State Champ Radio pets
While riggers hung massive lights and construction workers assembled the stage on a grueling day before Tyler Childers‘ June 2024 concert at the United Center, three young locals showed up: Cheryl, Larry and Ted. And Cheryl gave Kyle Crownover, Childers’ tour manager, a look.
“I was like, ‘I think that’s the one,’” he tells Billboard.
Cheryl, a small terrier-chihauhua mix who tends to “collapse in people’s arms and just look at them,” as Crownover puts it, was a delivery from Chicago’s One Tail at a Time, an animal-rescue group that admitted 1,126 dogs in 2022 and found homes for 1,066, a 97% save rate. Over the past few years, Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Kelsea Ballerini, Ed Sheeran, Green Day, Pearl Jam, Blink-182, Maggie Rogers and many others have been beneficiaries of adorable furry deliveries to cheer up artists and crews.
“We’re usually on the road three weeks at a time, so that’s three weeks away from your family. We’re close with the crew, but, on a show day, there’s not time to go meet your friends in the city, so we’re confined to whatever spot we’re playing,” Crownover says. “To bring that in” — the puppies, and occasionally kittens — “and instantly see everyone’s mood change, it’s hard to be stressed.”
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The trend of bringing adoptable pets backstage kicked in about a decade ago, when members of Slayer, Testament and Carcass posed for adorable photos in which they were cuddling with rescued animals before a Seattle show in 2016. But it took off after the pandemic. Returning to work and dealing with strict COVID-19 protocols, inflation and supply-chain issues, crews could be glum.
In some cases, artists — especially those involved in their own animal-rescue charities, such as Miranda Lambert’s Mutt Nation — request the perk in advance. In others, venue managers emphasized “taking care of crew and making sure that the backstage is more of a place where they feel welcome and more at home,” says Amy Tavares, a Nashville-based Live Nation backstage experience manager who has worked with Wags & Walks and other groups to bring in puppies, kittens, goats and pigs to arena and stadium concerts over the last few years.
“It absolutely could be therapeutic. The road can be isolating for everybody, and it makes sense to me that these animals who are offering love and connection are highlighting a deep need for that,” Lucy Kozak Cesnik, a Nashville psychotherapist who used to work as a CAA music agent, tells Billboard. “Animals can lead the way to access being seen and heard, with people who’ve had trauma in their relationships, without their defenses up. Healing can’t just happen in the therapy office.”
Adds Marika Anthony-Shaw, a former Arcade Fire violinist who is founder and CEO of Plus1, a philanthropy group that partners with Carpenter: “You go from bus to backstage and bus to backstage, maybe a couple hotels and maybe a couple flights. There’s a sense of Groundhog Day. The mental-health benefits of interacting with animals reduces stress. There’s a mood boost.”
Working with managers and concert venues, the local rescue groups identify three or four young animals — usually pups — who are more likely to be friendly to people because they haven’t yet learned to be scared of them, then cart them in carriers to the show. They bring playpens, food and treats, and the venues provide a backstage room and bowls of water. So far, no dogs have been reported to have escaped and roamed the stage, disrupting shows, This Is Spinal Tap-style.
“They did not do that!” says Greta Palmer, chief communications and brand officer for Best Friends Animal Society — a Utah-based animal sanctuary with programs in New York, Los Angeles and elsewhere — which provided three puppies and three kittens at a Carpenter show last year, and six kittens as part of a “cuddle lounge” for a 2023 Kesha concert in Atlanta. “We have a bunch of staff that go, and we’ll set up an area with a gate, and people can come in and hang with them, play with them, love on them [and] ideally adopt them.” (Best Friends did not do on-site adoptions for the Kesha show, and none of the animals were adopted at the Carpenter event.)
The strategy worked for Crownover and Cheryl, whom the tour manager adopted shortly after Childers’ Chicago concert. Cheryl has been on the road with the crew ever since, meeting 100 new people a day and greeting visiting foster puppies in various cities. (Crew members on the Childers tour also adopted Larry and Ted after meeting them at the United Center.)
“The main reason we do it is to promote the dogs and promote adoption,” says Alli Rooney, One Tail at a Time’s marketing manager. “And everyone needs a bit more lightness in the world right now.”
