Hi all! I am the breeder of this puppy, and this conversation was just brought to my attention. I understand many of you are questioning my decision to sell a puppy to Miley Cyrus. I would like to address these concerns directly as the person responsible for them. I totally stand by my decision to sell her a puppy and feel she is a truly outstanding home.
1) Extensive interviews WERE conducted prior to the sale. Hours’ worth, going both ways. Believe me, someone with resources like that was quite meticulous about the puppy she got, and at first, I was very hesitant to place my puppy in a home where I was worried about the image as well. She approached me saying she wanted a dog through a reputable, responsible breeder. As breeders, we should be celebrating that someone so high profile went this route. She could have gone to a pet store and picked one that day had she wanted, or to any rescue/shelter in the country. I even posted for opinions on FB as to selling to an A lister and what others thought was the good and the bad. I was satisfied with the responses I got.
2) The Cyrus’ are sheltie people, one of the references (that yes, I did check) came from a fellow exhibitor-breeder in Cali that I personally know, who are highly respected, and sold the family a sheltie some time back who I met when I dropped Emu off. This breeder had met the family and spoke highly of them as pet owners. Another reference was a well respected professional trainer who has worked with the family for over 20 years and trains all their dogs, and she has a STAFF at her house 24/7 that tends to her dogs. Emu will never be alone while the owner goes off to work, there’s a staff there to see to him. He has a pro trainer training him, canine companionship, what more could a breeder ask for in a home?
3) Miley knows exactly what she has, though she has never posted on the twitter feeds what breed Emu is. The news stories are coming from the twitter feeds she posted, not a press release. Many are judging the story based solely on the dailymail article. If you search for “Miley Cyrus Emu” You’ll see there are many more that got it RIGHT. Instead of judging the situation based on one article, do more thorough research and look at Miley’s twitter feed—where all this is actually coming from—yourself. Most of this article, after all, is quoting her twitter feed.
4) Speaking of things the news got wrong, Miley has never ever dumped any puppy at a shelter, nor given them away. If she had, I would have turned and walked as well. Again I know the story behind Moonie and the death of Floyd, and it is *nothing* like what these news outlets are making it seem. If I have learned anything from grazing the A-list, it is just how wrong the tabloids sometimes have things. I respect my clients’ privacy, so will not go further than that. Rest assured I was satisfied with the answers or would not have gone forward with the sale.
5) I personally delivered Emu from my arms into hers, and have posted the pictures on my facebook timeline of that meeting. I spoke with her at the time and met her family’s dogs. They are happy and VERY well treated and groomed, and well trained as well. They are everything anyone could ask in a pet home and then some!
6) I have made the case to her about coming out on the side of responsible breeders, and if we could get someone like her that would be some massive power in our court against the Animal Rights movement. She is so appealing to the younger 20-something crowd that supports PETA and HSUS that if we could get her on 'our side' publicly, that would be a huge boon to responsible breeders. We're not going to do that by tearing her down for her stage presence (Whether or not we like how she does her job is irrelevant to what sort of home she makes for her animals). We should be publicly, loudly, welcoming her into our fold as a very high profile pet home.
7) Finally, I understand why people can be hesitant that this might cause an uptick in irresponsible people wanting shelties “because Miley has one”. Unlike Dalmatians and breeds in the past where this has become problematic due to their nature as ‘not a good dog for first timers’, Shelties are a great breed for first timers and for children. I do not see that as much of a problem. As long as we as breeders keep our standards where they are, this means we have more selection for pet homes; more people will fall in love with shelties for being shelties. That sort of love lasts a lifetime. My first sheltie was from a backyard breeder and was bought by a neighbor who GAVE him to me for free without consulting the breeders at all, but look where it’s led me! This is not a problem for breeders but an opportunity. The more pet homes we have to choose from the better! This may lead more people to the sport, and if we can get Miley to come out about getting him from a breeder, it would help sway attention from “Bad, bad breeder." I’m all for that, how about you?
Food for thought. I stand by my decision and think this is only better for our breed and all of us who will be looking for pet homes for puppies soon. As for me, I’ll happily share that I am the breeder of Miley Cyrus’ puppy, and gratefully enjoy any uptick in applications that may get me. That’s more selection for homes for my pups.
~Renee Wiseman
Albion Shelties
Las Vegas, NV
) and being open about your sexuality, defines what kind of pet-owner you are. 
