Many kids hope to get a puppy for Christmas, and for Kim Kardashian's children that dream came true. But, instead of one new puppy for the family, Kim shared that each of her four children—North, Saint, Chicago, and Psalm—got their own puppy as a present. To some, this might sound cute. To others, excessive. And to PETA, worthy of a public statement condemning Kim and suggesting what she do to make up for the decision.
As reported by E! News, on Dec. 25, Kim posted on her Instagram story a photo of four Pomeranian puppies, each a different color ranging from light tan to black, snuggled up on a sofa. She wrote on the photo, "each kid got a puppy." The reality star also shared other videos and photos of her family's new pets playing.
In response, Ingrid Newkirk, the founder of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), spoke out against Kim's decision in a statement to People.
"Puppies are not plushies," Newkirk said in the Dec. 28 statement, "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."
Kim Kardashian's four new Pomeranian puppies.
Kardashian has not shared where she got the puppies. Marie Claire has reached out for comment in response to PETA's statement.
Newkirk went on to suggest that Kim and her sister Khloé Kardashian, who also gave her children a puppy for Christmas, "call PETA or a local shelter the next time."
"[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," the statement continues.
Khloé Kardashian's son Tatum with the family's new puppy, Peppermint.
Khloé shared on her Instagram story that she got her kids, True and Tatum, a Labrador puppy named Peppermint for Christmas.
"I am not ok right now," she wrote (via E! News). "This maybe [sic] my gift because I could cry." Khloé then tagged the breeder: "@bigcreeklabradors she is the sweetest soul ever!!!!!"
The Kardashian family has had a long list of pets over the years, many of whom were given as gifts. Khloé's previous Lab, Gabbana, passed away in 2018. Kim's four new puppies seemingly join her family's three other Pomeranians, Sushi, Sake, and Soba.