#WarOnTerrier: Australia reacts to Depp's dogs

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-32733369

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An online petition signed by more than 6,000 supporters, a grisly death countdown and an avalanche of social media jokes.

These were just some of the reactions across Australia from social media users to express their views about Depp's Yorkshire Terriers.

The actor, who is currently in Australia to film the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie, is accused of not declaring Boo and Pistol to customs after he arrived by private jet last month.

"I get that Johnny Depp broke the law by not telling someone about his dogs but the response is death? That's the largest over-reaction ever," said Alexis Rogers on Facebook.

Another Facebook user Bree Graham MacTaggart agreed: "They don't have to kill the dogs. They could just quarantine them."

"Just quarantine the poor dogs. Murdering is animal cruelty," Twitter user Keziah Chung said.

Others, however, did not express much sympathy for the Hollywood actor.

"Very disappointed that Johnny Depp has acted so irresponsibly - he flouted the law," said Facebook user Rebecca Gracey.

"We have strict quarantine laws in Australia for a reason," said Anne Salathiel. "He shouldn't have brought his dogs in like that when he could afford to do it the right way."

#WarOnTerriers

Many users however, found humour in the situation by taking to Twitter to share jokes and internet memes using the hashtag #WarOnTerrier.

The hashtag was apparently kicked off by ABC presenter Mark Colvin.

Some users have made the link between the doomed dogs and Australia's controversial policy on migrants and asylum seekers, which sees migrant arriving illegally by sea detained off shore in camps in places like Nauru and Papua New Guinea.

Australian celebrity chef Adam Liaw weighed in with the tweet: "Surely we could just hold Johnny Depp's dogs in some kind of offshore facility until their claims can be processed and accurately assessed."

"I am all for the government's hard-line approach to illegal celebrity canine immigrants," said Twitter user Alyx Gorman.

"We can't afford a Lassie faire attitude to the importation of illegal dogs," said another user.

'Less than 48 hours'

A petition pleading for the lives of Boo and Pistol also made its way online, and had collected more than 6,000 signatures by Thursday evening.

"This seems so extreme and unnecessary. Have a heart Barnaby! Don't kill these cute puppies," its creator said.

But time could soon run out for Boo and Pistol, according to an online death countdown, which says both dogs have now less than 48 hours to live.