The animal visits are pure good-vibes publicity too. When Motley Zoo Animal Rescue brought dogs to the 2016 Slayer-Testament-Carcass show in Seattle, the most tattooed and scowling of metal stars melted in photos with adorable puppies; when Brighter Days Dog Rescue brought dogs to Billie Eilish’s Denver show in November, the organization’s social media post showed the singer-songwriter cheek to cheek with puppies and said they were “showered with love” by the star; and Sheeran has posed with tiny backstage-delivery kittens multiple times, including in 2017, when the SPCA of Wake County surprised him before a Raleigh, N.C., show with animals rescued from a nearby horse farm. At CMA Fest’s kickoff in Nashville June 5, Wags & Walks provided adoptable puppies at an “artist oasis” area, luring country performers such as Gavin Adcock, Ashley Cooke, Meghan Patrick and Kaylee Rose.
Gavin Adcock
Wags & Walks
Some venues, according to Mallory Kerlie, marketing director of Muddy Paws, a New York dog-rescue group, have restrictions on both dogs and cats, many relating to the potential for rabies or injuries. And some rules disallow pit bulls or dogs heavier than 25 pounds. “Here in New York, that’s a particular challenge,” she says. But Muddy Paws accompanies the puppies with trained staff and reliable carriers, and navigates public transportation in case parking is an issue. At the venues, she adds, “It’s a small room with doors. That’s usually the best way to keep them safe.”
Kittens are slightly easier to haul into concerts than dogs, notes Best Friends’ Palmer. She explains: “We can just set up an X-pen and they tend to stay pretty contained.”
Wags & Walks has provided puppies, kittens and even baby goats and pigs for Nashville arenas and stadiums. The non-profit animal rescue group placed the dogs in a soundproof room during Rufus Du Soul’s Ascend Amphitheater soundcheck in May (“So they wouldn’t get scared,” explains Taveras), and also surprised Kelsea Ballerini at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles by presenting her with three small sibling puppies for a photo op.
Neither Ballerini nor her team was available for a post-pup interview, but Lesley Brog, founder of Wags & Walks, knew the country superstar’s own dog, Dibs, was going through cancer treatment. “She’s a huge dog lover, and they thought it would make sense,” she says.
Shortly after the puppies arrived before Ballerini’s show, Wags & Walks set them up in a conference room near the office of Cara Vanderhook, the arena’s vp of marketing and communications. The exec mentioned them in a staff chat, and within half an hour, Vanderhook tells Billboard, “I’m not joking, I probably had 30 people in the conference room playing with these puppies. It gave everybody a moment to take a breath when they needed it.”
Mewow! Billboard’s Power Pets is a new feature focusing on musicians’ best friends — no, not the humans — but the furry (and some scaly and feathery!) ones who bring extra joy and companionship to artists. Celebrities will be sharing sweet details about their beloved pets and how their furbabies enrich their lives. For the second story in the installment, we talked to country artist Chase Rice.Chase Rice may sing “you’re right there in that bench seat next to me” in his emotional tune “Bench Seat,” but nowadays, it’s Jack – his beloved dog and best friend – who sits next to him on the concert stage during his performance of that song.
“[‘Bench Seat’] was the reason I got Jack,” the country artist tells Billboard of his black Lab and the track about the healing power of dogs that was inspired by a friend’s mental health struggles. As the songwriter previously shared, Rice’s pal’s own dog saved the friend from a very dark moment by simply laying its head on his lap to create an unbreakable connection during that difficult time.
“[Jack] was originally supposed to be the puppy in the video, but it took us a year and a half to get it together, so he’s the middle-aged dog in the video,” Rice explains of the visual for “Bench Seat,” which reveals that the track is from the pooch’s point of view. “That song is the very reason that I got him. I knew the day that I wrote it that it was finally time for me to get a dog.”
Rice says that he’s always wanted a duck dog since childhood, so that’s what he looked for when he began his search. “I met a guy who works with Mossy Pond Retrievers in Georgia, and he said if you want a duck dog, get a black Lab, so we made a plan.” Now, shares Rice, Jack is “certified as a master hunter and he’s my best buddy.”
And a much-loved friend at that. “Before every meal, I have him sit and I hug him and tell him, ‘I love you and you’re the best dog I’ve ever had.’” the singer-songwriter says. “He has no clue that he’s the only dog I’ve ever had, but I’ll keep telling him that all the same.”
Rice says Jack has taught him about love and responsibility as well: “I know he’s made me a better man.”
Read on to learn more about Jack from Chase Rice.
