Most people experience a great love for animals. Dogs and cats usually accompany them in their homes, but some artists choose very unconventional species
By
Susana Ceballos
Michael Jackson with his jumpsuit, Miley Cyrus with her pig
In recent years, the great love that human beings feel for pets has become visible. A report on domestic animals by the GFK agency, Germany’s largest market research company, ensures that more than 56 percent of the world’s population lives with at least one pet in their home. Celebrities are no exception and a large majority live with one or more little animals. Among the Argentine celebrities, one of the best-known “mascoteras” is Susana Giménez who for years did her show accompanied by Jazmín, her Mother. Nicole Neumann told that she has a farm with 50 animals and 20 rescued dogs. Daniela Cardone cohabits in her apartment with five cats and three others embalmed. Cande Tinelli loves horses and has three.
But on the planet Hollywood, some celebrities decided that a puppy or a cat was not enough company and live with animals that go out of the ordinary.
Michael Jackson and his chimpanzee
At his Neverland ranch, the king of pop had his own zoo. In the place there were two tigers baptized Thriller and Sabu, an albino python, exotic birds and even an elephant, a gift from Liz Taylor. Bubbles, a chimpanzee, was her favorite. The animal accompanied him everywhere and he even introduced him as his son. Their bond was so strong that it led to a serious run-in with Freddie Mercury.
“The King of Pop” dressed his chimpanzee in costumes similar to his own
At the beginning of the year 1982, the Briton was a fan of the American. For his part, Michael was impressed with the image of Freddie dressed as a king and his great voice. They got in touch and in 1983 they decided to record a song. Mercury settled on Hayvenhurst Avenue, one of Jackson’s mansions in California. But the experience did not turn out. Michael couldn’t come up with a better idea than to sit Bubbles between the two of them. But also, between recording and recording I would ask him: “Did it go well? Shall we repeat it?”. After a few days of strange coexistence, the leader of Queen exploded and left the project. In 2009 when Jackson died, his family sent the animals to different animal centers and to this day allocates various funds to support them.
Vanilla Ice’s Kangaroo
In his glory years, Elvis Presley was shown with a pet kangaroo and used to pose in different photos with the little animal held by a rope. Already in this century the rapper Vanilla Ice decided to imitate him and adopted the Australian national animal as a pet. He called him Bucky Buckaroo, but it seems that he missed his habitat, since according to the rapper one day he ran away from home. The unusual thing is that he did it accompanied by his other pet, a goat named Poncho. They both decided to go for a walk outside the property until the Animal Control agency managed to catch them and return them.
Vanilla Ice’s kangaroo brought her several problems
It was not the only complication that Bucky caused the rapper, just before a photo shoot that he was supposed to do for a program, the animal scratched him and the production was canceled. She also had to pay a neighbor compensation after Bucky attacked her.
Justin Bieber, a monkey and irresponsible behavior
When the Canadian turned 19, he was given a 14-week-old Capuchin monkey. The singer was fascinated, christened him Molly and uploaded photos with his friend to the networks. But 20 days later he started a series of concerts around Germany and there were problems. Upon landing in that country, the authorities found that Molly did not carry the corresponding entry permits. So the monkey was confiscated and taken to an animal shelter. Bieber was warned to regularize the situation or the animal would become the property of the German state.
In the short time that the coexistence lasted, Justin bought his pet a stuffed animal (EFE)
The tour lasted two months and at the end, Bieber found himself with an account from the shelter that totaled several thousand dollars for Molly’s attention and care. So he decided to return to his country and leave the little monkey in the shelter. After the claim deadline expired, the animal was transferred to the Serengeti Safari Park, a 200-hectare place in the city Hodenhagen. Today he shares life with six other Capuchin monkeys who will surely never leave him abandoned at an airport.
Miley Cyrus, several pets and a favorite pig
The artist is a recognized defender of animals and collaborates directly with PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). He has a domestic farm where he lives with seven dogs, two horses, two ponies, three cats and until recently, a sow. Her affection for them is so well known that when she divorced Liam Hemsworth, the main conflict was not how they would divide their property but who would keep the animals. The blonde had adopted most but Liam rescued several in the Malibu fires in 2018. Her ex didn’t want to ruin a divorce that wasn’t conflicting and let her stay with everyone even though he’s going to visit them often.
Of all her peers, Pig Pig, the little pig was the recurring star on the singer’s Instagram account. Miley adopted her in August 2014 after her dog, Floyd, died. Last year, Miley shared with her thousands of followers her sadness at the death of her pet. “So sad to say… my dear friend Pig Pig has passed away… I will always miss you,” she wrote above a video of herself holding Pig Pig over her shoulder while her pet eats an apple. “Thank you for so many laughs and good times, girl.”
Miley Cyrus used to travel with Pig…
Miley wasn’t the only one who had a pig as a pet. The longest relationship that George Clooney had was not with a couple but with a loving pig named Max. They lived together for 18 years. Singer Ariana Grande adopted one with her ex Pete Davidson, and Tori Spelling welcomed Hank when another family didn’t want him anymore. Feliz starred in a production with People magazine to present him in society with the rest of his family. Charlie Sheen gave one to Denise Richards that ended up on a farm when she reached 130 kilos.
After 18 years of happy coexistence. Max died in December 2006
Mike Tyson and his tiger
While serving his 6-year sentence for rape in prison, the one who knew how to be the youngest heavyweight champion of all time decided to adopt a pet. But a man who weighed 99 kilos and measured 1.80 could not adopt a small kitten, nor a Chihuahua. So he decided to pay about USD 60,000 to buy a female Bengal tiger which he named Kenya. They lived together for almost two decades. It was impressive to see him next to the animal that came to weigh 200 kilos. Tyson was in charge of feeding her, they walked together and even slept in her bed. But Kenya began to age and according to the former champion, his eyesight and head worsened.
Mike Tyson treated his tiger like a little kitten (Shutterstock)
Tyson was forced to get rid of her after, as he admitted, he “tore off someone’s arm.” The former champion was never afraid of animals considered “dangerous”. While married to Robin Givens, the couple visited the New York Zoo. During the walk the boxer observed a gorilla fighting with other smaller apes. Willing to intervene, he offered the caretaker 10 thousand dollars to let him into the cage to fight with the gorilla. But the caretaker did not accept. That man would be Tyson but the gorilla weighed 200 kilos.
Tyson decided to sell some of his cars to buy a tiger (Shutterstock)
Melanie Griffith and living with 120 lions, tigers and cheetahs
When the actress, the ex-wife of Antonio Banderas, was a teenager, Tippi Hedren, her mother decided to shoot a film about the danger of extinction of lions. An animal trainer warned him that if he wanted to know more about these felines he had to “live with them for a while.”
So they adopted Neil, a lion used to living with humans because he had participated in several advertisements. As if it were a kitten, they took it to their house. The feline weighed 180 kilos and its roars could be heard several blocks away. So Tippie and her partner, plus her partner’s two children and Melanie moved to a ranch.
Melanie with her mother Tippi. Both were attacked by felines (Shutterstock)
