Australia to Depp: Fly your dogs out or we'll put them down

The laws are the same in Japan and Britain. I remember when we moved to England many moons ago, our dog had to endure 6 months in a quarantined compound. He suffered tremendous psychological problems after that incident and was never the same again.

Hawkeye.

Sorry, to hear about your dog, most countries require a quarantine period between 4-6 momths. In addition to a record of all the shots, etc.

You can visit your pet in the quarantine shelter though.

We usualyy left our Chow-Chow with my Grandparents when we traveled for extensive times at their home in the country, he never stopped eating but deliberately ignored us for 3-4 days after we returned us to show his displeasure.

Usually not worth traveling with your pet, takes a lot of preparations and puts a lot of stress on them. Best leave them with family or friends or in worst case an animal hotel.

Australia is one of the few countries in the world considered rabies-free. Countries stay rabies-free by means of strict quarantine laws. It's hard for the animals and for their owners, but it could be even harder for everyone if some pampered pup the owner couldn't bear to be separated from brought rabies into the country.

Depp was wrong and irresponsible to think the laws didn't apply to him and his dogs, and I would lose no sleep if he faced a very heavy fine or even a short custodial sentence, and/or community service time spent helping in a shelter or animal medical clinic. But the dogs have done nothing wrong. No need to kill them, just send them back home on the next plane and send the bill to Depp.

Seriously? Even though the dogs are now in "home quarantine" (not allowed in the garden??), they could easily stick the dogs in an official quarantine shelter until he can fly them out. I don't understand why they have to be killed.

Good chance that his dogs might also get put into quarantine when he returns to the states

Didn't he also abandon his pet monkey to German customs and returned alone. Sorry, I like his movies especially "Benny and Joon" but he lost a lot of my respect for the way he treats his pets.

No, the dog are to go. There no allow to be in quarantine because he has not the relevant paper work regarding vaccination. If dogs are still in Australia tomorrow they will be put down. The Australia Minister involved in the case was quoted " Pistol and Bo Bo can bugga off. This Government Minister is very funny and I got a real good laugh out of the warning to Johnny Depp AKA Jack Sparrow.

Didn't he also abandon his pet monkey to German customs and returned alone.

I think that was Justin Beiber, another person who thinks fame and money mean he can ignore the law.

I got a real good laugh out of the warning

You think 'We're going to kill two innocent dogs' is funny?

Cleo.

Thx, for the correction. No respect for Bieber at all.

It's a dog eat dog world!

Was once handsome and edgy. now just a buffoon. not surprised at the australian reaction, given how they deal with illegal immigrants.....

All countries should probably have quarantine.

People leave your pets home.

"The department discovered that Depp had “snuck them in” after reports that a handler had taken the terriers in a handbag to a Gold Coast dog groomer on Saturday"

I'm sure the Gold Coast dog groomer appreciated the business.

“Now Mr. Depp has to either take his dogs back to California or we’re going to have to euthanize them”

Sure, just kill the poor dogs. Isn't there a pet cruelty law against that in Australia?

“It’s time that Pistol and Boo buggered off back to the United States,” he (the Agriculture Minister) added.

Classic! Shove that in your celebrity pipe and smoke it.

I doubt the intention is to kill the dogs. The main intention is to get the dogs back in the U.S. and so the threat of putting the dogs "down" was issued to eliminate any thought of stalling.

Is this a Hollywood star way out of touch with reality? Couldn't be, they are social and political spokespersons.

Beiber is a boob! A wimp trying to be a tough guy. And a jerk too.

Depp needs to understand he is only a human like any one of us readers here. Though he can play some really diverse characters.

"why don’t we just break laws for everybody?" - Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce

Because not everyone is as petulant and ruthless as Barnaby Joyce.

Mr. Joyce portrays a reckless and malicious act that demands the death penalty.

Mr. Depp isn't some two bit pop star and giving Australia a black eye clearly wasn't the intention.

Mr. Joyce's death threat is the result of unbridled ego that serves neither public health or respect for law. Certainly, with Mr. Depp's billions he would have gladly built a quarantine to suit Mr. Joyce. Clearly, it is Mr. Joyce who should be tested for rabies.

“If you start letting movie stars — even though they’ve been the sexiest man alive twice — to come into our nation (with pets), then why don’t we just break laws for everybody?” Joyce said.

Is this guy making a serious statement or trying to be a comedian?

DaDude - Is this guy making a serious statement or trying to be a comedian?

I don't think Joyce is impressed with the fact Depp was voted the sexiest man alive, twice. Depp isn't above the law. Even if other people may have treated Depp that way in the past.