Damn. Definitely a situation where neither side is backing down very much. And we don’t really expect either side to change their stance anytime soon, either. It’s well known how PETA feels about so-called “puppy mills,” and there’s never been a question about Pete’s loyalty to his loved ones.
You can listen to the voicemail for yourself HERE.
So, there you have it, Perezcious readers. Reactions??