Lily Allen Admits She Returned Rescue Dog After Pet Wrecked Travel Plans

Lily Allen has said she returned a dog she and her family had adopted from an animal shelter in New York after the pet “ruined” her life.
Speaking with television presenter Steve Jones on her BBC podcast Miss Me?, the 39-year-old singer and wife of Stranger Things actor David Harbour detailed the circumstances that led to her surrendering the dog.
“We actually did adopt a dog together already, but then it ate my passport, and so I took her back to the home,” she said on Thursday’s episode of the podcast, titled “Duck, Duck, Pigeon.”
In May 2021, People magazine reported that Allen and Harbour had adopted a puppy named Mary from Animal Haven, a nonprofit in New York. Newsweek has contacted Allen’s representative’s and Animal Haven for comment.
On Instagram, Allen announced the adoption, writing, “Guys, meet Mary, you’ll be seeing a lot more of her. @its_marys_world.” The handle led to an account dedicated to Mary’s adventures as part of their family.
At the time of writing, the account had 10 posts, with the last one published on May 6, 2021.
On the podcast, Allen said: “She ate all three of our passports, and they had our visas in, and I cannot tell you how much money it cost me to get everything replaced because it was in COVID, and so it was just an absolute logistical nightmare.”
While Allen lives in New York with Harbour and her two children, her daughters’ father, Sam Cooper, lives in England.
“I couldn’t get them back to see their dad for like four months, five months, because this f****** dog had eaten the passports,” Allen said on the show.
The “Smile” singer said she became resentful of the dog as a result and decided to return her. “I just couldn’t look at her. I was like, ‘You’ve ruined my life,'” she said.
Though the passport incident was a flash point, Allen told Jones that it was one of several factors that went into the decision.
“Passports weren’t the only thing she ate. She was a very badly behaved dog, and I really tried very hard with her. But it just didn’t work out, and the passports were the straw that broke the camel’s back so to speak,” Allen said.
Susan Nilson, the owner and founder of the Cat and Dog House, an online resource that seeks to help cat and dog owners better understand their pets’ behavior, condemned Allen’s response to the puppy’s actions.
“With millions of rescue dogs relinquished annually in the U.S., and approximately 400,000 dogs euthanized each year (as per the ASPCA), it’s extremely disappointing to see a dog returned for what appears to be a very manageable issue,” she told Newsweek.
“Firstly, it’s crucial to keep valuables out of a dog’s reach. Dogs can’t inherently distinguish between appropriate chew toys and important items, like passports or designer shoes, unless they’re taught,” continued Nilson, who is also an accredited cat and dog training and behavior specialist.
“Secondly, if this dog was exhibiting generally challenging behaviors, as Allen suggested, why not enlist the help of a qualified positive reinforcement trainer? This could have taught the dog more appropriate behaviors, and surely Allen has the resources to pursue this option,” she said.
Nilson added: “Thirdly, chewing is a natural and inherently calming behavior for dogs, and they need appropriate outlets for it. Studies show that dogs often chew on objects when they’re experiencing negative emotional states, like fear, stress, frustration, and anxiety. If suitable chewing resources aren’t provided to fulfill this need and dogs aren’t taught what’s appropriate to chew, they’ll inevitably seek out their own options. This responsibility falls on the owner, not the dog.”
In the wake of Allen’s recent remarks, Instagram users have posted comments on the account set up for Mary.
“She didn’t deserve you,” one wrote, while another added: “There are people who should not have pets. You are definitely one of them.”
Some users defended Allen’s decision, with one writing, “You were not ready or responsible for puppy requirements, so the best thing you could do for the puppy was return it.”