Celebs Who Treat Their Pets Like Human Children
Celebrity pet lovers not only spoil their furry friends, many treat them just like human children. Whether their four-legged kids are modeling for a Vogue video shoot or hosting a big birthday party, we're here to highlight some proud celeb pet parents.
Julianne Hough (Lexi and Harley)
Grease Live! star Julianne Hough owns two Cavalier King Charles spaniels named Lexi and Harley. Not only are these pooches prominently displayed on her Instagram eating breakfast at the table, they also appear to have won the heart of Hough's fiancé, hockey star Brooks Laich. Hough admitted to People that she's the kind of dog mother who throws birthday parties for the pups and gets them Christmas gifts every holiday. "They're my kids," she told the mag. "They're my babies." She said her spaniels are best friends but have distinct personalities. "Harley looks up so much to Lexi, it's ridiculous," she told People. "Lexi's the little princess who just wants to please, and Harley's the little devil. They're great."
Amanda Seyfried (Finn)
Actress Amanda Seyfried met her Australian shepherd Finn while working on HBO's hit series Big Love. People reported that a litter of puppies showed up on set and Seyfried agreed to foster Finn until someone with a less hectic schedule could adopt him. She ended up falling in love. Not only did Finn inspire her to advocate for homeless pets, he gave Seyfried, who is pregnant with fiancé Thomas Sadoski, plenty of practice on how to be a mother. Finn has his own Instagram, where he is often pictured dressed to the nines, balancing items on his head, and socializing with his doggie BFFs. Her fur baby has even modeled. In May 2015 he did a Vogue video shoot in which Seyfried treats him more like a roommate than a pet.
Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes (George)
Ryan Gosling adopted George from a Los Angeles animal shelter, and we can't help but wonder if the handsome pooch helped his La La Land master win over longtime partner and baby mama Eva Mendes. In August 2015, she shared a photo on Instagram (via Us Weekly) of George modeling a dress from her New York & Company clothing line. Mendes wrote, "Here's a shot of my first customer. He can't decide between the gray suede boots or the burgundy. What do you guys think?"
Gosling has called George "the great love of my life." During an interview with The Independent, he gushed, "George is way more interesting than I am. I'd much rather talk about him. I wanted George here today, you know, doing interviews with me. Normally, I take him everywhere, I have special paperwork so he can travel with me wherever I go. Can we just talk about George?" He even brought his trusty companion with him during a late night interview with Jimmy Fallon.
Unfortunately, at the time of this writing, the elderly dog's fate is unknown. Gosling and Mendes were photographed bringing George, wrapped in a blanket, to an animal hospital in December 2016 and leaving without their precious pooch.
Prince William and Duchess Kate (Lupo)
Prince William and Kate Middleton were gifted an English cocker spaniel named Lupo as a wedding present from Kate's brother, James Middleton. According to the Mirror, Lupo was born to the Middletons' family dog, Ella. In his first year under the royal newlyweds' care, Lupo was named the "50th most fascinating person" in Great Britain by Tatler magazine. The four-legged star even made it into Prince George's official third birthday photo, looking on with wide eyes as the little one offered him a lick of his ice cream.
As sweet as he may look, Lupo reportedly hasn't won the highly coveted approval of Queen Elizabeth, who did not invite him to the palace for Christmas in 2013 for fear he may not behave diplomatically with her corgis. "Kate was especially sad he could not go with them but understood the Queen's concerns," reported the Mirror. "Kate arranged for her parents to look after him at their home in Berkshire."
Billie Lourd (Gary and Tina)
After Star Wars icon Carrie Fisher passed away in December 2016, her daughter, actress Billie Lourd, took in her mom's beloved French bulldog, Gary. Lourd also has a French bulldog named Tina, who is good friends with Gary. According to the New York Daily News, Gary was like a child to Fisher, often walking the red carpet with her and attending interviews. Tina has been photographed on Lourd's Instagram account lounging in a hammock and cuddled up with the Scream Queens star. Lourd readily refers to Tina as her "dogter and herself as Tina's mother," so Gary will clearly be well cared for in the days to come.
