- Pete Davidson left a voicemail for a PETA representative after they chastised him for buying a dog.
- He said in the expletive-filled message he had to buy a dog because he's "severely allergic" to most dogs.
Pete Davidson hit back at a representative for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) after being criticized by the organization for purchasing a dog from a pet store.
On Monday, Davidson left an expletive-filled voicemail for Daphna Nachminovitch, the senior vice president of cruelty investigations at PETA.
In the message, obtained by TMZ, Davidson started by introducing himself before sarcastically "thanking" Nachminovitch for "making comments publicly" that he purchased a dog instead of adopting one.
He then explained that he's "severely allergic to dogs" and therefore had to "get a specific breed," adding that he's "only not allergic to cavapoos."
Cavapoos — a mixed breed that is not technically hypoallergenic but generally considered safe for those with dog allergies because of its low-shed coat — is a cross between a Cavalier King Charles spaniel and a poodle.
In the message, the "Saturday Night Live" alum said his mom's 2-year-old dog had just died a week before he bought the new puppy, and he and his family were "all so sad so I had to get a specific dog."
Then, he got angry.
"Why don't you do your research before you fuckin' create news stories for people," Davidson said in the voicemail. "Fuck you and suck my dick!"
This all started when a New York City pet store released footage of Davidson buying a dog
This whole mess began last week, when Citipups, a pet store in Manhattan, shared footage of Davidson and his girlfriend Chase Sui Wonders at the register in their store, TMZ reported on Thursday.
According to TMZ, Citipups workers said the footage (which appeared to have been posted to the company's Instagram story) was from May 21, when Davidson and Wonders purchased a 2.5-month-old cavapoo puppy that came from a breeder.
Then, the animal-rights organization chimed in.
PETA, which frequently comments on celebrity's animal-related decisions that they disagree with, issued a statement to TMZ, with Nachminovitch saying it was "tragic" that Davidson "didn't seek out a borough-born mutt from a city animal shelter, because a scrappy New Yorker with charm, personality, and unconventional handsomeness could have been his perfect match," urging Davidson to show some "big heart energy" and adopt not shop in the future.
TMZ updated their story a few hours later, reporting that a source close to Davidson clarified he'd bought the new dog for his mom, after the recent death of their family dog, and that the cavapoo puppy was at Davidson's mom's house because Davidson "is allergic to dogs."
On May 4, Dave Sirus, a stand-up comedian and friend of Davidson who has shared messages to social media on Davidson's behalf in the past, shared a message from Davidson via Instagram announcing the death of his 2-year-old dog, Henry.
According to the post, Davidson, his mom, and his sister got Henry at the beginning of the pandemic and were "broken" by the dog's sudden and unexpected passing after a "very fast" illness.
Davidson said in the caption that he wasn't sure he'd "even be around" without Henry, describing him as "the happiest and sweetest dog ever."
Davidson said he regretted his language in the PETA voicemail but didn't regret hitting back
Despite Davidson's explanation in the voicemail for buying a new dog rather than adopting one, PETA told TMZ that while "our hearts go out to the Davidson family" for Henry's death, Davidson "must know in his heart that there's no excuse" for purchasing a dog, reiterating that the organization hoped he'd "do the right thing and adopt next time."
In a new statement to TMZ after the outlet published his angry voicemail, Davidson said he wasn't aware he could "adopt a specific hypoallergenic dog" and had been told that "it wasn't an option, and if it was, it was rare."
He reiterated that his anger in the message to PETA was fueled by his family's devastation at Henry's death and being additionally upset that he was filmed without his consent at Citipups.
"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," Davidson told TMZ. "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."
Representatives for Davidson and Citipups didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
When reached by Insider, a media representative for PETA reiterated that they feel for Davidson and his family but that there's still no excuse for buying a dog from a pet store.
PETA said that people who want a specific breed of dog can "check with adoption groups or search Petfinder" and noted that New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law a ban against pet stores in the state selling dogs, cats, and rabbits, which will take effect in December 2024.
PETA's rep also pointed to news reports from 2016 and 2018 in which Citipups, where Davidson got the new dog, was accused by customers of duping them into buying sick puppies who died prematurely.
"We know Pete cares about animals and was trying to do a nice thing for his family, but he has millions of impressionable fans and his choices matter," PETA said in its statement to Insider.