Here are some photos of Kim Kardashian with her four children on Christmas Eve. The Kardashian-Jenners always throw a huge family-and-friends party on Christmas Eve, and they always get all dressed up, even the kids. It used to strike me as excessive and dumb, but they’ve been doing it for so many years, I’ve gotten used to it and I actually think it’s a little bit nice? Kim wore a vintage Thierry Mugler dress to the event and her kids looked happyish and healthy. One thing I’ll give the klan is that all of the sisters adore their nieces and nephews and all of the cousins seem close too. Now for the bad news! Kim gave her children special gifts for Christmas: each child received a Pomeranian puppy.
Kim Kardashian was harshly critiqued by PETA after she gifted her four children each a new Pomeranian puppy on Christmas.
“Puppies are not plushies, and it’s a damn shame that Kim missed the chance to be a spokesperson for shelter pups and instead is being rightly slammed on social media for that,” Ingrid Newkirk, the founder of the organization, told the Daily Mail Sunday.
“Ignoring the homeless animals crisis is inexcusably callous,” Newkirk stated, urging the SKIMS founder “to call PETA or a local shelter the next time [she] wants to bring an animal into [her] home.”
Additionally, Newkirk told the outlet that the Kardashian, 45, can “make some amends now by sending their kids to volunteer at a local shelter.” She also suggested the reality star can fund “a local shelter adopt-a-thon or at least one spay day to help stop the growing homeless puppy crisis.”
The “Kardashians” star came under fire after she shared a photo of four puppies snuggled up together via her Instagram Stories. “Each kid got a puppy,” she wrote over the snap.
Kardashian shares four kids — North West, 12, Saint, 10, Chicago, 7, and Psalm, 6 — with her ex-husband, Kanye West.
Newkirk also called out Kim’s sister Khloé Kardashian, 41, for welcoming a black Labrador puppy into her family.
I won’t defend Kim whatsoever – it’s incredibly dumb to give each child a puppy in general. And specifically, it’s a bad idea because Kim has a terrible record with family pets. I still remember poor Mercy Kardashian-West. Now, Kylie has a good record with dogs – Kylie loves her dogs and she really cares for them and she’s a good dog-mama. Kim… will probably not teach her kids to properly care for those puppies.
Photos courtesy of Kim’s Instagram.
Omg Kim with the duck lips! She really is so ridiculous at her big age.
Okay, inappropriateness of giving all your children puppies for an holiday aside, you can’t bully people into adopting shelter dogs. They either have it in their heart or they don’t, and Kim clearly does not. These living creatures who require constant love and care are nothing but designer accessories to her.
It is not necessarily about having a heart. People should have the freedom to adopt OR shop RESPONSIBLY. The truth is that not everyone is cut out to rehabilitate and rehome a rescue/shelter dog but can be excellent pet owners with the support and education provided by a competent, caring preservation breeder.
No competent breeder would ever sell four puppies at the same time to a single family though. Littermate syndrome is real, and ONE puppy is a lot of work. Four is an insane amount of work, even with staff and kids to help clean up, feed, and train.
God knows where Kim finds these people willing to sell her dogs too. Given her very public record of not taking care of her dogs, no caring breeder would do business with her.
All of this. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again (and I know I’ll get hate for it) but purebreds are not why we have an explosion of unwanted pets. We have an explosion of unwanted pets because too many people neglect to spay/neuter their pets and/or are far too quick to abandon them on a whim instead of treating them like a lifetime commitment. That being said, it is so SO important to find a responsible, registered breeder. DO YOUR RESEARCH. And I personally don’t think pets should be given as gifts. They are living things, not a pair of shoes.
This. I worked for a no-kill shelter, and am a huge dog lover. I have had many dogs in my life, and exactly one puppy. They are a nightmare if you don’t know what you are doing. Hell, even if you do!
All of my subsequent dogs have been adopted as adults. I will never have another puppy. It makes me laugh to think of her immaculate house with four puppies running around. That is an interesting choice.
You all make great points, and I’ll emphasize: People need to be just as realistic about the needs of puppies and dogs as they are with children. As the raised-on-golden-retrievers stereotype, I understand wanting a specific breed with a specific temperament. Shelter dogs’ temperaments vary drastically, and many of them come with specific challenges due to the way they were raised. You’ve got to put the time in BEFORE you rescue to make sure the dog fits in with your family and lifestyle, especially if there are kids around.
Now, because the Kardashians are trash human beings, they clearly treat puppies/dogs like just another accessory that can be bought on a whim. While they have the money, time, and help to platform responsible dog ownership, they choose not to in favor of this gross Mar-a-Lago excessiveness. As a lifelong dog lover who currently has two rescues and two breeder dogs (and two more children, HA!) I am disgusted. But when it comes to this family, it’s just another day that ends in “Y”.
