Last month, Johnny Depp finally surfaced in Australia to film the fifth Pirates movie. Disney practically had to move mountains to get him there. His arrival date was pushed back for weeks, and he disappeared at one point. It probably took forever to pack all those scarves and necklaces and get Amber Heard on board. Perhaps some of the official international travel requirements were overlooked … or maybe Johnny and Amber figured the guidelines didn’t apply to them. The two newlywed messes brought Amber’s wee Yorkshire Terrier, Pistol, and Lily Rose’s dog, Boo, along for the voyage.
Australia runs a tight ship on imported plants and animals. They are very wary about even letting fruit come into country. When it comes to dogs, Australia’s guidelines are extensive but readily available. The country is very serious about protecting the ecosystem from foreign diseases like rabies or Lyme disease. Now there’s a #waronterrier brewing on Twitter because Amber and Johnny imported their two dogs via private jet. Australia has ordered the dogs into quarantine. Even worse, officials say Johnny must remove the dogs by this weekend, or Pistol and Boo will be euthanized:
Actor Johnny Depp has been told he has until Saturday to remove his dogs from Australia or they will be put down.
Depp and his wife Amber Heard are accused of not declaring Yorkshire Terriers Boo and Pistol to customs officials when they flew into Queensland by private jet last month.
Australia has strict animal quarantine laws to prevent importing infections. Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce said he understood the dogs were being sent back to the US. The dogs were discovered when a picture was posted of them at grooming parlour
“I personally as a minister don’t have Mr Depp’s phone number, nor does he have mine,” Mr Joyce told the BBC. “But my department is informed they are organising for the dogs to be sent back to the United States. “I’d say that is the wisest move.”
An online petition to save the “cute dogs” had received nearly 5,000 signatures by late on Thursday local time in Australia. “Have a heart Barnaby! Don’t kill these cute puppies,” it appealed.
Mr Joyce said in an earlier interview: “If we start letting movie stars even though they’ve been the ‘sexiest man alive’ twice to come into our nation, then why don’t we just break the laws for everybody? It’s time that Pistol and Boo buggered off back to the United States.”
The dogs’ illicit entry appears to have been uncovered after a grooming salon on the Gold Coast posted pictures of them on its Facebook page. Biosecurity officials visited the vast Gold Coast house Depp and Heard are renting on Wednesday.
“The dogs have been ordered into quarantine and the owners have been advised the dogs must be exported within 72 hours,” said a statement on the agricultural ministry website.
[From BBC]
Death sentences for the dogs does seem like high drama, but Australia doesn’t mess around when it comes to biosecurity. It’s not like Australia keeps their requirements a secret either. Remember that episode of The Simpsons where Bart brought his pet frog along, and the creature disrupted the entire balance of nature? These guidelines aren’t sitting on a dusty bookshelf, they’re part of popular culture. Johnny and Amber (or their people) should have known better than to bring Pistol and Boo along without proper declarations. These two dogs shouldn’t be put to death (and that won’t happen), but they need to return to the United States.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet & WENN
I am a large size dog person myself.
But, her little dog is absolutely adorable- cuter than my parents’ Yorkie.
What’s up with Joyce bringing up Depp being named the sexiest man alive (twice)? Is he jealous or something? His statement is beyond embarrassing.
He was mocking Depp and his sense of entitlement at thinking he’s above the law.
Yep, this guy sounds like a good sport. I lol’d 😀
Are you serious?! Joyce was imo exceptionally good-humoured and tolerant in the face of Depp’s entitled arrogance.
I hope Depp has the decency to make (a) a public apology and (b) a decent donation to eg. some Aussie animal charity, to make up for his stupidity, not least of which is the small matter of putting the lives of his own dogs at risk.
Depp actually just fostered a child bat a few days ago. http://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/95790403.html
He is a decent person.
He won’t donate sh*t. He’s working hard to leave some money to his kids, don’t you remember?
Except that he’s donated millions and millions over the years.
