The 'I See You' hitmaker is under fire for gifting his wife baby kangaroos, which are not supposed to be raised as pets.
- Dec 30, 2017
AceShowbiz - Luke Bryan's Christmas gift for his wife Caroline Boyer doesn't please some people. The country music star has received backlash on social media after buying two baby kangaroos for his wife this Christmas.
The "Country Man" crooner took to his Instagram account on Tuesday, December 26 to show the two baby kangaroos lying down on a carpet near his fireplace. "2 Live Roo and Roo Tang Clan are living their best life. Seriously...real names are Margo and Todd. They are adjusting perfectly are beyond sweet and precious. #brettsbarn #christmasvacation #margoandtodd," he captioned the snap.
People soon took to the comment section to slam the singer for having kangaroos as pets. "Kangaroos are NOT pets," one pointed out. "Just wait until they get older and start causing problems with your other animals and your kids. What are you going to do when one of them injures one of your kids? Kangaroos aren't like cats and dogs. You can't take care of them like they're donkeys. Get a clue."
Another wrote, "hey redneck. Just because the states have no regard for animal welfare and it's legal, doesn't mean it's right or ethical. This had made news in Australia, and for good reason."
Someone, however, argued that they're wallabies, not kangaroos, which are allowed as pets in the U.S. "They're wallabies, not kangaroos. They're perfectly legal to have in the United States as pets and thousands of people do. Check your facts before you start preaching," the Instagram user replied to another follower's comment.
Meanwhile, PETA has released a statement to call out Luke's decision to give the exotic animals as a gift. "Baby kangaroos belong in their mothers' pouches, not in gift bags. These joeys have complex needs, including specialized diets and room to roam -- they are not toys and will only become more difficult to care for as they grow older," the organization stated. "PETA is calling for an investigation into where these kangaroos came from and stands ready to help Luke Bryan right this wrong and move these vulnerable marsupials to a reputable sanctuary."
According to Australia's National Kangaroo Protection Coalition, red and gray kangaroos are bred for pets in the United States and Canada. "Reports we receive indicate that the death toll is very high amongst these animals, as they quite often they are restrained in small yards," it says on its website. "Few oversees veterinarians know anything about them, and macropods do succumb very easily to stress-related diseases."
Luke has not responded to the controversy.
