Kim Kardashian faces backlash from PETA for giving each child a puppy for Christmas

Kim Kardashian is facing a wave of criticism for her Christmas gift. In a statement shared with People on December 28th, PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk criticized the reality TV star’s decision to give each of her four children a puppy for Christmas.

“Puppies aren’t stuffed animals, and it’s a shame Kim missed the opportunity to be a voice for dogs in shelters. Instead, she’s getting completely justified criticism on social media,” Newkirk said.

Newkirk said Kim announced the family “new members” through an Instagram story posted on Christmas Day. The post showed four Pomeranian puppies, two dark-haired and two light-haired, with the caption: “Each child gets a puppy.”

However, Kim’s children—North, Saint, Chicago, and Psalm (her children with ex-husband Kanye West)—were not the only Kardashians to receive pets for the holidays. Khloé Kardashian also posted an Instagram story to show off her family’s new pet—a black Labrador.

In a statement to People, Newkirk reprimanded both Kardashian sisters for this decision, urging Kim and Khloé: “Next time you want to adopt a pet, call PETA or a local shelter.”

The PETA founder also offered some suggestions for Kim and Khloé to address the situation: they could have their children volunteer at a local shelter, sponsor a pet adoption program, or at least support a spaying/neutering day to help prevent the growing crisis of homeless puppies.

Kim and Khloé are not new to pet ownership. Over the years, they’ve brought more “four-legged members” into the family. Kim and her children now own several other Pomeranian dogs, including two that joined the family in 2019, along with their first dog, Sushi. In 2021, Kim posted a photo of her eldest daughter, North, hugging her newest pet – a bearded Australian bearded dragon named Speed.

Khloé has also had many pets at home. She currently has two cats, Grey Kitty and Baby Kitty, which she adopted after her beloved dog, Gabbana, passed away in 2018.