All About Jack
Image Credit: Evan DeStefano
Age: 4 years Hometown: Nashville Type/breed: Black Lab Favorite toy: Water bottles. It drives me crazy, but he loves them. Favorite nap spot: The couch, then the floor, and back and forth for no reason.
“He was the chunkier one out of the two males from [the litter I was considering]; the other one looked like the Terminator,” Rice recalls of selecting his pup. “Jack looked fat and I loved that. He’s since shaped up.”
The Best Thing Jack Has Changed About Chase’s Life
Image Credit: Evan DeStefano
“The time we spend and adventures we get into” are two things the singer cherishes that his dog has brought into his life. “I’ve ended up chasing birds in places I had never even heard of because of Jack and knowing I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to see him get one more bird.”
“One time this year I sent Jack on a 350-yard retrieve for a wounded mallard in Oklahoma; just a few hand signals and he was all over that duck,” recalls Rice. “That’s a long retrieve, but he did it perfectly. Just a few hours later, he was on stage with me that night partying. He’s a jack-of-all-trades: business by day, party by night.”
Jack’s Reaction to Being on Stage
Image Credit: Evan DeStefano
“I bring him on stage for one song during my set; he just sits next to me and looks for my approval at the end to not have to heel anymore and to be able to go party with the fans,” explains the artist.
As for the first time Jack went on stage? Rice says the Lab was still a puppy at the time, and was “a little nervous.” But that didn’t last. “He got used to it when I started letting him go down and run towards the crowd, because he loves people. The first time I did it was really just about me wanting to have my dog with me. He was going to training that night for about six months, and I wanted him with me as much as possible, so I brought him up there on stage. That was a tough night once he left.”
Jack’s Musical Tastes
Image Credit: Evan DeStefano
“I think he’s pretty sick of hearing anything by me at this point,” admits the singer.
Regardless of how Jack may feel about his music, that hasn’t stopped Rice from mentioning his beloved buddy in his songs. “‘Arkansas’ had a mention of him in there,” the songwriter shares. “An unreleased song called ‘October’ has his name – not sure if I’ll put that one out. He will get a bunch of songs over these next few years, I’m sure.”
A Sibling for Jack?
Image Credit: Evan DeStefano
Rice mentioned in a sweet March 2023 Instagram post for Jack’s 2nd birthday that his dog was “dangerously close to having a little bro.” So did the musician grow his family? “I’ve really been messing with the thought of breeding Jack or just getting another breed that’s not a working dog,” he shares. “With my schedule, it’s gonna be real tough to have two, so for now, I’m sticking with just Jack. Quality over quantity.”
That’s some piglet! Jessie Murph had just the pal to help her get all the attention at the Academy of Country Music Awards on Thursday (May 8) — her perfectly pink porcine pet, Wilbur! The little pig stole the show and posed for photos with numerous country stars while the “Blue Strips” singer made her […]
Jonathan Davis is doing more than just throwing a dog a bone — he’s launching a new capsule collection for his Freak on a Leash pet line to help pooches everywhere be a little more rock n’ roll. The Korn frontman announced on Tuesday (April 22) that he has teamed up with designer Ashton Michael […]
Mewow! Billboard is launching Power Pets, a new feature focusing on musicians’ best friends — no, not the humans — but the furry (and some scaly and feathery!) ones who bring extra joy and companionship to artists. Celebrities will be sharing sweet details about their beloved pets and how their furbabies enrich their lives, and to kick off the first profile is Billboard-charting country star and animal lover Miranda Lambert.
Miranda Lambert may have a Billboard 200-topping album in Platinum, three Grammys, 14 CMAs, 33 ACM Awards and many more accolades to boast about so far in her storied career, but to the country star’s four-legged pals, she’s just Mom.
“All of my animals help keep me grounded,” the singer tells Billboard about her furry family members. “They don’t care what I do for a living. They just love me.”
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Not only that, Lambert — who in 2009 founded her non-profit MuttNation, which works to promote pet adoption and the spaying and neutering of pets — has also learned an important lesson from her now 12-year-old dog Bellamy, whom she adopted in 2013 from Big Dog Ranch in Florida. “Patience,” the singer-songwriter reveals. “Bellamy was very shy in the beginning, but he’s opened up.”
