Model and television personality Katie Price has once again found herself under scrutiny from animal rights group PETA, who have dubbed her the “grim reaper” following the addition of a new dog to her household. This comes amid ongoing concerns over the deaths of several animals previously in her care.
Last week, Price shared that she had purchased a dog that “doesn’t leave her side,” despite appeals from charities urging her to refrain from owning more pets due to a series of tragic incidents. PETA had previously offered Price £5,000 for a legally binding agreement to stop acquiring animals.
In response, PETA has released a limited-edition Halloween costume kit parodying the 47-year-old star. Priced at £54.99, the kit features a paper mask bearing Price’s likeness, a vest emblazoned with “Grim Reaper,” a miniature ‘coffin’ filled with toy dogs and cats, and a symbolic scythe.
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Mimi Bekhechi, PETA’s Vice President for the UK and Europe, stated, “Too many animals have met a grim fate under Katie Price’s ‘guardianship’. While this costume may seem humorous, the message behind it is serious: taking responsibility for animals’ lives is not a joke. Anyone unwilling to do so should stick to plush toys.”
The charity has previously labeled Price a “serial killer” in light of the deaths of at least eight animals under her care. Elisa Allen from PETA expressed frustration, saying, “Warnings to Katie Price about harming animals seem to fall on deaf ears.”
Several of Price’s pets have met untimely ends. Last June, her German Shepherd, Blade, was fatally struck on the busy A24 in East Sussex. This tragedy echoed previous losses on the same road, including her Pomeranian Sharon and her dog Sparkle, as well as a horse that escaped its enclosure in 2017. In 2023, her Alsatian Queenie was reportedly hit by a pizza delivery driver. Her French Bulldog Rolo died after becoming trapped under an electric armchair, following the earlier death of Sparkle.
Price has also been criticized for frequently rehoming pets. In 2021, she reportedly gave her French Bulldog Precious to a crew member from her Channel 4 show Mucky Mansion, and earlier this year, she gave away her puppy Tank while adopting a Sphynx kitten. She had previously tried to sell two Sphynx cats, Dobby and Hagrid, due to incompatibility with her dogs.
Despite the controversies, Price defended herself in February, saying, “It’s circumstances that were out of my hands. It’s not from lack of care. I love animals, I love nurturing.”
All proceeds from the sale of the Halloween costume kit go toward PETA’s campaigns to promote responsible animal ownership and fund spay/neuter surgeries aimed at combating the homeless-animal overpopulation crisis, which the charity claims is exacerbated by irresponsible breeders and pet owners like Price.