I cannot believe that Bananaby Joyce has made it on to Celebitchy! He would have a good laugh at some of these comments.
He’s a National Party member (the conservative, farmer’s party) and is known for his bluntness.
I agree, that statement was bizarre. It was so over the top and unprofessional.
Nope. Not unprofessional….. No pretense, just completely Australian.
@Jade, fostering a bat does not negate his arrogant stupidity.
hahahaha thats aussie humor, most polies joke in their interviews , we don’t take ourselves to seriously. But of course in the case of our borders we are careful , pet and plants, but especially people who are from war torn poverty stricken country’s that need asylum!!!!!
Aussies like to have fun even when holding serious positions, Americans should try this sometime.
I moved to Australia from the States and getting our dog in was the HARDEST part about it! it took over 6 months, about 20 vet visits and at the end we had left one flu shot undone and she had to stay in the States without us an extra two weeks and then stay in quarantine for 4 weeks. It was a nightmare. amazing he thought he could just waltz in. Dog is super happy now though, and loves the beach!
That’s just Aussie humor.
What an entitled ass he has become.
This story is so frustrating to me.
I like Depp but he and whats-her-face are asses for doing this.
I also like Depp but I think he has some serious issues going on.
He knew perfectly well that what he was doing was illegal and that he was putting those pups in jeopardy. But he did it anyway.
Exactly, Mich. No excuses given.
Such an ass indeed. http://www.cairnspost.com.au/entertainment/ravenshoe-boy-jed-baker-meets-captain-jack-sparrow-on-film-set-of-new-pirates-of-the-caribbean-movie/story-fnjput3w-1227350893983
???
This has nothing to do with the story here.
Great that he can do something nice for a child. However, that does NOT absolve him of the fact that he didn’t do what’s right for his two dogs that are under his care and responsibility. Yes the dogs will be fine, but this reeks of entitlement and Depp should know better than that.
Yeah, I’m not getting that either. We all do nice things or the right things in life, it doesn’t cancel out not observing laws because you have money to avoid mass transit.
Agreed, he is disgusting.
He’s lovely.
He really has. 🙁
See this to me is so much sh***tier than what Sienna Miller did. It’s just so entitled and cruel (putting their dogs at risk for getting put down at his whim) and disrespectful.
100% agree.
The rules on what you can and can’t bring into Australia are VERY clear. End of Story.
The information on the required steps to be taken to legally bring anything into the country are easily accessible. This is not new policy or new procedure. Australia has been separate from the rest of the world for so long that we don’t have many diseases and our natural flora and fauna have no way of fighting these diseases if they were to be brought into the country. Plain and simple. Follow the rules.
I am a dog person. I am also Australian. Johnny Depp DOES NOT have any right to flaunt those rules because of who he is.
I agree completely, and the way this story has been reported, it seems clear to me that Depp deliberately tried to smuggle them in.
Some people don’t bother with reading this kind of guidelines even if those are easily accessible, because they think that if their country has specific set of rules, other ones must have the same rules as well. It doesn’t even cross their minds to prepare before travelling. Especially if they are from one of the richer, first world countries. I’m not trying to defend them but from experience – there is a possibility it was ignorance and arrogance rather than a deliberate action to break the law.
Yeah I get what you’re saying but he’s Johnny F*cking Depp and presumably, he has people that he pays to organize his travel plans and read up on this stuff FOR him. I would be a bit more understanding if this was some average schmo.
I don’t think this is the end of the world, but I’m disappointed to see that this is the kind of *celebrity* Depp has become.
Nonsense. This man is a global citizen and unless he is genuinely stupid, he knew perfectly well that he was putting those animals at risk. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that he had already been told by his ‘people’ that he couldn’t bring the dogs but he went ahead and did it anyway.
People from around the world don’t get to bring their pets into the US without following protocol either.
@NormanBates’ Mother
Even the most average among us has SOME idea of the strictness of Australia’s entry requirements when it come to animals, agricultural produce, flora etc. They may not know the in’s and outs – hell, even excessive dirt on shoes get the run down by customs! (Foot and Mouth Disease is carried in dirt, another of the many diseases non existent in Australia) – but they have enough of an idea to do some investigation before packing up their dogs for vacation.
