Katy Perry makes her assistant walk & pick up after her dog: normal?

Katy Perry

These are photos of Katy Perry last week at the screening of her second concert movie, Katy Perry: The Prismatic World Tour. She’s wearing a Balenciaga tuxedo dress with lacy Giambattista Valli boots. Katy pretends to do goth every time she has a breakup.

Katy had a special companion on the red carpet, Butters the dog, who looks confused and like he’s looking for his real mom. Katy talked about Butters once before, when she was promoting her Super Bowl show. Katy admitted she picked up a dog on a whim — right after a breakup when she needed something to love. (Next to Christmastime, that’s the worst time to grab a new pet.) Katy told Billboard that she was too busy to care for Butters because she has an “empire” to run. Now she tells People how Butters comes on tour, but Katy won’t walk him or pick up his poop. That task is left for her assistant and back-up dancers:

“Butters comes everywhere with us. She’s such an amazing tour dog. She brings this incredible joy because sometimes it can get incredibly tiring on the road. All of the dancers will come in and walk her, so she has a really good relationship with the dancers and the band.”

But someone who’s not walking her? Her world-famous mama. “[My assistant] is her real mom and I’m her stepmom because I don’t pick up the doo-doo yet and I don’t like things waking me up at 7 a.m. But she’s so great.”

[From People]

So … Butters is basically a cute accessory and something to trot out on the red carpet. Katy will play with Butters sometimes but doesn’t want to do any of the difficult stuff like wake up early for feedings or walks. This makes Katy seem even more shallow than we already knew. You’d think a lot of famous people do this, but we also see lots of paparazzi photos of celebs doing unglamorous things with their dogs. Part of having a pet is doing the not-so-fun stuff. What this tells me is that Russell Brand dodged a bullet with his failed baby-making plan.

Katy Perry

Katy Perry

Katy Perry

Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet & WENN

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79 Responses to “Katy Perry makes her assistant walk & pick up after her dog: normal?”

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  1. Liz says:

    That’s pretty poor of Katy if she isn’t being a responsible pet owner.

    • annaloo. says:

      This just means to me that Butters probably isn’t going to last long in Katy’s life. With a pet, you ‘d hope to have a fully committed owner, through the good and the bad, through the fun stuff and the not so fun stuff. That’s the bond.

    • Ladybird83 says:

      I’ve been an assistant and I can tell you picking up dog poop is a small thing. You’re being paid to be mother, friend, housekeeper, nurse, cook, partner and essentially your bosses nanny. It’s not a bad gig as long as you have no illusions. It’s not always glamorous but it’s always entertaining:)

      • Loulou says:

        I was going to comment to say the same thing. I’ve been an assistant, and had to walk my boss’ dog AND pick up poo. Let me tell you, that was definitely not the worst thing I had to do on the job.

    • jwoolman says:

      As long as it’s part of the job description and the assistant is happy with the job and the pay, why not? Sounds like the dog has lots of friends/caregivers, which is nice. I clean out the litter boxes only because I’m the one with opposable thumbs, not because it’s a bonding experience. I’ve been sick enough (even for months once) that a friend had to do the job, the cats didn’t abandon me as a result. I did litter box duties for an elderly friend for years also. If I had the kind of money Katy has and had a willing assistant, I would have no qualms whatsoever handing over the litter scooper… I’m not very up to it myself at the moment since bending can be a problem some days even with a long-handled scooper. Dogs who need walking might just be beyond Katy right now for whatever reason, doesn’t mean she can’t enjoy some doggie companionship.

  2. QQ says:

    Poor Butters, stuck with this moron and all

  3. aims says:

    Yeah, imagine her as a mother. I think it’s rude that you have an animal, then expect someone else to carry the responsibility of it. Animals are not handbags, and deserve to be treated with love and respect. Like all living things.

