Community Chat

[lolakimono]

I'm not sure if this has already been discussed, but how do you feel about this story?

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-33547011

Johnny Depp's wife, actress Amber Heard, has been charged with illegally smuggling dogs into Australia.

Ms Heard came under fire for failing to declare Pistol and Boo, the couple's Yorkshire terriers, to authorities on their arrival in Brisbane in April.

This week she was charged with two counts of illegally importing the dogs into Australia and one count of producing a false document.

Penalties range from a hefty fine to more than 10 years in prison.

Ms Heard, the star of Friday Night Lights and Magic Mike XXL, has been issued with a summons to appear in a Queensland court on 7 September, the Commonwealth Department of Public Prosecutions said on Thursday.

Under importation charges, the actress could face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of 102,000 Australian dollars (£48,000).

The false document charge, which relates to information given on an incoming passenger card, carries a penalty of up to one year in prison and a fine of AU$10,200 (£4,800).

The prosecutor's office would not answer questions about why Mr Depp was not charged, citing the ongoing nature of the case.

Australia has strict animal quarantine laws to prevent importing infections such as Rabies.

Boo and Pistol are understood to have arrived in the country on board Mr Depp's private jet in April this year. The star had been filming the fifth film in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise on Australia's Gold Coast.

Though undeclared on arrival, the dogs came to public attention when they became "film stars on Facebook", after they were photographed attending a dog grooming salon.

At the time, a minister said the dogs would be put down if they stayed.

"It's time Pistol and Boo buggered off back to the United States," agriculture minister Barnaby Joyce said.

Mr Joyce said he didn't care if Mr Depp had been voted the "sexiest man alive", he still had to adhere to quarantine rules.

The dogs left the country unharmed a few days later.

A Department of Agriculture officer escorted the pair from the couple's mansion on Queensland's Gold Coast to the airport, where the dogs boarded a flight to the US hours before the deadline.

Asked about the charges during an interview with Sky News, Mr Joyce suggested Ms Heard would not be getting any special treatment.

"You, I, everybody - we're equal before the law,'" he said.

Ms Heard previously criticised the way the case had been handled, and suggested she would not return to the country.

"I have a feeling we're going to avoid the land Down Under from now on, just as much as we can, thanks to certain politicians there," she told Australia's Channel7 News.

"I guess everyone tries to go for their 15 minutes, including some government officials."

It not known whether Ms Heard will appear to answer the charges in person. Representatives for Mr Depp and his wife have yet to comment.

[PenneyT]

I'm glad the dogs were taken out of Australia unharmed, but if their owners really cared about them, they would have made sure they complied with the law. No one should be allowed to endanger others or their pets just because they don't want to follow the rules.

That said, this seems to have been politicized when it didn't need to be, though I certainly feel fot the government officials who had to deal with this. HOPEFULLY, this will help others be aware that the laws are taken seriously. :0)

[wilma]

Why didn't they tell airport authorities they had their dogs with them?  I understand the need to have your pet's vaccinations up to date and having proof of that. The possible fine and jail time seem extreme to me. 

We don't take our dog on vacation, because we don't want to leave her alone while we are out sightseeing or eating dinner.  I think she would be ok, but you never know how an animal might react to a strange environment.  What really scares me is putting my dog in the cargo hold of an airplane.  I have heard so many horror stories about things that have happened that I have never and would never risk doing that.

[Carmie]

He and his wife are just rich Americans who think they are entitled.

They should be embarassed and ashamed. It wouldn't be upset if they were arrested and jailed and fined.

[Marienkaefer2]

My neighbor is Australian.  He lives in Australia six months a year.  He said there is a quarantine of six months when bringing a dog into Australia.  That's probably why they weren't declared.  They didn't want to deal with that, and since it was their private plane, figured they could get away with it.

[jaxs mom]

I read about it awhile ago. I can't muster any outrage over the dogs being brought in. Sure I wouldn't do it myself, but he is facing possibly 10 years in prison. Rapists, child molestors and murders often don't even get 10 years. And no I don't believe anyone was at risk, other than the dogs themselves from the authorities. 

[blackhole99]

All they had to do was abide by the rules and law and they chose not to. My son is traveling from Mexico to the US with his cat and he has all his ducks in a row, from documents from his vet and permission from the airline to fly with the pet. It is an extra charge for the pet to fly.

[debic]

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@Carmie wrote:

He and his wife are just rich Americans who think they are entitled.

They should be embarassed and ashamed. It wouldn't be upset if they were arrested and jailed and fined.

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.....

This ^

There are reasons animals need to be quarentined when crossing borders.

[tends2dogs]

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@wilma wrote:

Why didn't they tell airport authorities they had their dogs with them?  I understand the need to have your pet's vaccinations up to date and having proof of that. The possible fine and jail time seem extreme to me. 

We don't take our dog on vacation, because we don't want to leave her alone while we are out sightseeing or eating dinner.  I think she would be ok, but you never know how an animal might react to a strange environment.  What really scares me is putting my dog in the cargo hold of an airplane.  I have heard so many horror stories about things that have happened that I have never and would never risk doing that.

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My daughter works for an airline and she was shown the cargo hold.  She said she would NEVER put an animal down there for travel.  If a plane gets held up on the runway for hours, there is no insulation.  The heat or cold would be unbearable.  Also, the noise would be horrid.  I can't believe that they even offer to do this.   Most likely $$$$$

[hckynutjohn]

My comments are on the title of this thread. I don't give a rats behind what some celebs decide they should be able to do.

Some people like taking their pets on vehicle taken vacations, some do not. Who's right? Every owner as long as the pets are ones that enjoy it, many do not. That is my wife is so busy right now with her Pet Sitting business. She is gone and I probably won't see her till next week.

Good for her business and obviously their owners think it is best for their pets.

As for the celebs? If they broke the law, are they to be treated differently than you or I? Not in my book.