I live in Canada, and EVERY SINGLE TIME I travel down to the States with my dogs, I check and double check the requirements I need to take with me for their entry. By now I know what these are off the top of my head, but I check anyway as they may have changed from the last time I traveled, or I may have forgotten something. It’s like turning up to a country not knowing you require a certain visa and being pissed you were denied entry, or are being turned around on to the next plane out of there simply because you didn’t follow the correct protocols. It’s part of being a responsible traveler.
So while there may be some merit in that reasoning – ignorance and arrogance is not an excuse even for the average layman, let alone someone in Johnny Depp’s position.
@NormanBates’ Mother,
To enter Australia (even by private jet) you have to complete an incoming passenger card which clearly states “Are you bringing into Australia – Animals, parts of animals, animal products, etc” He was supposed to complete the card himself so he is guilty of lying to immigration, unless he can prove his dogs were stow aways. So no Parley, take im to Port Arthur and don’t even think of touching the sea turtles matey boy.
True, but I cringed at Barnaby’s wording. Its so Australian, but he was being interviewed and presumably knew it would be reported on internationally. Admittedly so far in the comments I am surprised American posters (and presumably from other countries) are taking this so well. I was prepared for some Australia-bashing and having to apologise for him. Takes a sigh of relief….
I find the idea of a government official using the phrase “bugger off” in a public statement hilarious.
Ha ha me to Lilacflowers! It’s so Aussie! And it makes me homesick. Waaaa! They can eff off – it makes me so mad when people don’t abide by our policies – we are very fair and very clear and if you don’t declare it then “bugger off” is the perfect response!
That is what made me feel ashamed and embarrassed and cringe. I am surprised people overseas are taking it so well. I know I’ve had to moderate my language here and on other sites. Many sites online are simply not used to the extreme bluntness of Australians. Americans in particular (not an attack on them, just saying) seem to be very sensitive, delicate and pc. I’ve been attacked for many of my posts and accused of frothing at the mouth and goodness knows what else, and I am all like ‘huh? this is how I normally talk. what did I do?’ Not everyone understands nor appreciates the bluntness of Aussies and it can cause a lot of misunderstandings and tension, especially online.
I wouldn’t worry..I’m British, had never heard of Barnaby before but loved his straight forward way of speaking and his brilliant sense of humour. He is completely right not to let money or celebrity influence him. You should be proud to have him…so refreshing as a politician.
just another celeb who thinks they’re above the rules.
on a side note, that ep of the Simpsons was funny. loved Homer doing “now I’m in America, now I’m in Australia” and the Marine guard at the American embassy punches him.
“We in America don’t stand for that type of thing, SIR!”
I LOVED that episode so much. One of my faves.
and it all started with Bart calling Australia because he didn’t believe Lisa when she told him that the toilets swirl the opposite way from the US.
How very Bieber of him.
I hate that this is an option BUT he’s not above anyone so he needs to follow the rules just like everyone else..
I live on the Gold Coast, actually right on the border with NSW and it’s made perfectly clear everywhere that we don’t tolerate this. Every day I drive past a sign warning people of a $10,000 fine for bringing a pet rabbit over the border.
Yeah, I live in the Somerset region of QLD and out in this rural area apparently we have a problem with feral hares. I wish we could keep rabbits though, they are so cute!
I wish America would enforce our laws they way Australia does theirs. Australia doesn’t care about Depp’s mid life crisis and how refreshing that they are not making an exception because he is a celebrity. That said, euthanizing the dogs is NOT acceptable. Quarantine them or just ship them back to the US.
Twits. And poor Lily Rose. That’s hard for a kid to hear that her dog might be put down. Totally irresponsible.
Sheesh. That’s so entitled. Here in the UK we have a whole TV show on the Australian customs people and they are, as you say, absolutely militant about maintaining their biodiversity. Good for them. And brattish of these two to try to get around it.
