Actor Johnny Depp attends a red carpet event to promote his new movie "Transcendence", on his first visit to China
Actor Johnny Depp attends a red carpet event to promote his new movie "Transcendence", on his first visit to China in Beijing March 31, 2014. Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon

American actor Johnny Depp has two days to send back to the US his two Yorkshire terriers or else Australia’s Agriculture Ministry will euthanise the dogs. In making the stern warning, Minister Barnaby Joyce said that because Depp is a famous actor does not mean he could ignore Canberra’s tough animal import regulations.

The 51-year-old actor is in Gold Coast in Australia to film “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,” the fifth of his Pirates movies that are blockbuster. The movie is co-produced by Walt Disney Australia and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.

The pets, named Pistol and Boo, arrived in Australia in April aboard Depp’s private jet, but he did not declare the dogs to customs, reports Reuters. Joyce gave Depp on Thursday only 50 hours, or until Saturday, to send back the two dogs to California. He suggested that the actor use the same charter plane to return the pets to the US. ABC reported that the two dogs were spotted being brought to a grooming salon, the Happy Dogz, prompting Australian authorities to inspect on Wednesday Depp’s rented house and serve the actor the three-day warning.

Filming of the movie began in February, but it was halted in March after Depp had a hand injury, requiring him to go back to the US for treatment. When he returned to Australia, he had with him the two dogs that he did not declare with customs.

Joyce explains, “There is a process if you want to bring animals, you get the permits, they go into quarantine and then you can have them,” quotes ABC. He adds, “But if we start letting movie stars – even though they’ve been the sexiest man alive twice – to come into our nation [and break the laws], then why don’t we just break the laws for everybody?”

The US State Department spokeswoman reminded Americans travelling to Australia to contact the Australian embassy in Washington or its consulates for detailed information about the import of agriculture and wood products and its quarantine standards for other products, including animals and pets.

Joyce said he is not worried about Depp having a negative view of him, pointing out, “I don’t think Mr Depp will be inviting me to the grand opening of the Pirates of the Caribbean.”

To contact the writer, email: vittoriohernandez@yahoo.com

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