Ellen DeGeneres Apologizes for Dog Rescue Mishap

Ellen DeGeneres is under fire for giving away a dog to her hairstylist in violation of an adoption agreement with Mutts and Moms, the Pasadena, Calif., rescue organization that arranged the Sept. 20 adoption. DeGeneres said she gave away the dog, a Brussels Griffon mix named Iggy, because he didn’t get along with her cats and had too much energy, the talk show host explained during Tuesday’s broadcast of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”

“I guess I signed a piece of paper that says if I can’t keep Iggy, it goes back to the rescue organization, which is not someone’s home, which is not a family,” said DeGeneres, who had spent $3,000 to have the dog neutered and trained to be with her cats.

“I thought I did a good thing. I tried to find a loving home for the dog because I couldn’t keep it.”

Mutts and Moms picked up the dog on Sunday when a representative who contacted DeGeneres to check on Iggy found out the dog had been given away. DeGeneres said her hairstylist’s daughters, ages 11 and 12, were heartbroken when the dog was removed from their home.

“Because I did it wrong, those people went and took that dog out of their home, and took it away from those kids,” a teary DeGeneres said. “I feel totally responsible for it and I’m so sorry. I’m begging them to give that dog back to that family. I just want the family to have their dog. It’s not their fault. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have given the dog away. Just please give the dog back to those little girls.”

Mutts and Moms did not respond to a request for comment.