I forgot the name of this show I used to watch in UK, it was about airport customs. Very interesting.
@Loopy/Sixer,
‘Border Security: Australia’s Front Line’ aka Nothing to Declare.
I loved it, fascinating and hilarious (and frightening!) in equal measure. I love the Aussies ‘take no prisoners’ approach to protecting their environment.
@Loopy, I assumed you were referring to the ‘Nothing to Declare’ franchise, and the Aussie one in particular (based on the thread topic.)
Do you must mean ‘Airport’ which was a doc series based around Heathrow?
Guesto – that must be it. Sky Living?
That’s the one. I can’t say I watch it regularly but have caught bits and pieces of it from time to time. Can’t remember the name either! But it’s very apparent how seriously Australia takes this stuff. Hats off to them, I say.
No the one I watched was UK , and it featured the air stewardesses and airport attendants. I have the name at the tip of my tongue it was about the customs.
No dogs are going to die. Johnny has a private plane. I’m sure that within three days he can summon it and have someone take the dogs back to one of his houses. Everyone else has to follow this rule, which sounds like it’s perfectly justified. He can follow it too.
Mr. Depp travels around the world. He or his people know the rules about pets or at least they should. Why try and smuggle them in, it just seems so odd and “I am Johnny Depp so I have different rules” priviledged. He is in the wrong and is not above the law. Being an island, it is important to have extremely strict agriculture laws. He should have someone come pick up his puppies and fly them back to the US in a private jet. He should just do it and do it quickly. He can afford it.
Someone call a Dr.!! my eyes are stuck on eyeroll… their specialness wasn’t honored and now the poor dogs are stuck in a bad position .. this is obnoxious and so are the stupid hashtags on twitter NO we don’t need a fundraiser or a March cause this rich a-hole could leave the dogs in one of his many properties with a caretaker .. Please
With all the travel Depp’s done in the past, how could he not know about custom restrictions? Seems like they were deliberately smuggled in.
As an Australian, I’m glad the government has said it’s unacceptable and have given him an ultimatum. That said, I hope the dogs aren’t put down.
This makes me so Angry!!!! Our ecosystem is delicate, and mostly cut off from the rest of the world. Our regulations are clear regarding importation of animal. I mean geezer they make you throw your packet of half eaeaten trail mix at customs. Depp and Heard are entitled jack a$$e$ who think rules don’t apply to them. Ugh. Depp has used up all his good will imo.
It’s as though they got together and said, “ok, we have to do something really evil to distract people from the budget. Let’s threaten to kill Johnny depp’s dogs!”
No, it isn’t. It really, really isn’t.
Lol, I did think that, myself.
If I were Amber H, I’d hop the plane back with the doggies..which would you rather spend time with? This guy’s a mess, but it’s been a long time coming.
Australia is an island, with a most amazing and sensitive ecosystem, that has been horribly damaged by the introduction of non indigenous species. They are very serious about this stuff and I for one applaud them not catering to “movie stars”. The double standard for celebs worldwide is very disturbing to me.
I’m glad they are doing this. Rabbits were introduced at one point and because there were/are no natural predators of rabbits there, it became (and may still be) a problem.
I’m having the most fantastic visions of Australia being overrun by Yorkshire terriers! Let’s make this happen
“I’m having the most fantastic visions of Australia being overrun by Yorkshire terriers! Let’s make this happen.”
Hey, I’m all for that.
Don’t forget the Cane Toads.
And then the foxes.
No love for the feral camels and water buffalo? Australia has the largest number of wild camels in the world.
European wasps also deserve a mention. First detected in 1959 in Tasmania … cut to 2015: world’s largest wasp nest discovered in Tasmania. About a cubic metre in size and containing more than 100,000 wasps! Warm climate mean the nests aren’t destroyed in winter and can just keep growing.