Kaley Cuoco (Norman, Shirley, and Ruby)
The Big Bang Theory star Kaley Cuoco is a self-described animal lover, and it shows. The actress has three rescue dogs: Norman, Shirley, and Ruby. The well-known animal advocate's Instagram is named after Norman and littered with photos of her fur children, including one prom-esque snap of Cuoco posing with Ruby before the Screen Actors Guild Awards. There's even a post of a very human-like Norman watching a dog-themed segment on the Today show.
Cuoco's four-legged friends found themselves embroiled in some controversy in July 2016 after the actress shared a Fourth of July photo of her dogs posing on an American flag that was placed on the ground like a blanket. Followers scolded her for allowing her dogs to stand on the flag. Cuoco owned up to her mistake and shouldered all the blame. "I made a mistake by posting the picture that was taken of my sweet dogs posing on an American flag. I sincerely apologize to anyone that has been offended," she said (via E! News). "This is no way reflects my feelings toward what the American flag represents."
Ruby Rose (Ru, Chance, and her cat)
Orange is the New Black star Ruby Rose has definitely adopted the co-sleeping method of parenting, at least when it comes to her pets. Despite ex-fiancée Phoebe Dahl objecting to animals in bed, Rose posted a photo on Instagram (via the Daily Mail) of herself under the covers surrounded by her precious pooches and her cat; another social media snap was captioned, "She said no animals. I said...But I'm Doctor Doolittle." In 2016, Rose took Ru the dog with her while she filmed xXx: The Return of Xander Cage in the Dominican Republic, giving her furry friend a luxurious tropical vacation, complete with poolside snuggles and long naps in a seashell-print bed.
Taylor Swift (Meredith Grey and Olivia Benson)
Taylor Swift treats her two cats, Meredith Grey and Olivia Benson, like royalty. Named after her favorite television characters from Grey's Anatomy and Law and Order: SVU, respectively, the felines are most definitely members of Swift's famous squad. People magazine even compiled Instagram photos and videos of some of the famous people Meredith and Olivia have chilled with, including singer Ed Sheeran, supermodels Gigi Hadid and Martha Hunt', and even the Olivia Benson herself—actress Mariska Hargitay. If only these cats knew how much they have it made!
Swift, ever the shameless cat lady, frequently talks to the furballs as if they were humans. Before her Super Bowl pre-show, she posted a video of Meredith and Olivia refusing to share their seating with their guests. "You have decided this is the way it's going to be," she quips to the aloof felines. "And you guys act like you're asleep when I know you're not."
Lady Gaga (Asia)
Pop star Lady Gaga's French bulldog Asia has her own Instagram with hundreds of thousands of followers. Asia's last name is still Kinney on the account, so we're holding out hope it's a sign Gaga and ex-fiancé Taylor Kinney will eventually reunite. Back to Miss Asia: in February 2017, Gaga threw her a third birthday bash, which looked more like a party for a 3-year-old human (we're talking My Little Pony and Peppa Pig balloons, and Asia posing on a chair!) A recent photo shows the party girl with a new birthday gift, a Versace dog bed (perhaps a nod to Gaga's upcoming role as Donatella Versace in Season 3 of American Crime Story?) Asia also participates in spa days, complete with warm towel headwraps. She modeled for Coach in June 2015, wearing a purple leather bag with the brand's famous emblem on the side and a pearl necklace, of course, and she appeared with Mother Monster on the cover of Harper's Bazaar in 2014. Oh, to live the life of doggie luxury!
Paris Hilton (her menagerie)
Socialite Paris Hilton may take the cake for spoiling her fur babies. According to Barkpost, the hotel heiress built a two-story doghouse that costs more than many homes—about $325,000—and is a replica of Hilton's own mansion. The pooch palace features a juliet balcony, clay tile roof, and custom light fixtures. The furnishings? Those were designed by faux doggie designers such as Jimmy Chew, Sniffany & Co. and Chewy Vuitton. TMZ snagged an inside look at the doghouse, which Hilton said even has heating and air conditioning. Money is clearly no object for The Simple Life star, who has also reportedly parented a brood of lap dogs, cats, ferrets, gliders, a pony, a pig, and a parrot—she listed 35 pets as of 2013.