Another day means another opportunity to be enraged by Katy Perry. The self-consciously zany pop star has Australians saying, “Crikey!” after making a joke about her dog chasing koalas in a recent advertisement for her ticket giveaway collaboration with the department store Myer.
Literally, that is it. At the end of the commercial, Katy quips to her teacup poodle, “Let’s go chase some koalas, Nugget!” That, according to Queensland wildlife vet Claire Madden, was making light of a real problem in Australia: dogs killing koalas, which are listed as a vulnerable species by the Australian government (though some experts claim they are critically endangered). The Courier Mail reports:
Madden was “sickened” by the advert, and challenged the singer to come and see the koalas she treats every day who are horrifically injured in dog attacks.
Furthermore:
“This is just absolute ignorance from Perry and Myer, and inappropriate on so many levels” she said.
“Perry is a role model to so many young people, and this just destroys all the good work we do to try to encourage people not to let their dogs come into contact with koalas.”
It is estimated that dogs kill 110 koalas each year on average. However, as Out reports, per Australia’s Department of Environment and Heritage Protection: “Dogs over 10 kg were responsible for 96 per cent of attacks on koalas. Generally, the larger the dog, the greater the likelihood that it could be responsible for a fatal attack on a koala.” Nugget’s but a nugget.
Regardless, a spokesperson for Myer told The Courier Mail:
We are aware of comments in relation to Katy Perry’s Witness: The Tour advertisement and a particular reference made to koalas. We are currently removing the material which references koalas.
The revised version of the ad omits the koala line and ends with Katy chirping, “Okay, Nugget, it’s time to get you a puppy passport!” Not a great punchline, to be honest. Bring back koala chasing!
I’m kidding. Don’t, or the Australians will be furious. Not for nothing, here’s some footage of a koala attacking a human and drawing blood:
I’m not saying they deserve to have Katy Perry or any of her genetically modified possessions inflicted on them, I’m just saying that koalas aren’t shrinking violets down under there.