Technically the dingo is also an imported pest … it’s just that it was imported 5,000 years ago. Managed to pretty much wipe out the Tasmanian Tiger and Tasmanian Devil (the European colonisation of Oz just finished them off).
We’ve got pretty valid reasons to be wary of foreign wildlife.
Once again, rich white people thinking they can skirt the law.
I’m surprised their sham marriage has lasted this long, to be honest.
What makes you think it’s a sham marriage?
Being “white” has nothing to do with this….please leave racial divisiveness out of the issue.
Thank you–just what I was going to say. Some people always try to bring up the racist card. So tired of that!!! Instead whoisme should have said again celebs who think laws were made for everyone but them–example: Lohan etc.
I’m confused as to why these dogs are still in Australia. He has his own plane. Send them back with a dog nanny and be done with this. He & Amber look dumb, entitled and arrogant to boot. This should not be a continuing issue.
Well, give them a break – they live a pretty simple life and it’s probably their first time abroad…oh.
Pistol?!?
From the headline, I thought for a second, he brought his dogs to Australia because he WANTS them to be put down (and wasn’t allowed to in the US for whatever reasons). Phew!
Cringing at the people claiming Joyce’s phrasing was “just Australian humour”. Joyce is a attention seeking bumpkin hick with an IQ barely above room temperature. He is only representative of the tiny slice of Australianswho live in the backwaters (we are the most urbanised country on the planet 98% of us live in large cities).
He’s actually a very smart man. As is Tony Abbott actually. Which makes their reliance on outdated slang and ‘Aussie humour’ even worse. They aren’t stupid, they just think the voters are (and given how strangely successful both men have been sadly they may well be right about a lot of us).
Lol I was about to fire back about Abbott being a ‘smart man’, assuming that you were a supporter until I read the rest of your post. Phew! 🙂
You could not be more wrong about the IQ of anyone who has made their way to the top of a country’s government. Political opinions completely aside, “bumpkins and hicks” do not get to the top of a country just by luck. They may be tactless, or have some strange notions, but quite impossible to get there without intelligence.
Anyone who travels that much should be aware of requirements and rules like this, or have someone who is making the arrangements check into it for them before just bringing animals along. As soon as this was brought to light, they should have flown the dogs back home.
Hawaii has pretty strict regulations too, doesn’t it?
did they not realize Australia is an island? that islands have more stringent rules about what may be brought in?
doesn’t he own his own island?
he knows better, her knowing or not idk.
regardless, when you enter a foreign country, even on a private plane, you still have customs to pass through, although when you fly private they come to you.
so did they lie @ having the dogs or did an agent just not do their job?
Drama drama drama and more dramas for POTC5…not only the dogs are heading back to the US, but also Johnny’s leaving with them and Amber Heard tonight and the press don’t know when he’ll be back in Australia after this incident
Those dogs are truly important to them. The people from the production of the movie, the same people that work on his schedule, on get him a house to stay, the arrangements of his security, should have known the rules and do all the bureaucracy in advance, to get the dogs into the country, in the same way that they worked on the authorization for him to stay in the country, the dogs are part of his family
Oh my God this movie is going to blow chunks in every direction. Me thinks John John knows perfectly well he’s just after the paycheck, hence the bad behavior… Gotta keep his trophy wife happy, right? So so sad, considering his talent…
As an Aussie who received a $230 fine for forgetting that an apple was in her bag, this is the norm. Our quarantine and immigration customs laws are strict. The passenger arrival card and signs as you enter any airport clearly state that you must declare any organic or animal product. The customs officers are pretty brutal here. But if you declare everything that you bring into Australia no one gets upset. Just be honest. I am glad my country does care about keeping foreign diseases out that will harm our environment. I just wish our government cared as much about other environmental issues like excessive mining and global warming.