To expand upon @Kitten’s comment, research should include the overall cost of pet ownership – the sticker shock is real for those who are new to, or have not owned a pet in a while. The spay/neuter/vax costs & other expenses have become out of reach for many now that private equity firms have targeted veterinary practices for their portfolios. [I sense the food industrial complex is also part of this equation]
The nonprofit FlatbushCats has a podcast addressing this & it was the reason they built a low-cost clinic in Brooklyn. A More PerfectUnion YT channel also has an upload about PrivEq & veterinary clinics.
Four puppies are a lot to deal with. She should have just adopted one puppy for the children. Who is going to be taking care of them because it’s not going to/can’t be the children.
Let’s face it, the staff will take care of the dogs and clean up the poop when they go all over the house. Eventually the dogs will go home to live with the staff
Yeah. My sister got a puppy right before Christmas and it’s a lot! I cannot imagine 4 at the same time. Just hope they pay someone to help and care for the puppies. And yeah, I like the recommendations they gave Kim. Volunteer at a shelter. Donate tons of money to shelters. Tons.
It is hard to imagine four school-aged children (from 6 to 12), who must also do homework after school, being equally prepared to assume the responsibility of young dogs.
You forget the grueling schedule of becoming pre-teen influencers. Someone else is doing their homework.
Sorry for my ignorance so whats wrong with getting these puppies? Do they never deserve a home either ? Where are they suppose to go?
They are from bred dogs. We don’t need to be breeding dogs when millions sit unwanted in shelters, waiting to be euthanized.
Of course they deserve homes, but purebred puppies rarely have trouble finding one. Reputable breeders more often than not actually have waitlists for new litters.
The assumption is that if people didn’t buy a purebred, they’d adopt instead. I’m sure that’s sometimes the case, but not always. Some people grow up with a breed and fall in love with it. Some people just want a dog and will be happy with a rescue but others *only* want, say, a golden retriever because that’s what they’ve had their whole lives.
I tried so hard to adopt a pet during the pandemic but was rejected repeatedly because I am older, single, and live in an apartment. I eventually bought a cat from a breeder.
Yes this happened to me, too–although it was pre-pandemic. I wrote honestly on an application that we allow our cats outside within a COMPLETELY ENCLOSED area with literally no ability for the cat to escape. They told me my app was rejected because it’s against their policy to allow their cats outside under any circumstances–even on a catio. I ended up going with a breeder, too. The application process from the cattery was very strict/thorough and you do have to sign a contract that agrees to spay/neuter, not declaw, relinquish the cat to the breeder if I can no longer care for him etc but they were fine with me allowing the cat on the catio, although they asked to see pics of it.
I understand why shelters are so strict because rescuers put up with a lot of shit and see so much sadness–they really put their whole heart and soul into rescuing–but the application process can be really discouraging sometimes.
Get one puppy at a time. Love it, care for it, spay/neuter it.
Pure bred or rescue isn’t the issue.
Four itty bitty puppies as gifts for young children is a poor choice.
Those puppies deserve better. And shame on the breeder for not vetting buyers!
No breeder is going to say no to Kim Kardashian and her money. They are, after all, in it for the money.
I breed and show Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, and there is no amount of money she could pay to get one of my dogs given her history. Plus, if I were that stupid, all of the dog clubs I belong to would bring ethics charges against me before the ink was dry on the sales contract.
She is undoubtedly buying from an irresponsible producer or puppy broker. No reputable breeder would ever need to work with a puppy broker to sell dogs.
I cannot wait to see what happens when those dogs start to lose their hair, a common issue in Poms. Their coats need a lot of maintenance that I am sure no one in that house will do.
Yeah, I would say that maybe two puppies at once could be doable for experienced dog owners, but 4? With the intended caregivers being children who don’t seem to have ever had a pet before? Irresponsible. I think CA probably has stricter laws than most states when it comes to combatting puppy mills, but there are still a lot of breeders who are barely a step above that.
Kim’s all about looks and these dogs are also about looks and not about taking home 4 dogs to look and care after them. She might think this is so that her kids can be responsible, but no, she got for of them, knowing very well none of them are responsible now and in case none of them will be, she got all the staff to look after them. No one is ever gonna wake up at 12/3/5 in the morning to take them out. She is not going to train them herself, she’s got a beauty routine going on. Let the staff wake up and train them and pick up the sht. No one in their right mind is gonna get 4 puppies without experience and not living like, on a farm. Are you evn allowed to have 4 dogs in city regulations?
Well, at least these dogs are alive, unlike the pelts she wears on her body.
But for how long? Kim killed a kitten at one point, but memories are short.
TBH I’m very disappointed/disheartened by all the comments defending “ethical” breeding. How can it ever be ethical when it’s cruel to the mother dog? When profit will always supersede concern for the welfare of the offspring? When the shelters are full of loving, deserving pups?
Finally breed specific rescues exist for those seeking purebreds. And why do breed specific rescues exist? Precisely be purebreds purchased from breeders (who do not evaluate the suitably of any buyer with cash) are regularly abandoned.
