Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

Johnny Depp's pet dogs face death threat for skipping Australian quarantine

Published 05/14/2015, 04:11 AM
Updated 05/14/2015, 04:11 AM
© Reuters. Actor Johnny Depp poses during a photo session ahead of a news conference for his movie "Mortdecai" in Tokyo

© Reuters. Actor Johnny Depp poses during a photo session ahead of a news conference for his movie "Mortdecai" in Tokyo

By Byron Kaye

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's farm minister has given film star Johnny Depp two days to send his pet dogs home to the United States so they can go through quarantine on their return, or face having them put down.

Depp, 51, is in Australia to film the fifth of his blockbuster Pirates movies, "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales".

Last month, he flew in his Yorkshire terriers, Pistol and Boo, on his private jet, without declaring them to customs.

Depp cannot sidestep Australia's tough animal import laws just because he is one of the world's most famous stars, Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce said on Thursday.

"Mr Depp has to either take his dogs back to California or we're going to have to euthanize them," Joyce told media.

"He's now got about 50 hours left to remove the dogs. He can put them on the same charter jet."

It was not immediately clear where the dogs were.

Government officials went to Depp's rented house on Wednesday following a tip-off after the dogs were seen on the way to a grooming salon, Australian Broadcasting Corp reported.

The incident highlights tough biosecurity laws in Australia, which has had no reported cases of canine-borne disease rabies. But it may threaten the future of a production worth $250 million.

The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) (Australia) Pty Ltd, the Australian arm of the company co-producing the movie with Jerry Bruckheimer Films, did not answer a telephone call to seek comment.

Lynne Benzie, the president of Village Roadshow Studios, where the movie is being filmed, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

© Reuters. Actor Johnny Depp poses during a photo session ahead of a news conference for his movie "Mortdecai" in Tokyo

Filming of the latest installment of the $3.7-billion box office franchise started in February but was interrupted a month later, when Depp flew back to the United States for treatment of a hand injury. He broke the animal import laws on his return, Joyce said.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.