    • V4Real says:

      If you think about it, celebs do the same with their kids. Some of them have nannies to do all the heavy lifting. Here in NY a lot of working adults use doggie day cares or dog walkers. There is this professional dog walker that brings about 7 or more dogs to the dog park where I take my precious little Husky. Some people want the pets but don’t want the clean up that comes with it. The same could be said for kids. I’m not judging. If I could afford it I would have a dog sitter and a nanny to help out.

      • Diana Prince says:

        I have been waking up before the sun comes up for 11 years even on the weekends to walk my big boy. If I had the money I would gladly pay someone else to take on that responsibility.

        The point is butters is being walked and fed how awful can his life be?

  4. Joanne_S says:

    Isn’t she a thirty year old (a.k.a. grown-a$$) woman?
    Sigh. I can’t even.

    The dog looks adorable, though!

    • BangersandMash says:

      I know right?

      When you’re a teen, you can barely take care of a plant. And then we have Katy Perry who has hit that teen phase at the age of 31!!!

  5. Cannibell says:

    Outsourcing your dog’s care pretty much tells me everything I want to know about you.

    • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

      Yes. Pretty much.

      • ORLY says:

        “I don’t like things waking me up at 7 a.m” says a whole lot about that…woman.

      • Mispronounced Name Dropper says:

        @Orly: Yeah that comment was pretty disturbing.

      • MBP says:

        ORLY – I also loathe things waking me up before 7am (or 8… or 9…) but it happens. I suspect that is not quite what she meant though!

    • PunkyMomma says:

      Outsourcing aside, why isn’t PETA rescuing this poor animal from the clutches of Katy Perry? Surely PETA recognizes the threat of John Mayer second-hand flea infestation to Butters.

  6. Rhea says:

    What’s the point having a pet then? Taking care of them is part of the responsibilities. Curious if one day she would have a child and do the same thing. Smh.

    • swedish chef says:

      People have babies and then hire other people to feed and change the diapers etc. They are called nannies and everyone seems to find that’s perfectly acceptable.

  7. Little Darling says:

    “I don’t like things waking me up at 7am.”

    What an asshat comment. Don’t have a dog then Jack.

    But it’s totally okay to have a dog who will sleep with you and love you after you’ve made yet another bad relationship mistake.

    Grrrr.

    • jwoolman says:

      Well, she might not get to bed until dawn for all we know. I often work all night myself. I lived with a cat in grad school (I was the student, she was Pest Control Officer) who got tired of me coming in from the lab so late in the wee hours. She liked company while she ate, so feeding her downstairs wasn’t enough. She wanted me to stay there until she was done even though I was falling asleep on my feet. I finally put her kittie krunchies in a tightly lidded container (she chewed bags and boxes) and kept it and a bowl next to my bed. So I could collapse into bed while she happily munched next to me. Until the day she died many years later, she woke me up at 5am every morning for her snack and I wouldn’t even have to get out of bed for it. Or even wake up completely. She didn’t care if I had gone to bed at 11 pm or 4:30am…. She didn’t rely on me having a reasonable schedule so she put me on a rigid one herself.

  8. Jen43 says:

    Meh. It’s just like having a nanny change all your baby’s diapers. I guess that’s just what rich people do. Her choice.

    • kibbles says:

      Exactly. Why are people surprised or upset that rich people pay others to walk and pick up their pet’s poop? They do the exact same thing with their children! Lol. Many rich people pop out a kid and the next thing they do is hand the baby over to a nanny to raise. I went to private school with rich kids who knew their nanny more than their parents. I’m sure it was their nanny who changed their diapers, fed them, taught them to say their first words, ride a bike and more. Maybe we should be more outraged with people hiring others to raise a tiny human more than a dog.

  9. Christo says:

    As a dog owner, I agree that it is a shame that she can’t personally take care of the dog. That being said, I’m glad that someone, paid or not, is taking care of the dog. I’m certainly not excusing her action or inaction, but I’m guessing she probably isn’t factoring in twice-a-day walks and pick-up into her touring, video, and music schedule. Again, not an excuse and not ideal, but I’m grateful that someone is taking care of the dog. She wants all the good things that go along with having a pet, but apparently not the responsibility that coincides with that.