Please please please evaluate all potentials for adopting before supporting the breeder industry.
I’ve only ever had rescue cats – I don’t know anything about dogs. But my point is that Kim wears a lot of fur. PETA criticized her about it in the past, but Kim doesn’t care. So, she isn’t going to care what they think about the dogs, either.
Ethical breeding does exist, but it is not necessarily available in all areas. I know of exactly two ethical preservation breeders of Cavaliers in all of Hawaii, for example.
I carefully plan every litter and breed for health, temperament, structure, and type. Every single puppy is deeply wanted and loved from the second they are conceived. It is not a business to me, especially since I lose money on every puppy, but a labour of love. People who buy from me know what constitutes a quality, well bred Cavalier and are not interested in getting a dog from a rescue or shelter for whatever the reason.
Breeding is also not inherently cruel to the parents. Most mothers lose interest in nursing their puppies once their shark-like baby teeth come in and are happy to resume their normal activities of eating, playing, and sleeping away from their babies. Some mothers adore their babies and recognize them throughout their lives, most are ambivalent, and some clearly do not realize who their puppies are after they grow up. Fathers are even worse. Most have no idea they even sires litters and avoid puppies like the plague! I always explain to my girls when a new family is coming to meet their puppies and that they may eventually get one of them to take home. I cannot definitely say they understand every word that comes out of my mouth, but I think they do on some level.
Ethical breeders do not knowingly allow their dogs to end up in rescues and shelters, period. I am responsible for every puppy I bring into this world for their entire lives, which is why I have a comprehensive estate plan to address this no matter what happens to me. I also microchip puppies before they leave and put myself as a permanent contact on the chip that cannot be changed. The purebred dogs that end up in rescues/shelters are NOT well bred dogs from ethical breeders. They are dumped there by *uncaring owners and irresponsible producers* who refuse to take responsibility for the dogs they brought into this world. That is far more reprehensible to me than responsibly breeding health tested, breed standard puppies and placing them with carefully vetted families who became part of my family as a result.
People who argue for “Adopt only” fail to acknowledge that they are insisting people can only have dogs from irresponsible sources. Those purebred dogs in rescues and shelters are NOT coming from breeders like me, after all. That is a highly unethical stance IMO. In a perfect world, rescues and shelters would not exist because people would only buy dogs from reputable, competent breeders who care about their dogs and where they end up – people exactly like me. And owners would take impeccable care of their dogs and only surrender them back to their breeders in limited circumstances. Unfortunately becuase people suck and quite a few of them still view animals as possession instead of family members, rescues and shelters still exist.
Another thing that is routinely ignored: people like me are some of the biggest supporters of shelters and rescues. It is not because my dogs will ever need their services though. Rather I love and care about ALL dogs and will happily be the safety net that their irresponsible producers refuse to be. I donate my time, money, and knowledge because part of being an ethical preservation breeder is recognizing that these are living beings who did not ask to be born and do not deserve to be mistreated, no matter how they came into this world.
And as noted above, a lot of rescues and shelters have absolutely deranged adoption requirements that block plenty of loving families from adopting. I know of organizations that will not adopt out to families that have children under age 12, refuse to let pets live in apartments, etc. So it is disingenuous for them to bleat “Adopt, don’t shop” constantly while simultaneously preventing tons of qualified people from getting a pet.
Bearcat – I appreciate your points, but how is repeatedly impregnating a dog ethical? Moreover, breeding brings more domestic animals into a world already overrun with unwanted animals. My aunt just bought a dog from an ethical breeder. And it’s a wonderful pup who will always be loved and cared for. But how many easily as wonderful pups were euthanized that same day? So yes some breeding is less unethical than others, but all breeding results in shelter euthanasia.
I have been a foster pup mom for 15 years for our local no-kill shelter. I have a ton of experience with multiple pups. It’s a 24 hr job with pee, poop, vomit, crying, barking, feeding and training. I love doing it but it takes a lot of patience and discipline, two things I doubt she possesses. Four pups and four kids under 12 is basically like having 8 pups. Our shelter would never allow 4 siblings to go to the same household.
Littermate syndrome occurs when two or more puppies from the same litter (or even a parent and offspring) grow up together and develop unhealthy dependencies and behavioral issues. This isn’t just about minor sibling squabbles; these dogs can end up in serious, often violent fights. One dog will typically become dominant, and the other submissive, but in many cases, both will compete for leadership, resulting in aggressive behavior. These fights can escalate to the point where one or both dogs must be rehomed or even euthanized.
Littermate syndrome is the first thing I thought of.
So many rescues won’t even let you adopt two unrelated puppies together for this same reason. Littermate syndrome is real and can be horrific.
It feels like all of this was not thought through. Even the tiniest bit.
And having witnessed how tightly wound some smaller breeds are, I wonder if the risk factor increases. Certain larger breeds as well: beagles, dalmatians.