So true…Australian customs inspectors can be strict but they are not hell bent on punishing people who make innocent mistakes. Years ago on an overnight Osaka-Sydney flight I accidentally put the orchid from my airplane supper tray in my purse. I intended to press and dry it because it was so pretty. When I landed in Sydney at 5:30 a.m., despite my exhaustion I suddenly remembered the orchid and promptly declared it to the customs officer. I apologized profusely and explained why it was in my bag. They took it away with a minimum of fuss (after all it had been fumigated on the airplane before arrival) and did not fine or chastise me. Instead, the officer politely reminded me that Australia’s ecosystem is fragile and “we do not want to risk introducing harmful insects or germs.” I was more embarrassed than anything else, but the customs officials were nothing but polite, professional, and informative.
There’s something seriously eating Gilbert Grape.
I think there’s still a really decent and talented guy in there somewhere but I also think he’s really lost his way over the past few years.
Australia, I love you. Your ministers say “bugger off” in public statements.
And you don’t get starstruck when entitled famous people try to blow off your (admittedly, very hardcore) border regulations.
At the very least they could have snuck my 100 pound dog that I left behind in America when I moved here…That’s like going to get a drink and not asking if anyone else wants one, HOW RUDE!!
In all seriousness, the quarantine period is 30 days here, in not so great facilities outside of Sydney. You can only visit during weekdays and there are a few other rules that I can’t remember.
I did my research when moving here and I decided it wasn’t fair to leave my dog who was used to constant companionship and exercise in quarantine for a month, with little to no exercise. No worries, he has an awesome new mommy and daddy who love him very much and send pictures all the time. Broke my heart all the same though.
I almost moved to Sydney about 10 years ago, and the quarantine for my dog was one of the big reasons I didn’t. I went back and forth on it for like a year…My buddy was old and wouldn’t have made it. Glad you found your pal a good home.
The dogs were hidden in a bag, carried by a staffer. They deliberately snuck them in. There was all sorts of drama with getting the monkeys for the movie into the country so everyone involved with the production is well aware of the quarantine laws for Australia. Interestingly, the media is now reporting that it may very well have changed the arrivals procedure for all private jets flown into the country. All passengers will have to go through the terminal and security checks rather than being cleared by Customs on the tarmac. What an arrogant fool.
He’s an entitled ass and got called on it. Australia has a lot of very unique wildlife, so they’re fiercely protective of it. This is pretty common knowledge. I mean, that, and I feel like we have a pretty good deal going with Australia – the rest of us keep our stuff out, and they keep the myriad of hell spawn they call wildlife in.
Ha! Hell spawn. This cracked me up. Our wildlife isn’t all that bad. I would be more worried about getting attacked by a bear or mountain lion in thr US than a Koala in Australia. But I get where you are coming from. Very funny! 😂
” they keep the myriad of hell spawn they call wildlife in” That got a laugh from me. Sometimes I agree that some of our wildlife are hell spawn.
Arghhh this makes me so angry. Even a seemingly innocuous dog can bring devastating consequences to Australian flora and fauna. An American dog could easily have rabies – a disease our animals do not have. Even the dirt in their paws could cause major issues. Deport him for lying to immigration and give him a 2 year ban on reentry as they often do.
Depp – you are a sad old has-been. We don’t care about your excuses. Keep your illegal sht out of Australia!
As an Australian, I am embarrassed by Barnaby Joyce. Yes, he is right the dogs had to leave. But saying ‘bugger off’ is so crass and makes us look like redneck insensitive nutcases. I just wish he had framed it in more diplomatic terms. But Barnaby does talk like that a lot. Which is fine in Australia. I just worry about how it is received internationally.
I liked his comment. Much better than what they probably would have said here in the US, which probably would be more like “f**k off!”
There’s a famous joke, goes something like this:
Customs officer: Excuse me love, you got anything to declare?
Passenger (nervously): Um I’ve got an AK 47…ummmm a bazooka. Ummmm a flick knife. And errrrr, a hand grenade?
Customs (bored): yeah yeah cool. Anything else?
Passenger: Ummmm let me check (pokes around in hand luggage) Ummmm I’ve also got a banana?
Customs (eyes widening, reaching for walkie talkie): back up please NOW! Passenger has not declared a BANANA! Mayday! Mayday!