    • Decorative Item says:

      Agreed. But, at least she was honest and didn’t just run around telling everyone she was taking care of it. This way her followers wont all run out and get a dog not realizing the work involved. Personally, I wish more celebs would be honest about what they really do…looking at you Gwyneth, looking at you.

  10. Vampi says:

    *facepalm*
    Just…shut up Katy. If YOU can’t take care of a pet…YOU shouldn’t have a pet. And OMG how funny to tell the world that “you no curr”enough to take care of it yourself. NOT! Just shut up woman!
    Besides…Butters is the name of one of my cats. Don’t taint the name.

    • Sugar says:

      I can’t get too worked up over this. The dog IS being cared for, which is the important thing. It really doesn’t matter if Katie is doing it or her assistant is doing it just as long as someone walks the dog. It’s a bit silly to judge her so much for this.

      • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

        Except that we have a HUGE animal overpopulation problem in this country, and a large part of it is this attitude that animals are accessories. Having a dog is a big responsibility. You need to provide many things, one of which is a stable environment where they know who is in charge of them. Pawning off the more difficult tasks onto other people isn’t fair to the dog or to the other people. If you aren’t willing to provide the basics for your dog, emotionally and physically, don’t get one. She’s setting a bad example.

        Also, it’s not fair to say “oh everybody who works for me loves Butter and loves to walk him and pick up his poop.” Maybe they do and maybe they don’t. I love dogs, and I don’t mind doing those things, but that’s not part of her backup singers’ jobs, and it’s not fair to make them do it. I worked for a lawyer once who had these pretty little birds in her office. She wanted me to clean out their cage, and I said no. They weren’t my responsibility, I never signed up for that and it made me gag. So no, if you can’t do it yourself, don’t get a pet.

      • Belle Epoch says:

        Agree with GNAT. “All the dancers” don’t have much choice, do they? I bet they resent having to walk the boss’s dog. They weren’t hired to be dog walkers. No matter how cute Butters is, she is NOT Katy’s dog. And the dog does have exactly the same expression as North!

        Remember when Paris Hilton kept losing track of her little dogs of the month? And how Miley Cyrus is unable to control / keep her dogs? And stupid Bieber with his monkey? It sets a very public, very terrible example. This is why there are all those warnings at this time of year saying DON’T BUY YOUR KID A RABBIT FOR EASTER. The novelty wears off and then what?

  11. Tiffany says:

    On one hand, taking the dog for a walk and picking up after it would seem like something that someone with money will have an assistant do.

    On the other, if all of a sudden the assistant has a pet that they don’t want because the owner is a total airhead, then that is where the issue will and should lie. Or if the boss gets pissy because the assistant is not there to give her a water because she is taking care of said dog. Yep, another issue. Katy strikes me as a snap fingers, don’t bother to learn your name kind of person who goes through assistants like underwear.

  12. dr mantis toboggan says:

    I always hated the walks ( I would tell him ” the world scares mama”) but you have to do it anyway, it’s part of the bonding. They know who walks them, who feeds them as well as who plays with them. I would do anything to have those walks back now, the early wake up, cleaning up the mess, all of it.
    I can see how Katy Perry doesn’t have much time for a dog but she should have known that, we aren’t talking about a teenager here.

  13. RockytopNC says:

    LOLOLOLOLOL …..come on …now not one of you wouldn’t love to have someone else scoop up the poop from your dog…..I loved my little girl had had her for 12 yrs she was my loving companion until she died of old age last fall…but the one thing I didn’t love was having to scoop up poop..and if I could get some else to clean up you bet I did…. It doesn’t and didn’t make me any less responsible or loving as her owner ..just made me someone who doesn’t like to scoop poop. ! ….If your assistant is willing to do it …there’s no problem….She ‘s getting paid to do it after all.. But then I have always preferred rural living where when its time to let her do her business you open the door and let her out into the yard or pasture to take care of it.. Where the birds cleaned up after……..Everybody is so quick to judge ….

