Last week, musical icon Paul McCartney and his wife Nancy Shevell adopted a rescue dog. The couple found their fur-ever friend at a Los Angeles-based rescue — the Labelle Foundation. McCartney and his spouse are ecstatic about welcoming a new member into their family. This announcement comes in what seems like a wave of celebrity dog adoptions this summer.
McCartney brings home new dog
The path leading to the pup’s adoption was less “The Long and Winding Road” and more “Hey Bulldog.” The couple was looking for a new addition to add to their brood. Having a history of both supporting animal rights and choosing to adopt rather than shop, the two worked with an organization known for their foster and rescue work. People shared the happy news, showing images of the pint-sized pup with his new superstar fam. The pooch, previously known as Rover, has been given a new moniker. “Jet” is now the name of McCartney’s pup, as well as the title of one of the artist’s well-known songs.
The Labelle Foundation posted the adoption announcement to their Instagram with a caption reading: “Cheers to Rover (now Jet)!! We are so proud of this little pup for finding his fur-ever family!! Thank you @paulmccartney and Nancy for opening up your home and supporting animal rescue.” The post contains two images, one of the couple with their new buddy and another with Jet posing on a deck with Nancy.
Sir Paul gets by with a little help from his dog friends
Paul McCartney has long been devoted to animals, even writing about his pup Martha in the song “Martha My Dear” as a member of The Beatles. Martha — an Old English Sheepdog — was the first in a line of beloved pets for McCartney.
In fact, Paul and Nancy adopted their first rescue dog together in 2021. The pooch, named Rose, is black with a white underbelly. That year, on #LoveYourPetDay, photos of their furry friend were posted to McCartney’s Instagram.
Let it be a new era of celebrity pet adoptions
Throughout this summer, there has been a slew of celebrity dog adoption stories making headlines. We can only hope celebs come together and don’t return to a time of helter-skelter purchasing of fad designer dog breeds from irresponsible breeders.
Celebrities, with their platforms and fan base, wield a lot of power when it comes to choosing to adopt rather than shop. It’s critical for big names like Paul McCartney to continue to visibly and vocally embrace rescue dogs. In doing so, it changes the larger narrative about the best way for people to find their next four-legged companion.
This season alone, Michelle Pfeiffer, Ellen Pompeo, and Millie Bobby Brown could all be seen in pictures with their cute rescue canines on Instagram. Several weeks ago, Max Greenfield — of “New Girl” and “The Neighborhood” fame — brought home a second rescue pup from another LA-based organization. He and his wife, Tess Sanchez, similarly took to social media to share the news. Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond regularly teases about her extensive pack of rescue dogs — which includes a host of Labrador Retrievers and Basset Hounds. She also recently adopted another pooch to pile up with on her porch.
Join the rescue dog revolution
Right now, you may be thinking, “I feel fine,” as you muddle through the slog of life eight days a week. Perhaps you’re just watching time pass you by, marking the calendar with dates set by the taxman. Conversely, imagine getting the warm fuzzies everyday after looking down at a ball of floof and thinking, “I want to hold your hand”…err, paw. In that case, put yesterday in the rearview and consider this your metaphorical ticket to ride to your local animal rescue organization.
A reputable rescue will help you learn more about pups — who can make you feel something again — and is willing to answer any questions you have about your potential new fur child. Accordingly, they’ll also vet you to ensure you can provide little Eleanor Rigby with the love and care she deserves.
Help!
The sheer volume of pups awaiting fur-ever families is a testament to the importance of having your pet spayed or neutered. There are so many petite Penny Lanes and lovely Ritas — as well as Judes to say hey to — who are sitting in a shelter or kennel right now whimpering. To put it another way, guitars should be the only thing gently weeping.
All of these dogs deserve love. They merit rock-star pads with legends like Paul McCartney. And, while that’s true, plenty of iconic pet parents rest their weary bones in one-bedroom apartments and quaint condos instead of mansions. Because, no matter where you live, you can make a canine feel like money — like he’s worth a million bucks.
Sir Paul knows — as we do — that to make life better, all you need is love. Rest assured, a rescue dog can provide just that … and so, so much more. A pup can transform a hard day’s night, providing a hopeful ray of light in what can feel like a humdrum existence. As you hear the pitter-patter of their paws approaching your doorway, you can’t help but to smile and whisper to yourself, “Here comes the sun.”
And, with that, we’ll once more echo The Beatles in things we said today: “The End.”
