Lily Allen says she received death threats after announcing she gave up her pandemic puppy

Lily Allen is defending herself online amid controversy sparked by her recent comments about returning a dog she adopted after it ate her family's passports.

“I have never been accused of animal abuse before and I have found this entire week very disturbing,” Allen wrote in her Instagram stories on Sunday.

Allen's stressful week stemmed from a Thursday episode of her podcast “Miss Me?” in which the English singer-songwriter revealed that she had already adopted a dog once during the Covid-19 pandemic, “but then it ate my passport so I took her back to the shelter.”

Allen's revelation sparked a fierce reaction online, with publications publishing articles about her comments, and she then posted a statement on Instagram on Sunday, slamming internet users' reactions to “a deliberately distorted string of quotes designed to make people angry.”

She had mentioned in Thursday's podcast that the puppy Mary “was a very badly behaved dog and I tried really hard with her but it just didn't work out and the passports were the straw that broke the camel's back, so to speak.” In her Instagram stories on Sunday, she pointed out that this was a detail that many tabloids had failed to cite in their articles.

“I have received some really vile messages, including death threats. Some of the most disgusting comments have been all over my social media channels, and I'm really not surprised because that's exactly the point of these articles,” Allen wrote. “I'm fine, but it's been a really rough few days that have taken a toll on me and my family.”

The story originally came up when she told guest podcast co-host Steve Jones, a Welsh television presenter, that her family might adopt a Chihuahua mix puppy. She then told him about Mary after Jones asked her if she would be willing to get a dog with her husband, “Stranger Things” star David Harbour.

Allen said the puppy ate her passport as well as those of her two daughters, Ethel, 12, and Marnie, 11, whom she has with ex-husband Sam Cooper. Replacing them had been “an absolute logistical nightmare,” she said, and her children had to postpone their father's visit to England for four or five months.

“I just couldn't look at her. I thought, 'You ruined my life,'” she added with a laugh.

In her Instagram stories on Sunday, Allen said she adopted Mary from a New York animal shelter. Although she “loved her very much,” her family had difficulty dealing with the “pretty severe separation anxiety” Mary had developed, she wrote.

Allen wrote that the dog could not be left alone for more than 10 minutes at a time and that her family worked with a behavior specialist from the shelter who watched Mary's dog when they were not there.

She added: “After many months and careful consideration, everyone agreed that our home was not the best for Mary, that we knew the person she was staying with and that the placement was within 24 hours of her return.”

“We were unable to meet Mary’s needs and her happiness and well-being were at the heart of this decision, as difficult as it was,” Allen continued.

A spokesman for Allen did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The singer further explained that she has had rescue dogs since she was a child and that she believes she is “pretty good at assessing a dog's needs.”

She also directly tagged PETA, sarcastically thanking the animal rights nonprofit for “pouring fuel on the fire.”

The The organization shared an Instagram post last week with a photo of Allen and the caption, “LILY ALLEN RETURNED HER DOG TO THE SHELTER FOR EATING HER PASSPORT.”

“While you can get new PassportsMary can spend Months in the animal shelter is waiting for a new family – if she is lucky, find one at all“, the organization explained in its post.

The caption said Allen was sent a mechanical toy puppy “that does not require the care, patience or commitment that a real dog needs.”

PETA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The incident is not the first time Allen has caused controversy with her comments online.

Earlier this year, the singer received mixed reactions when she said on an episode of the Radio Times podcast that her children had “ruined” her career. It was a statement that drew angry comments from many online, but also support from others who praised her honesty.