Katie Price hits out at PETA as she faces backlash over new guard dog
Katie Price and PETA reignite row over TV star's guard dog plans
A new row has broken out between Katie Price and animal charity PETA over her plans to get a new guard dog, Yahoo can exclusively reveal.
The former glamour model, 46, has spoken out as she faces backlash, including from animal charity PETA, about her plans to get a new guard dog. Price has been criticised over the death of eight animals – including five dogs, a horse and one chameleon – in her care by the public and the animal charity in the past.
This week Price sparked fresh outrage when she announced she is getting a guard dog to beef up her security after her car was targeted in an acid attack. It has sent signatures sky-rocketing to 36,000 on the 2020 petition to stop Price owning more animals.
In a scathing response, Price's reps told Yahoo: "If they head to Kate's Instagram the contact email address is on her grid... Also we'd been keen to know why PETA have £5,000 in their charity reserves for Kate... Could this not be put to better uses..."
However, PETA have informed Yahoo that they have contacted Price and have not heard back.
Katie Price is 'irresponsible', says PETA
PETA’s vice president of programmes Elisa Allen has spoken to Yahoo in the wake of the news and said that PETA's £5,000 offer to stop Price owning pets still stands.
She also branded Price an "unfit dog guardian" and "irresponsible", telling Yahoo: "Katie Price has proved she’s an unfit dog guardian and so irresponsible that she should never be in charge of a living animal."
She added: "If her track record tells us anything, it’s that this new dog will need to protect themself from her. PETA’s financial offer – of £5,000 if she agrees not to acquire any more animals – still stands, and we implore her to take us up on it."
Katie Price hits back at PETA
Now the row has deepened as Price has a fiery response for the animal charity. The mum-of-five claimed PETA hasn't been in touch with her direct to meet her but the animal charity said the star has not directly responded to their appeals either. There is a history of back and forth between the charity and Price. The TV star has now said she is willing to to have an open conversation with PETA’s Vice President of Programmes.
A representative for Kate told Yahoo: "PETA continue to comment on Kate in the media, but when Kate has previously asked for Elisa to meet her openly and get in touch directly... They don't. So once again we'd encourage Elisa and her PR team to get in touch directly instead of sharing quotes for quick wins."
PETA told Yahoo in response: "While Katie has not directly responded to our appeals, PETA's door is always open to her, and anyone else, wishing to receive information about appropriate dog guardianship."
Price has hit back with: "If they head to Kate's Instagram the contact email address is on her grid... Also we'd been keen to know why PETA have £5k in their charity reserves for Kate... Could this not be put to better uses..." PETA have said the animal charity has contacted PETA but haven't heard back.
Will PETA and Price set up a discussion going forward?
In February, Price was offered £5,000 by the animal charity to stop owning pets for the first time. At the time, the I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here star didn't speak out about PETA's offer but now she has chosen to fight her corner. The letter came when the model had just welcomed a new £1,200 Sphynx kitten Frog into her family after giving away puppy Tank at the start of this year.
In her memoir This is Me: The High Life. The Dark Days. The FULL Story, Price revealed she had to put down her kitten Frog at five months old. She wrote: "He had a neurological disease. There was absolutely nothing I could do. Within days it had spread through his body right to the point that he couldn't even go to the toilet on his own. So I cuddled him in my arms and he had to be put to sleep. He was only five months old."
Why Katie Price plans to get new guard dog
This week Price spoke about her plans to get a new guard dog. "I've got a guard dog coming on Monday," she told The Daily Mail. The author has moved homes after Price was declared bankrupt for the second time. While she was still living at the Mucky Mansion, the former glamour model called the police after intruders threw acid over her car.
Of the incident, she told the newspaper: "I called the police, I said, 'I know you’re saying there’s nothing you can do, but if I’d walked out in the middle of the night and I saw them putting acid on [the car], who’s to say they wouldn’t have thrown it at me?'"
Price's last protection dog Blade was hit by a car in a tragic accident last June. It happened seven months after Price's Pomeranian Sharon was killed on the same road. Price has shared her heartache about the tragedies of losing her pets in the past.
PETA's letter to Price
PETA's letter was dated 7 February this year. The letter started out: "I’m writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) with a proposition that we hope you will consider.
"We recognise that things have gone horribly wrong with many of the animals you have acquired, resulting in criticism you would no doubt rather avoid. We sincerely hope you will take PETA up on the offer to provide you with £5,000 if you agree never to acquire another animal."
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