Australia Threatens to Euthanize Johnny Depp’s Dogs

Johnny Depp’s prized pets have caught the attention of Australia’s Agriculture minister, and he isn’t taking kindly to their unauthorized vacation.

In country to resume filming on the latest Pirates of the Caribbean film, Depp and his wife Amber Heard are accused of not declaring their dogs to Australian customs officials when they entered Queensland last month.

Australia has enacted firm animal quarantine laws to prevent foreign guests from importing infections such as the rabies virus, which has been completely eradicated from the country.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, after the couple’s two Yorkshire terriers, Boo and Pistol, were photographed at a dog-grooming salon on the Gold Coast, customs authorities became aware of their presence and gave Depp an ultimatum: send them back to Los Angeles, or we will put them down.

Australia’s Agriculture minister Barnaby Joyce has now made it publicly clear Depp’s status as a Hollywood celebrity will not afford him special treatment, and has given him until Saturday to ship the dogs back to the United States.

“There is a process if you want to bring animals: you get the permits, they go into quarantine and then you can have them,” the minister told Australia’s ABC radio. “But if we start letting movie stars — even though they’ve been the sexiest man alive twice — to come into our nation [and break the laws], then why don’t we just break the laws for everybody?”

He continued: “It’s time that Pistol and Boo buggered off back to the United States.”

Per THR, earlier Joyce was quoted saying, “if he doesn’t take Boo and Pistol back, we do have to euthanize them.” and added: “Just because he’s Johnny Depp doesn’t make him exempt from Australian laws.”

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton also commented that Depp could face a number of large fines for violating quarantine procedures.

The filming of Pirates of the Caribbean was disrupted in March when the actor cut his hand on the set. He brought the dogs with him on his return flight from the U.S., where he underwent surgery to his hand.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales will make its debut July 7, 2017.