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THEY say a dog is a man’s best friend but it seems this saying has gone deeper to assume a new level if one looks at the kind of pets that our celebrities and other prominent people keep at their homes .
These pets have become a permanent feature of the celebrities’ family and are pampered with the kind of love that any other member of the family is showered with.
Take for instance the kind of love that famous United States talk-show host, Oprah Winfrey, gives to her dogs; she has even gone an extra mile by calling them “my babies”.
She dedicated time to them in a similar manner she did to her partner as well as her best friend.
Not only that, Oprah also gave them human names like Sophie, Gracie, Solomon and Luke, and also shocked the world when she dedicated one of her programmes to her pet Sophie when she passed away. She is also reported to have bought a condominium unit which she called ‘Sophie’s Penthouse’.
Often-times, we see celebrities on television appearing with their pets, which range from dogs, cats, fish and birds -you name them- showering them with affection.
Some have even gone to the lengths of buying and dressing their pets in clothes, spoiling them with special food, or purchasing special cabins for their pets.
In Zimbabwe, a good number of celebrities have also adopted pets which they keep at home.
Yes, move over Paris Hilton with your Tinkerbell — chihuahua as Zim has a better breed of “pet -pamperers”.
“Fame is an unpredictable game, which is why most celebrities rely on their pets for company. Make me the person my dog thinks I am,” goes the famous entreaty from most famous personnel.
True, that plea is likely invoked with an extra grain of truth.
But which is your favourite celebrity pet?
Saturday Herald Lifestyle traced some of the famous people and their pets, checking on how they are pampered and their significance in their lifestyle.
Below are some of the celebrities who own pets.
Henrietta Rushwaya (businesswoman)
The former Zimbabwe Football Association chief executive and prominent businesswoman said she owns a Pomerian dog.
“I love my dog (Lala) so much. It has become part of the family , I bought it in South Africa two years ago,” she said.
The dreadlocked lady said she pampers him a lot , just like a person.
“Suprisingly, Lala doesn’t eat anything apart from chicken, ice-cream and Cerelac. If you want to starve him , give him all the dog food you can think of , he won`t eat it. We swim and play football together every weekend at home. He is very protective to an extent that if he sees me with a man, he barks and jumps around,” explained Rushwaya.
She said Lala is a well trained dog.
“When we are inside home, if he scratches you too much, it shows he wants to go to the toilet. He doesn’t take anything from strangers , be it food or what. Lala sleeps in the pantry and has bonded well with my kids,” she said.
Cosmas Muponda — (country gospel musician and politician)
For years, the singer, who is famed for his two albums “Songs of Cosmas Volume 1” and “Songs of Cosmas Volume 2”, has been keeping fish in a pond at his business venture, Cosmas Stone Monuments situated in Southerton, Harare.
The fish keep on multiplying and to date he has more than 500 fish in his pond which are of varying sizes.
Muponda said the fish were “ornamental” and were not for the pan.
“These are ornamental, and I cherish them very much, just like any other asset I own. I enjoy watching them as they swim about and they are good for refreshing since I take time off my business schedule to watch them as I think about other things,” he said.
Muponda feeds his fish with pellets.
“They don’t need to be overfed, so we feed them once every week,” he said.
Wellington Pasipanodya (legal practitioner)
One of Harare’s top legal practitioners Wellington Pasipanodya has five dogs. Amongst the five, his favourite is his Boerboel pedigree stud.
“His name is Klein Sandfontein Kobe. Kobe is my best friend and my mark of success,” said Pasipanodya.
He said he spends US$120 a month on dogs.
“Kobe eats kibble. I mix montego dog food with bibtail dog food because he has a huge appetite. Just like other people we take a walk early morning four times a week and we travel together apart from work,” he said.
With such stature, Pasipanodya said the dog does not bite.
“He is very gentle and was trained not to bite people but to scare people,” he said.
Hazvinei Sakarombe (radio dj)
Popular Power FM radio DJ Hazvinei Sakarombe is believed to be the new Paris Hilton.
The ever-confident DJ affectionately known as DJ Chilli is always seen with her white like Coton De Tulear dog type.
She rocked it during this year’s edition of Hifa when she came driving Mercedes Benz while the dog was beside her.
The Nama award winner also glowed during the ZBC Green Studio live show with her dog besides her. Truly the little dog is a lucky one, and she also gets some of the privileges the owner gets.
Kate Middleton (Princess of England)
Just recently, Princess Catherine and her royal prince William adopted a black cocker spaniel pup they named Lupo. While the prince is away on military duty, this cute pooch is able to keep Kate from being too lonely. It looks like the royal puppy is doing a good job so far in that area.
Will Smith (actor)
Will Smith`s dogs have obedience training with dog whisperer Cesar Millan, while Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith is said to have splayed out around US$1 600 on a treadmill that can be used to exercise them when their owners are too busy or tired.
However, internationally, it is also known that celebrities often like to treat their four-legged friends to the same lavish lifestyles that they enjoy.
According to The Telegraph, Hong Kong has one of the lowest birth rates in the world and, with few actual babies, people have found substitutes to splash their love, attention and money on — in the form of some very pampered pooches.
There is nothing wrong with a nation when it has a love for animals, including pets and especially cats and dogs. Wish all the world news could be more like this, love for our fellow beings.
Online Reporter