    • Decorative Item says:

      I have had dogs my entire life and love them all, but would def let my assistant pick up poop if I had an assistant. And, there has been a billion 7ams where I would happily have had my assistant do the walking too.

    • booboobird says:

      yes, well..it seems most people don’t poop n scoop when no one’s watching anyway..why bother with a dog then? why get a pet if the animal is in a cage all day long while the owner is away at work? that’s animal cruelty.

  14. Jayna says:

    She probably got a dog because Gaga has her adorable little Asia that she puts on twitter and takes everywhere with her.

    Those singers on the road have their assistants do everything for them. They probably have to wipe their a** for them.

  15. T.Fanty says:

    That’s actually quite impressive: making Katy Perry seem even less shallow than she already was.

  16. amanda says:

    she looks so different in that first picture!

    also, I’m bored of her makeup being so ‘perfect’ all of the time…maybe its just her face I’m bored of? or her perfect eyebrows or the fact that you can see the layers and layers of foundation on her every time she’s photographed…

    her skin is always exactly the same, even when she changes the color of her eye or lip makeup, she looks the same old to me…

    *yawn*

    • Kitten says:

      She really does look different. I’m not sure if it’s the makeup or if she did something to her face.
      At first glance. I thought it was Lizzie Caplan.

    • Mispronounced Name Dropper says:

      I’m bored with the banality of her “art ” but then again I’ve always been bored by it. Starting with her homophobic I Kissed A Girl.

  17. Susan says:

    So is a ‘tour dog’ a job for Butters? How caring that Katy references Butter …”I don’t like THINGS waking me up…”. Call me Katy next time your in San Francisco and I’ll gladly take Butters off your hands.

  18. zinjojo says:

    As if I needed a reason to despise her even more. Wow, do I dislike Katy Perry and everything she’s about. UGH, CANNOT wait for the day when she’s faded into obscurity.

    Now, I’m going to take my dog for a walk 🙂

  19. sills says:

    Walks are the best part of having a dog for me, forces me to exercise (yes I have an 18-pound trainer) and get out in the fresh air, clear my head, and just goof around with doggie and bond.

    But then again I don’t have an “empire to run”, to each their own I s’pose…

  20. marie says:

    Actually butters lives with Katy’s assistant (I follow her girlfriend– a Swedish model– on twitter) not Katy. Poor thing looks so confused here.

    • **sighs** says:

      So, really, it’s not her dog at all.

      • RockytopNC says:

        which shows this whole story is a storm in a bottle to make her look bad….and a chance to give people who don’t like her another venue to air their dislike…plan and simple…

  21. frisbeejada says:

    Pity that poor dog who looks terrified, but then if she’s not caring for it she’ll have no real bond with him and he WILL be terrified. So she’s just dragging the poor little sod onto the red carpet to make herself look good without any consideration for the dog’s welfare. Say’s it all really, this is why the more I know about people, the more I love my dog…

  22. TessD says:

    With the amount of work and early hours she pulls in on weekly basis I think it’s fair to have an assistant to go pick after the dog. Whether Katy actually spends real quality time with the pooch is another thing. Maybe she doesn’t want to form a real, loving, close relationship with her dog.

  23. **sighs** says:

    Then why do you have a dog? For the occasional cuddle? Just get a freaking stuffed animal. Same with kids. If you have no intention of taking care of them or bonding with them, then what is the point?

    • jwoolman says:

      Think of her as a doggie patron. She can afford to pay for everything. I doubt that she is “making” anybody walk the dog and pick up his discharges. She is paying them to do it. Stimulating the economy. My guess is that the dancers just like the dog. If she pays them for walks, that’s just gravy. They’re on tour, they may be missing furry friends.

