Kim Kardashian found herself at the center of an animal welfare discussion after sharing that she gifted her four children Pomeranian puppies for this year’s Christmas, a move that was quickly called out by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
During the holidays, Kim took to her Instagram Stories to introduce the newest additions to their household – four small Pomeranian puppies, two with dark fur, one cream-colored, and one with sable fur. The puppies were later revealed as her Christmas presents to her children North, Saint, Chicago, and Psalm, whom she shares with ex-husband Kanye West.
In one photo showing all the puppies together, Kim wrote, “Each kid got a puppy.”
Her sister Khloé also shared on December 25 that her family received a black Labrador puppy as a Christmas gift, adding to the attention surrounding the Kardashian family’s holiday pet presents.
While the posts drew attention online, it also prompted concern from the animal rights organization, PETA. In a statement shared with PEOPLE on December 28, PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk criticized the decision, emphasizing the importance of adoption and responsible pet ownership.
“Puppies are not plushies, and it’s a damn shame that Kim missed the chance to be a spokesperson for shelter pups and instead is being rightly slammed on social media for that,” Newkirk said.
Newkirk also encouraged Kim and her sister Khloé Kardashian, who also gifted her family a dog over the holidays, to consider shelters in the future. She urged them to “call PETA or a local shelter the next time” they plan to bring a new dog into their homes.
The PETA founder added that the family could still take steps to help animals in need. “[They can] try to make some amends now by sending their kids to volunteer at a local shelter or paying for a local shelter adopt-a-thon or at least one spay day to help stop the growing homeless puppy crisis,” she said.
Following this, PETA reiterated their message on X (formerly Twitter) once again calling out both sisters.
“Puppies aren’t plushies. Kim and Khloé Kardashian missed a huge opportunity to use their platform to help shelter dogs instead of buying from breeders. Ignoring the homeless animal crisis is inexcusable. Next time, call a shelter and choose adoption,” PETA wrote.
The Kardashian-Jenner family is known for having a wide range of pets over the years. Kim and her children have previously shared photos with their pet lizards, including a bearded dragon named Speed they introduced in 2021.
They also have several Pomeranians, including two that joined the family in 2019 and others named Sushi and Saké.
Across their family, pets have included dogs, cats, reptiles, and even horses, with their half-sisters Kendall Jenner owning a horse named Arizona and Kylie Jenner having several dogs, two of which even have their own Instagram account.
As of writing, both Kim and Khloé have yet to release a statement addressing PETA’s comments or the concerns raised online.