Pete Davidson is getting some biting support in the form of a new billboard in New York City’s Times Square.
The advocacy organization, PETA Kills Animals, has stood up for the comedian’s decision to purchase a puppy, rather than adopt one, after Davidson became barking mad at PETA.
The anti-PETA group claims the animal activists are more likely to kill cats and dogs than find homes for them. The billboard barks back with a play on Davidson’s “big d— energy” (BDE) – which in this case stands for “buy dog energy.”
“Obviously, that… term [BDE] has sort of become synonymous with Pete Davidson in popular culture,” a spokesperson for PETA Kills Animals told Fox News Digital. “And when we saw that PETA and Pete were essentially going back and forth over Pete’s decision to purchase a dog for his mother, we saw an opportunity to sort of have a tongue in cheek play on words that would capture folks’ attention, but also help us bring to light sort of the most prominent part of the story for us – which is that PETA is an organization that is more likely to kill cats and dogs than rehome them.”
“When you look at the government record, [PETA] actually ended up euthanizing 74% of the dogs that came into [PETA’s] Virginia shelter in 2022.”
A billboard featuring Pete Davidson’s feud with PETA in Times Square, New York City, on Wednesday, June 7, 2023. (Julia Bonavita/Fox News Digital )
The billboard company has been bombarded by PETA supporters upset over the ad, Fox News Digital has learned.
“PETA is afraid people will learn the truth about its slaughterhouse shelter, where PETA has killed close to 50,000 cats and dogs over the last 25 years,” PETAKillsAnimals.com spokesperson Will Coggin said about the reaction. “Donors and the public deserve to know that PETA had a 74% kill rate at its shelter last year.”
WATCH: PETA’S RIVAL BACKS PETE DAVIDSON’S PUPPY PURCHASE AFTER COMEDIAN’S EXPLETIVE-FILLED RANT
PETE DAVIDSON LASHES OUT AT PETA AMID PUPPY PURCHASE BACKLASH: ‘F— YOU’
PetaKillsAnimals.com bought a billboard supporting Pete Davidson’s recent puppy purchase. (PetaKillsAnimals.com)
PETA responded to the billboard in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“This attack ad is from a front group funded by industries, including puppy mills, that have a financial interest in propagating misinformation about PETA’s rescue team, which is on call 24/7 to offer relief to abused and suffering animals and provide end-of-life services for people who can’t afford to pay for their sick and dying animals to be put to sleep,” the statement read.
“New York state lawmakers have taken lifesaving measures to end the sales of dogs from puppy mills (effective next year), so this billboard and anyone who supports it is on the wrong side of the issue. PETA encourages everyone who cares about dogs to adopt from an animal shelter – and ignore this greedy group’s attempt to make a buck off the backs of dogs bred in puppy mills.”
Representatives for Davidson did not respond to Fox News Digital’s immediate request for comment.
Pete Davidson was seen in a New York City pet shop with his girlfriend Chase Sui Wonders. (Chris Graythen)
The billboard comes days after Davidson left an explicit voicemail for Daphna Nachminovitch, the senior vice president of PETA’s Cruelty Investigations Department, on Monday. Nachminovitch had called out the “Saturday Night Live” star for purchasing a dog instead of adopting.
“Thank you so much for making comments publicly that I didn’t adopt a dog,” Davidson said in the voicemail. “I just want to let you know I’m severely allergic to dogs, so I have to get a specific breed. I’m only not allergic to Cavapoos, and those type of dogs.”
“And my mom’s f—ing dog, who’s two years old, died a week prior, and we’re all so sad. So I had to get a specific dog. So why don’t you do your research before f—ing create[ing] news story for people because you’re a boring, tired c—. F— you. And suck my d—.”
LISTEN: PETE DAVIDSON LEAVES EXPLETIVE-FILLED VOICEMAIL FOR PETA EXEC OVER PUPPY PURCHASE
The voicemail was put out by PETA and Davidson later claimed he didn’t know it was possible to adopt a hypoallergenic dog from a shelter, saying he was told it was “rare.”
“I haven’t seen my mom and sister cry like that in over 20 years. I was trying to cheer up my family,” Davidson told TMZ. “I was already upset that the store had filmed me without my permission or acknowledgment. Then this organization (PETA) made a public example of us, making our grieving situation worse. I am upset. It was a poor choice of words. I shouldn’t have said what I said, but I am not sorry for standing up for myself and my family.”
Pete Davidson was on the hunt for a new dog after seeing his mom, pictured above, and his sister devastated over the loss of the family’s dog. (Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
Pete Davidson’s family dog Henry passed away, according to a social media post made in early May. (NBC/Dave Sirus Instagram)
Davidson’s family dog passed away in early May, according to an Instagram message shared on behalf of the actor by his longtime friend Dave Sirus.
“Hey guys. I know today is the ‘Bupkis’ premiere day but I wanna use today to remember my dog Henry. Yesterday we lost a key member of the Davidson family,” was written in the caption of the May 4 post featuring photos of the caramel-colored dog.
He added: “Not sure id [sic] even be around without him. He was the happiest and sweetest dog ever. He used to get excited when he saw me and would pee everywhere… He was truly the best. My mom, sister and I are broken and will miss him forever. We love you Henry. Thank you for making our lives fuller and reminding me what actually matters.”
APP USERS CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE INSTAGRAM POST
Davidson and his current girlfriend, Chase Sui Wonders, were photographed at New York City’s Citipups browsing for a puppy, likely a Cavapoo. Each Cavapoo is listed on the pet store’s site for a beginning price of $2,995.
PETA claimed there is “no such thing” as a hypoallergenic dog, and pointed to other ways to find homeless dogs of “every breed” in a statement.
“If Pete had done his research, he would know that there’s no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog, that at least a quarter of dogs in shelters are purebreds, and that Petfinder has listings for homeless dogs of every breed under the sun, including the one he purchased.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
