Johnny Depp has apparently "smuggled" his dogs into Australia, causing the country's Agriculture minister, Barnaby Joyce, to call out the Hollywood actor's actions on television.
Joyce warned the 51-year-old star in a television interview presented on ABC that for failing to have Boo and Pistol quarantined and for not securing proper certification and permits from the ministry to bring the pets inside the country, his dogs will be "destroyed." The ministry has given Depp 50 hours to ship Boo and Pistol back to the U.S.
Depp apparently brought the dogs with him via a private jet when he flew to Queensland last month to film the latest "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie in the Gold Coast. His wife, Amber Heard, has been taking care of Boo and Pistol while he was at work.
The dogs are fully vaccinated. They have also not been in contact with other dogs and were the only dogs serviced by a local grooming center, according to the Gold Coast Bulletin. Unfortunately, it was there that the authorities spotted Boo and Pistol.
"We found out he snuck them in because we saw him taking them to a poodle groomer. Now Mr Depp has to either take his dogs back to California or we're going to have to euthanize them," said Joyce.
"There is a process if you want to bring animals in, you get the permits, they go into quarantine and then you can have them," the minister added, citing that there will be no special favors for movie stars.
"In my view, he's a great actor, Jack Sparrow, wonderful, but this is not an excuse for breaking our laws," Joyce reiterated with a firm stance.
A petition on Change.org has immediately surfaced following the report, calling on the minister to "have a heart," according to The Australian.
The putting down of contraband animals in Australia rarely happens, however, as the owners usually comply within the hours given, according to 9News.
The Gold Coast Bulletin has confirmed that the minister will spare the dogs if they leave Australia by Saturday.
