While Meghan Markle’s rescue beagle Guy made headlines last week when it was incorrectly reported that he hitched a ride to the royal wedding with the Queen, it is her other rescue dog, Bogart, that has been getting attention online this week. Why? Because he’s not living with her at Kensington Palace.
The Labrador-shepherd mix was rescued by Markle at the behest of Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, who she bumped into at a dog shelter in Los Angeles. The actress reports that the A-listers encouraged her to take him home, even going so far as to watch her as she was leaving to make sure that she did it.
‘It’s sort of like if Oprah tells you to do something,’ she later said. ‘I’m sitting there holding him and she’s like, 'Have you thought of a name for him yet?' And I said, 'Well, I think I’d name him Bogart,' and she’s like, 'You’re taking the dog home.'’
However, because Bogart is considerably older and in worse health than Guy, he was deemed unfit to travel to the UK by Markle’s Canadian vets. This has become the cause of ire for some dog-lovers online, who have been targeting the Facebook group A Dog’s Dream with comments aimed at Markle.
‘She dumped one and took the beagle thereby abandoning Bogart and separating two best friends,’ one user wrote. ‘No doubt Guy will spend more time with whoever she hires to babysit him in England but won't ever see his friend again. Personally, I wouldn't even allow her to adopt a pet rock.’
‘Leaving one behind – I would love to know the reason,’ another wrote. ‘It is disgusting in my eyes – poor pup lost his mom and best friend.’
With rumours abounding that Markle and her new husband Prince Harry might be honeymooning in Alberta, Canada, there’s every chance the couple could swing by and see just how Bogart is doing...