In case you haven’t heard, Justin and Hailey have two new kids at the house. Their names are Sushi and Tuna, and they’re making PETA angry. Justin already put his two new Savannah kitty hybrids to work promoting his clothing line, Drew.
Bieber broke the news on Instagram roughly two weeks ago, to the disappointment of the animal lovers in the world. The two kitties reportedly cost the couple around $35,000, which is insane enough, but the real cost of rescuing wild cats is what really has everyone irked. These hybrids typically wind up in wild cat rescue sanctuaries, which often have an insanely long intake wait-list because of the high abandonment rates, explains animal advocate Hannah Shaw.
PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange issues a statement saying, “Justin Bieber could inspire his fans around the world to save a life by adopting a cat from a local animal shelter — rather than fueling the dangerous demand for hybrid cats, contributing to the animal overpopulation crisis, and proving that when it comes to helping animals, his stance so far is ‘I don’t care.'”
With over 119 million fans on Instagram, Lisa states, “Justin Bieber could inspire his fans around the world to save a life by adopting a cat from a local animal shelter.”
Justin’s response on his Instagram Story left a lot to be desired. After stating that PETA can “suck it” he wrote they should focus on “real problems..Like poaching, and animal brutality. [You’re] tripping because I want a specific kind of cat? You weren’t tripping when I got my dog Oscar and he wasn’t a rescue. Every pet we get must be a rescue? I believe in adopting rescues but also think there are preferences and that’s what breeders are for.”
The Reality of a Stars Influence
Unfortunately for Justin, the response shows just how out of touch he is with reality. His influence is undeniably powerful. 119 million fans account for nearly 1/3rd of the US population! If you ever visited New York City and thought it was crowded, multiply that by 15. That’s Justin’s fanbase. So, 15 New York Cities learned about wild cat hybrids they can purchase thanks to Justin Bieber. That means, 15 New York Cities worth of Bieber fans, people who want what Justin has and strive for his life, are now here for pretty designer cats instead of those shelter kittens.
Add that to the fact that Justin’s track record with animals is abhorrent:
October 2012: Justin brags about a Russian dwarf hamster named Pac.
December 2012: Justin gets rid of said hamster by giving it away to a random fan during a meet-and-greet, telling the girl to take care of it. Spoiler alert, Pac died a few months later.
May 2013: Justin gets a capuchin monkey named Molly from the black market.
May 2013: Justin abandons monkey in a Munich airport after failing to sneak it through airport security. Never even looked back. Luckily for the monkey, she found her sanctuary at a German zoo.
December 2013: Justin gets a bulldog on a whim from a Canadian pet store. PETA protests.
December 2014: Justin’s father allegedly threw the bulldog off a second-floor balcony. The bulldog is given to a dog trainer for socialization…where the bulldog remains until this day.
Oh yeah, and there’s also the snake he used as a fashion accessory before promptly auctioning it off and a puppy that Hailey uses as a toy..but hey, PETA can suck it right?
Give Those Shelter Kitties Some Love
If you’re wondering why Justin’s exotic cat choice is less than wonderful, Hannah, aka The Kitten Lady explains it beautifully:
Let’s all keep our fingers crossed that the king of animal abandonment gets himself a plant instead. In the meantime, if you’re considering a pet, visit your local animal shelter! There are so many cute kittens and loving older cats (and dogs) just waiting for their forever home. Give them a little slice of love and care.
