After the death of Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury’s puppy Mr Chai, multiple celebrities have spoken out criticising third party dog breeders; the latest being fellow Love Island star Olivia Bowen.
Talking through the situation on Instagram Live, the 2017 series runner-up explained that she wasn’t getting at Molly, but that she wanted to use this time to educate her followers.
A dog owner herself, Olivia discouraged her fans from using third party breeders and talked about Lucy’s Law which states that it’s illegal to breed puppies in the UK without a licence.
In her statement she also claimed that “third party breeders who get puppies from outside of the UK” contravenes that law. She also warned her fans not to get involved with the sellers if “you haven’t physically seen the mother or don’t know them very well because it’s so risky, you have no idea at the health of that puppy, the health of the mum and dad, the living conditions… it’s so dangerous to do that.”
Her statement comes just days after Molly Mae and Tommy received the autopsy report for their puppy which revealed that the Pomeranian had a series of issues including his skull not forming properly, exposing part of his brain as well as a white blood cell count so low, that Mr Chai stood no chance of survival.
Check out: which Love Island couples have welcomed babies
Love Island babies RADIO SLIDER
1 of 10Cally Jane Beech and Luis Morrison
Cally Jane Beech and Luis Morrison were the first ever Love Island stars to become parents when they welcomed a baby girl called Vienna Morrison-Beech in May 2017.In 2018, Cally and Luis announced they'd split for good.
2 of 10Cara de la Hoyde and Nathan Massey
Cara de la Hoyde and Nathan Massey stole the hearts of the nation when they won the second series of Love Island in 2016. The couple went on to welcome a baby boy called Freddie into the world in December 2017, making them the first Love Island winners to have a child.
3 of 10Emma-Jane Woodhams
Although her Love Island romance with Terry Walsh didn't work out, Love Island 2016 star Emma-Jane Woodhams went on to welcome a baby boy called Alfie with her boyfriend Jordan Bye in 2017. Just weeks after Alfie's birth, Emma-Jane revealed she'd split from Jordan.
4 of 10Tyla Carr
Although she couldn't find love in the villa, Love Island 2017 star Tyla Carr found happiness with a man called Ross. The couple welcomed a baby boy called Archie into the world in December 2019.
5 of 10Jess Shears and Dom Lever
Love Island pair Jess Shears and Dom Lever have stayed loved-up despite the odds after appearing on the show in 2017. They got married in May 2018, and announced via an adorable photo on Instagram that they'd welcomed their first child in October 2019.
6 of 10Hannah Elizabeth
Hannah Elizabeth, who appeared on the first series of Love Island announced she was expecting her first child with YouTuber fiancé George Andreeti in May 2019. She gave birth to their son in November that year, just days after they split.
7 of 10Jack Fincham
Love Island 2018 winner Jack Fincham revealed he'd welcomed baby daughter Blossom into the world in January 2020, just nine months after splitting from Dani Dyer. Jack had decided to keep the pregnancy out of the public eye to protect the baby's mother, his long-term pal Casey Ranger.
8 of 10Camilla Thurlow and Jamie Jewitt
Camilla Thurlow and Jamie Jewitt became the second Love Island 2017 couple to have a child together when she gave birth to their daughter Nell in October 2019.
9 of 10Dani Dyer
Dani Dyer briefly dated Sammy Kimmence before entering the Love Island villa and they reunited after her split from Jack Fincham. Dani announced she was expecting their first child in October 2020 and gave birth to their son Santiago in January 2021.
10 of 10Theo Campbell
2017 Islander Theo Campbell revealed the shock news that he'd become a father in February 2021, a year after his split from Kaz Crossley. The mother of his son Aries was later revealed to be model and influencer Sapphire Yhnell.
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Olivia Attwood has also spoken out against the use of third-party dog breeders, warning of the dangers that are associated with them.
She claimed that since leaving the Love Island villa, she’s had breeders message her offering her a free dog “like they’re a f**king pair of shoes or something.” She went on to say that “there’s no care in that kind of breeding, taking dogs from third parties is purely a money-making industry, and the mothers of these dogs, well if you do some research, their existence is miserable until they can no longer produce puppies and they’re just basically disposed of.”
Ashley James also weighed in on the subject encouraging people to do their research before getting a pet. She told her followers not to import dogs from other countries unless they are rescues from charities. She too mentioned Lucy’s Law and stated that those getting a puppy from a breeder need to make sure that they had seen a fit and healthy mum beforehand.