Johnny Depp will “avoid” Australia after authorities threatened to euthanize their dogs Pistol and Boo last month, according to his wife.
Taking a thinly-veiled shot at Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce, actress Amber Heard told Australia’s Channel7 News: “I have a feeling we're going to avoid the land Down Under from now on, just as much as we can, thanks to certain politicians there.”
Joyce last month accused Depp of smuggling the Yorkshire terriers into the country aboard his private jet when he returned to Australia on April 21 to resume filming of the fifth installment in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series.
"If you start letting movie stars — even though they've been the sexiest man alive twice — to come into our nation [with pets], then why don't we just break laws for everybody?" Joyce said at the time. "It's time that Pistol and Boo buggered off back to the United States."
Australia has strict quarantine regulations to prevent diseases such as rabies spreading to its shores. Bringing pets into the country involves applying for a permit and a quarantine on arrival of at least 10 days.
The Depp doggie drama prompted a petition to save the pooches and the social media hashtag #WarOnTerrier.
While some praised Joyce for defending Australia's laws, others criticized him for his perceived crass response.
Agriculture officials gave Depp, 51, and Heard 72 hours to start their pets on the 7,200-mile trip back to the United States.
So with his pooches facing the threat of imminent death, Depp arranged a hasty departure to California for the pair.
The 29-year-old Heard said Pistol was “doing just fine" but did not comment on Boo.