      Honestly, she’s not abusing or neglecting the dog. She’s very upfront about other people doing the work. But it’s good for humans to live with other species. The dog is undoubtedly a morale booster for quite a few people on the tour, including Katy. “It takes a troupe to raise a doggie.”

      The old fashion guy hires people to take care of Choupette and we think it’s adorable that he’s fallen in love with a cat in his old age. Why is everybody spitting on Katy? We need more doggie and kittie patrons. Spread the love. And hairballs.

  24. Coconut says:

    Even for a performer who does walk and pick up poop for their own dog, there are many times I would think that the performer can’t be with the dog, such as on stage, doing interviews, rehearsing, recording, etc. So of course there are one or more assistants to take care of the dog. I’d much rather there be a (loving) assistant in the dog’s life than for the dog to be crated all the time or locked up in a room, etc.

  25. Cindy says:

    Vapid woman. Thirty but forever 22 I guess?

  26. paranormalgirl says:

    I love taking the dogs out for a walk or run. I don’t even mind scooping up after them (well, unless they shoot out pudding – that’s gross). It’s part of being a responsible dog guardian. That being said, I have a scottish terrier who is a therapy dog and often comes to work with me. Sometimes I can’t get her out due to patients and meetings and the like and my receptionist will run her out for me.

  27. lobbit says:

    whatever, as long as the dog is cared for and the assistant is getting paid, this is nbd to me. not exactly ideal, but not a problem.

  28. Joy says:

    I for one think it’s important for an animal to have a human to bond with. If it’s YOUR dog, then than human is you. My dog sometimes decides to take a dump in the living room, sleeps on my face, also farts in my face, and barks at every living thing he sees. He has chewed up my headphones, eaten a tube of chapstick, and once took a poop in the middle of the ring during obedience class. Yes, sometimes he drives me nuts and is inconvenient. But he’s my baby, and some day when he’s gone, I’ll wish he was there to crap in the floor again.

  29. Kara says:

    i also dont like getting up early. i also dont like picking up poo.

    my strategy: not having a dog. works pretty good.

  30. Anony says:

    Please, these comments are so melodramatic. I love my dog but she poops 2-3 big poos a walk and she needs a daily walk. She is with me always when I’m not working but I would love if I were rich enough to have someone walk her daily and pick up all the poo. Then all our evening walks would be bonus for her so her life would be awesome! She could still be with me all day. I really don’t get why everyone has a problem with this. Most dogs love people and would love the extra attention from the dancers etc. my poor dog has to be alone when my spouse and I are at work at the same time but on those days We try to come home for lunch when we can so she’s not alone too much. Luckily she doesn’t get any separation anxiety issues and seems to just sleep during the day. We play with her every evening too

    Also this is the best / most normal outfit I’ve seen Katy in. Hate the makeup but I looooove the boots !!!!!

    • RockytopNC says:

      Its all right sweetie, most of the ones dissing her are looking for something to diss her for in the first place the dog is just a good excuse…..

    • Ange says:

      I don’t see the big deal either, sounds like the dog gets lots of attention. A guy I went to school with got an adorable little dog but also has a busy, high powered job. He sends the dog to day care every day and often posts pics he’s sent of the dog being walked in the park and played with, the dog has it made.

  31. Lucy says:

    That poor puppy. At least there is someone looking after it.

  32. Bea says:

    The look on Butters’ face is the same look North West gives Kim K.

  33. Isa says:

    Well I guess I’m in the minority because I would love to have someone pick up poop and wake up with my (hypothetical) dog in the early morning. Based on movies I thought dog walkers were a thing? There are plenty of other ways to spend time with your dog. I’ll be honest, I don’t even like my kids waking me up that early.

