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Lisa Vanderpump has never been shy about her love for dogs. The Bravo star’s pups have been featured on several episodes of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Vanderpump Rules and she referenced being an animal lover in her Season 6 RHOBH tagline, “I’m passionate about dogs, just not crazy about b****es.”
Dogs have always been a big part of the restaurateur’s life, but she took her devotion to the next level in 2017 when she opened a dog rescue center called Vanderpump Dogs. Bravo.com says the nonprofit has saved over 500 dogs since its opening.
While the center certainly has had some successes, controversy always seems to follow Lisa and her businesses.
Here are the biggest successes and controversies surrounding Vanderpump Dogs.
Lucy Lucy Apple Juice (Controversy) Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images
There has been so much drama in recent seasons of RHOBH that it’s hard to remember a time when an entire season revolved around a dog. Season 9 was all about Lucy Lucy Apple Juice, a chihuahua mix that Dorit Kemsley adopted from Vanderpump Dogs. Dorit ended up giving the dog to a new owner after she claimed Lucy had bitten her children and her husband. However, Lucy didn’t end up in a happy home like Dorit expected. Instead, she ended up at a shelter.
Vanderpump Dogs was alerted about Lucy’s whereabouts, which sparked a season of controversy often referred to as “Puppy Gate.” Initially, the heat was on Dorit. Questions swirled about the woman she gave the dog to and cast members wondered how much Dorit knew about the situation. However, the focus shifted to Lisa after a story about the controversy was leaked. Several cast members suspected Lisa leaked the story because the narrative leaned heavily toward supporting Vanderpump Dogs and the work of the organization. Lisa has always denied the claim.
The controversy seemed to affect Lisa, who decided to step away from the franchise after Season 9. On the bright side, the season was great press for Vanderpump Dogs. The business was mentioned in nearly every episode.
James Kennedy Gets His Dog Back (Success)
James Kennedy/Instagram
James Kennedy is a dog dad again! After James and his ex-fiancé, Rachel Leviss, split, she took custody of their Goldendoodle, Graham. Fans’ hearts broke watching James mourn the loss of his dog on Season 10.
However, the situation changed after Rachel left California to spend time in a mental health facility following Scandoval. Initially, Graham stayed with Rachel’s family, but they had to re-home him after he bit Rachel’s mother, Laura.
TMZ broke the news that James regained ownership of Graham in July. According to the outlet, an inside source said Rachel’s family dropped Graham off at a shelter. However, Rachel and her family have denied the claim. Laura explained the situation in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. She said that she initially tried to place Graham with a trainer.
“While with the trainer, Graham bit both her and her husband,” she claimed. “They still worked with him more to get him to a place where he could be adopted. He was placed with a new owner and was returned within three days after also biting her. The rescue then reached out to Lisa Vanderpump for financial assistance…Lisa offered to adopt Graham and he was picked up by Vanderpump Dogs Rescue on July 13. California Doodle Rescue was told that Vanderpump Dogs would either rehabilitate him and place him in a good home or he could live on her property until his dying day.”
Thankfully, Graham found his way back to James by way of Vanderpump Dogs and the two look very happy together. He shared a photo with his pup on Instagram in July to celebrate the reunion.
“Look who made his way back home, back into my life, I’ll take care of you forever and I love you.” he wrote.
Vanderpump Dogs Lawsuit (Controversy) Matthew Simmons/Getty Images
Vanderpump Dogs is in hot water after a woman came forward with a complaint against the organization. According to legal documents obtained by TMZ, a woman adopted a Dachshund named Cassie from the rescue in July 2023 and was assured that the pup was perfectly safe to play with “despite not yet receiving deworming treatment.” In the documents, the woman said she noticed Cassie “expelling large live worms while defecating,” so she took her to a pet hospital, where she was treated for worm infection.
If you think that’s bad, wait, it gets worse. The woman alleged she was “diagnosed with intestinal parasites” after spending time with Cassie. According to court documents, the woman said she began expelling “live worms and eggs from her mouth, vagina and anus.” Oh my god.
TMZ reported that the woman is suing the nonprofit “for negligence and fraud.”
Vanderpump Dogs did not respond to RealityTea’s request for comment.
How Many Dogs They’ve Helped (Success) Matthew Simmons/Getty Images
Despite the controversies, it’s hard to ignore the good work the organization has done. The nonprofit has helped hundreds of dogs find loving homes, and that’s good enough for us.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK THE VANDERPUMP DOGS CONTROVERSIES ARE OVERBLOWN?
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