PETA Has Beef With Kim Kardashian: Why They're Dragging Her This Holiday Season

Kim Kardashian, no stranger to headlines, is back in the spotlight again this holiday season; this time for 'beef' with PETA.

As part of their festive family moments, Kim gifted her children with dogs. Each of her four children got one puppy each, drawing sharp criticism from animal welfare campaigners.
The reality star revealed that each of her four children received a puppy, a gesture that quickly became the focus of online debate. Within days, PETA , drawing attention to what they call issues around pet ownership and animal welfare. But why exactly does PETA take offense to this?

Christmas Puppies Spark Public Backlash

Kim Kardashian, 45, shared a series of Instagram Stories on Christmas Day showing four small Pomeranian puppies newly welcomed into her household. In one image, the dogs sat together as Kardashian wrote, 'Each kid got a puppy.' The puppies included two with dark fur, one cream-coloured, and one with sable markings.

The children, North, Saint, Chicago, and Psalm, are shared with Kardashian's former husband Kanye West. The family already owns several pets, including multiple Pomeranians that joined the household in 2019. Over the years, Kardashian and her children have also posted photos with pet lizards, including a bearded dragon called Speed.

The Kardashian-Jenner family has a long history of owning animals across several species.
In addition to dogs and reptiles, the family has previously kept cats and horses.
Kendall Jenner owns a horse named Arizona, while Kylie Jenner is known to have several dogs.

PETA Responds Through Founder Ingrid Newkirk

The gifts prompted a response from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, with founder Ingrid Newkirk issuing a statement to PEOPLE on Sunday, 28 December. Newkirk criticised the decision, saying, 'Puppies are not plushies, and it's a damn shame that Kim missed the chance to be a spokesperson for shelter pups.' She added that Kardashian was 'being rightly slammed on social media' for the move.

Newkirk extended her comments to include Kardashian's sister Khloé Kardashian, 41, who also shared images of a new family dog on 25 December. Khloé revealed her household had received a black Labrador retriever puppy as a Christmas gift. According to Newkirk, both sisters should 'call PETA or a local shelter the next time' they plan to add another dog.

PETA's founder also outlined steps she believes could help adress what she described as a growing homeless puppy crisis. '[They can] try to make some amends now by sending their kids to volunteer at a local shelter,' Newkirk said in the statement. She also suggested paying for a shelter adopt-a-thon or supporting a spay day programme.

Online Reaction And Divided Opinion

Public response online has been mixed, with comments attached to coverage reflecting divided views. One commenter wrote, 'If you knew how they breed and sell off the mother's babies, you would understand that PETA is 1000% correct.' Another argued that the puppies would have been born regardless and deserved 'a nice home'.

Others dismissed the backlash entirely. 'Let the woman give her kids some damn puppies,' one comment read, questioning the scale of the criticism.

A representative for Kardashian did not immediately respond to a request for comment.