    • RockytopNC says:

      LOL …my little old gal got to the point where it was me waking her up to go out in the mornings and let me tell you a peeved pekingese is not a happy doggie….I got the over the shoulder glare the whole time she was outside…..but then I always stayed on the porch or the deck and let her find her own spot in the yard…..and she was very pickish about where she went….sometimes it would take her a good 10 minutes or more to find the right spot…..She was the best companion pet I have ever had and I still haven’t found another because I still miss her….Miss Tiffany Xiang Yee ..Tiffy for short….

  34. Micki says:

    And all the dog owners who pay for dog sitters are WAY better than Katy Perry because….???

  35. Joh says:

    Maybe in the future we will realize you can not “own”
    Other living things.
    Lot’s of dog owners are like this, they only want a pet when they want them, otherwise they are ignored and over fed.

  36. Gilda says:

    Eh, It’s not so bad. Tour life is exhausting so i don’t blame her for not getting up at 7am – she needs her rest. I’ve seen her schedule for the tour and i wouldn’t last 2 weeks. I don’t blame her for not walking the dog either because she can’t really get out and about without fans and paparazzi trailing her. The only eyerolly thing is her not picking up after him. Like, is the dog gonna be in her suite, poop then she calls her assistant instead of getting a bit of tissue and flushing it down the loo? Lazy mare!

    At the end of the day, the dog doesn’t care who does what for him as long as he gets fed, walked and lots of attention. It sounds like he is getting it. However, this doesn’t work with babies who need to actually know and bond with their moms! Tip for Katy – don’t have kids unless you get used to early mornings and are not afraid of poop any more!!

  37. Jan Harf says:

    Does anyone else think she looks like the actor who plays Loki in the header picture? Tom Hiddleson or something?

  38. boredblond says:

    I haven’t got a problem with who walks the dog..it probably gets good care, and that’s what’s important. I do have an issue with celebs parading their ‘pure bred’ dogs..I wish they would promote adopting from shelters and spaying their pets. The number of unwanted cats and dogs is heartbreaking.

  39. Mispronounced Name Dropper says:

    Ha. The person who came up with the dog’s name must’ve been a South Park fan.

  40. JaneS says:

    Obviously that awful music she makes is more demanding than any of us originally thought. Who knew.

  41. Ella says:

    I don’t think there’s anything that bad about her having an assistant help take care of a dog. Like others have pointed out, it’s like having a nanny. It might not be how I personally would choose to raise a dog (or kid) but plenty of people do it.

    What I do object to is how she dragged that poor dog onto the red carpet with her. The chaos and noise at these events is frightening, even for humans. Have you ever heard how the photographers aggressively YELL at the stars to turn this way or that, and “look over here” etc.? And all the rapid-fire shutter clicks and flashes, it’s awful. I can’t imagine what a dog would think is going on.

    And especially since, it turns out, the dog isn’t even really Katy’s, but her assistant’s — clearly KP is just dragging it around as a cute accessory, which is annoying and not very nice to the dog. She’s an asshat, as always.

  42. LAK says:

    What’s the point?

  43. msw says:

    I adore my dogs. They are my babies, and I am crazy about them. Having said that, if I had the money to pay someone to walk them every day, oh hell yes, I would. We bond plenty.

  44. jwoolman says:

    Another good thing about having other people in your dog or cat’s life is that if anything happens to you, they will be able to shift over to someone else more easily. If you already live with human relatives, you might not think about this, but many people are the only human in the house. When my neighbor died, I inherited his cats – my original feline roommates were a bit shocked, but the two mourners were fine with it because they had seen me every day for several years, cleaning out their litter boxes and making sure they had food and water (their pet human was a tad absent minded). His older cat was at least 12 at the time, maybe older, and she loved all the new opportunities for interesting conflict. She settled in immediately, which just wouldn’t have happened except she knew me. The 3 year old wasn’t quite as sure, since he had been fighting with one of my roommates through his window for a year or so… Big shock for both when she came through the cat door the night he arrived! But even with all new stuff and an all new house and a pre-existing feline crew, they had me as a constant from just a small amount of daily time with me.