Several Celebrities have exotic animals as Pets. They have the financial means to buy almost anything they want, such as luxury cars, mansions, and expensive jewels. Elite entertainment and sports personalities, including members of Hollywood’s A-List, splurge on exotic animals because “they’ve got the money to blow off on luxuries,” Medical Matters reported (on February 14).
Vice attributes the ownership of exotic animals to a “rite of passage” among the rich and famous. Lisa Wathne is a wildlife expert who works for the Humane Society of the United States. She told Vice that celebrities own the exotic animals due to “ego, plain and simple.”
While many people work to make ends meet paying monthly bills, cost is no object for celebrities set on getting what they want. Having an exotic animal as a pet certainly is not a need, like food, water, and shelter. The following is a list of five A-List celebrities who have put money into owning animals that most people only see in film, on television, or at a zoo.
1. Justin Bieber’s monkey named Mally came with a $5,000 price tag
Mally is a capuchin, a quite “innocent-looking” monkey, according to Medical Matters. Justin Bieber paid $5,000 for Mally out his approximate $225 million net worth. He also had Mally until 2013.
Bieber or his team of people either dismissed or didn’t pay attention to German officials who warned the performer not to take Mally with him to the country in 2013. The effect of traveling with the monkey resulted in German customs agents seizing the capuchin. He ended up doing what millions of his fans do when he decided to get two dogs – Phil and Ester.
2. Multi-million dollar entertainer Usher has a $12,000 designer Goldendoodle
Usher fell in love with a designer dog he named Poppy.
Breeding a Golden Retriever with a Poodle leads to a cross-breed called a Goldendoodle. Usher’s net worth is approximately $180 million. He can afford just about anything he wants on the planet.
The singer and songwriter, however, wanted a particular puppy, which set him back $12,000. With his millions, he probably didn’t even feel a slight bit of a twinge at the cost. Poppy was Usher’s after he offered the winning bid at Second Annual Pencils of Promise Gala.
3. Katy Perry spent $2,000 for her Labradoodle
Butters is the name of pop star Katy Perry’s constant companion, which is a Labradoole. Much like Usher’s Goldendoodle, the Labradoole is a cross between two breeds – a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle.
With an estimated net worth of $280 million, the $2,000 Perry spent on obtaining Butters did not break the bank.
4. Reese Witherspoon’s duo of donkeys cost $1,200
Oscar Award-winning actress Reese Witherspoon owns a farm. Her selection of miniature donkeys added to the animals she already owned: cows, goats, and horses. The actress, with $120 million net worth, spent $1,200 for the pair.
5. Lemurs set Kirstie Alley back a cool $3,500
Lemurs were a comfort for the former “Cheers” star, Kirstie Alley, who struggled with weight issues for years. Not only did the actress fork over funds for the lemurs, Medical Matters wrote, she also has a hefty price to pay a caregiver each year. The cost of caring for the animals can be as much as $50K annually.