Pete Davidson slams PETA amid dog purchase backlash, leaves explicit voicemail

Comedian Pete Davidson found himself in a heated exchange with a representative from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). The organisation criticised the comedian for buying a dog from a pet store. Davidson, known for his appearances on Saturday Night Live, left an expletive-laden voicemail for Daphna Nachminovitch, PETA’s senior Vice President for cruelty investigations, in response to the criticism. 

Pete Davidson responds to criticism over Dog purchase

In the voicemail, which was obtained by TMZ, Davidson sarcastically thanked Nachminovitch for publicly commenting on his decision to purchase a dog instead of adopting one. He explained that he suffers from severe allergies and needed to find a specific breed that wouldn’t trigger his allergies, settling on a cavapoo, a cross between a Cavalier King Charles spaniel and a poodle. While not technically hypoallergenic, cavapoos are generally considered safe for individuals with dog allergies due to their low-shedding coats. 

Davidson expressed his frustration, stating, “Why don’t you do your research before you (expletive) create new stories for people? (Expletive) you and such my (expletive)!”. He revealed that he had recently lost his mom’s 2-year-old dog, leading him and his family to seek out a specific breed. 

PETA's response on Pete Davidson's Dog purchase

(PETA appeal to Pete Davidson and everyone to adopt Pet | Image: PETA/twitter)

The controversy began after a footage of Davidson and his girlfriend at a Manhattan pet store surfaced where they purchased a 2.5-month-old cavapoo puppy. PETA responded to the footage, expressing disappointment that Davidson hadn’t adopted a dog from a city animal shelter, urging him to show ‘big heart energy’ and adopt in the future. 

A source close to Davidson explained that he is allergic to dogs and the new puppy was being kept at his mom’s house. Despite PETA’s insistence that there is no excuse for buying a dog from a pet store, Davidson defended his decision. Stating that he was unaware he could adopt a specific hypoallergenic dog and had been told it was a rare option. He expressed regret for his choice of words in the voicemail but stood by his decision to stand up for himself and his family. 

PETA maintained its stance that buying a dog from a pet store is unacceptable and urged individuals to explore adoption options or consult adoption groups when seeking a specific breed.