The recent “scandal” involving Ellen DeGeneres and her Brussels Griffon mix is just one more example of how celebrities abuse their power. While I am a fan of DeGeneres, her recent behavior has left a bad taste in my mouth.
    For anyone who’s not familiar with the celebrity dog drama here’s a quick recap. DeGeneres and girlfriend Portia de Rossi adopted the small dog from Mutts and Moms and gave it away to their hairdresser after they discovered the dog did not get along with their two cats.
    This sounds pretty innocent, however Mutts and Moms stipulates that if pet and owner is not a good match the animal must be returned to the agency and readopted through Mutts and Moms, not simply given away by the adoptive family. DeGeneres did not go through the proper channels even though she signed papers that said she would honor the policy.
    What’s the problem you ask? Well these policies are in place for a reason and the Animal Welfare Society (AWS) in West Kennebunk has a similar policy. I learned this when I adopted my kitten Teddy Ruxbin from the AWS last November. I was asked several questions about how we would care for Teddy and what we would do if he wasn’t a good fit with our other three pets. I thought my answer “find him a loving home” was appropriate, but I was wrong. The correct answer was “return him to the AWS.”
    After mulling it over I realized just how much sense this policy makes. Unfortunately not everyone is kind to animals and the policy is in place to ensure the protection of the pets. If there were no such policy anyone could adopt a pet and then give it away. The shelter carefully screens adoptees to ensure the pet is going to a safe home. If people just give the animals away, or worse dump them on the side of the road, then there is no way to ensure the protection of those who cannot defend themselves — the animals.
    While it breaks my heart to see people returning animals to the shelter, it also makes sense and is the most responsible thing to do. It’s better to bring the animal back, and let the shelter find it a new home, than to simply just give the pet away to whoever will take it. For DeGeneres to think she is above this policy is a classic example of delusions of grandeur. Ellen DeGeneres thinks she is more important and more powerful than she actually is.
    Why couldn’t she return the pet to Mutts and Moms and then have her hairdresser apply to adopt it instead of just giving the dog to the hairdresser? For DeGeneres to go on national television and cry over the dog being removed from her hairdresser’s home is absurd. She broke the rules, rules that are in place to protect the dog she claims to want the best for.
    I applaud Mutts and Moms for not backing down to DeGeneres’ threats and public insults of their organization. For an animal shelter to receive death threats because some celebrity is throwing a temper tantrum over something that is her own fault is deplorable. Last time I checked there were actual problems in the world like war, poverty and natural disasters.
    If DeGeneres and de Rossi had adopted a child and them decided they didn’t want it would it be OK for them to give the baby to their hairdresser too? I don’t think so. While this may be an extreme example, it’s one the shows that policies are created for a reason. If Mutts and Moms had let DeGeneres off the hook what’s to stop the average Joe from thinking they can break the rules too?
    As I’m writing this said dog has been placed in an anonymous foster home. It’s time for DeGeneres to get off her soapbox and use her powers for good instead of evil.