Now, her beloved pooch not only travels and tours with her, but also helps Lambert with promoting MuttNation. “He has done a lot of photo shoots with me for my MuttNation line of pet products at Tractor Supply, and all of my proceeds from the line benefit the MuttNation Foundation,” shares the animal advocate. “He’s really patient and listens well, so he’s great at photo shoots.”
Tractor Supply Company, Lambert explains, is partnered with MuttNation’s Relief for Rescues Fund, a donations-at-checkout initiative which was started in 2023 to support shelters and organizations in recovery efforts after natural disasters. “So far, Relief for Rescues has donated close to $1 million to help animal shelters across the country recover from hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, fires and other disasters,” she shares.
That includes the devastating Los Angeles area wildfires that the Los Angeles Times reports destroyed more than 9,500 single-family homes at the beginning of the year. To help displaced animals, MuttNation partnered with Norman’s Rare Guitars to auction off guitars in an effort to raise money for area animal shelters. “To date, we’ve helped nearly 25 organizations, and we know there will be more to do because the recovery process has really only just begun,” says Lambert.
After all, she points out, pet adoption is at the heart of her organization’s mission. “By adopting a shelter pet, you make a meaningful difference — not only in the life of the pet you adopt, but in helping overcrowded shelters and in lowering pet homelessness,” explains Lambert, who over the years has welcomed not only dogs, but also cats, goats and horses into her family. “And it’s no secret that shelter pets make the best pets. We’re working on a lofty project that we’ll announce later this year to encourage people to adopt, so stay tuned for more on that!”
Until then, learn more about Bellamy from the country superstar below.
Bellamy in 2013.
Miranda Lambert
Name: BellamyAge: 12Hometown: Loxahatchee Groves, Fla.Breed: Comfort retriever muttFavorite food: chickenFavorite toy: He doesn’t really like toys, but he loves cuddling up on his MuttNation throw blanket from Tractor Supply.Favorite nap spot: Wherever I am. He likes to stay close to me!
How did Bellamy come into your life?I adopted Bellamy from a dog rescue, Big Dog Ranch, while I was on tour in 2013. One of my fans, who was super little at the time, made a video asking me to come visit. They gave me a tour of the rescue, and I saw Bellamy and fell in love! He was only about 6 weeks old.
Who is Bellamy’s best friend, aside from you?He only has one fur sibling left, Cher, so they stick together.
How does Bellamy get along with your other animals? Does he have any favorite and/or least favorites?The last few years have been hard on the pack, because I’ve had quite a few dogs pass over the Rainbow Bridge. They really were a unit, so we all felt each loss deeply. Cher and Bellamy are my only two dogs left, so they stick together now. Cher’s more of a diva, but Bellamy goes with the flow, so it works out.
Cher, Bellamy and Miranda Lambert.
Jamie Wright
Does Bellamy join you on tour? If so, what are some of your best adventures together on the road?Yes! Bellamy travels with me a lot. He recently drove out with me to Arizona, where I spent time this winter riding horses. We filmed the music video for “Run” while we were out there, and he had the greatest time. He napped in between takes in the trailer and got to run around the desert and hang out with my horse named Cool while we were filming.
What’s his favorite song?“Old Hippie” by The Bellamy Brothers.
How does Bellamy react when you’re playing your music? He’s so used to it, he doesn’t react at all. He just falls asleep.
What’s your favorite memory of Bellamy so far?I’ve loved getting to see him come out of his shell over the years. Even though I got him when he was a puppy, he was so shy around new people when he was younger. He’s settled into himself now, and is much more confident.
Share a fun fact about Bellamy!He was named after The Bellamy Brothers.
Every year on April 11, the United States observes National Pet Day. And in addition to the millions of people with furry friends to celebrate, countless A-list musicians also have dogs, cats and other animals to honor on the occasion. And much like their famous owners, a lot of those celebrity pets have fanbases of […]
“You make me laugh and I like it/ You get away with murder so innocent/ But when you throw a moody/ You’re all claws and you bite/ That’s all right!” To those unfamiliar, these may seem like lyrics written by a loving pet parent — and they’d be right. Those sweet and amusing words were penned by none other than the late, great, cat-loving rock icon Freddie Mercury of Queen, for the band’s Innuendo track “Delilah,” which is about his beloved feline of the same name.So, musicians — they’re just like us! Or is it that we, the normies, are just like them? After all, which of us with furry family members hasn’t made up silly little ditties to sing to our much-adored dogs and cats? (Granted, we don’t get to record them for Billboard-charting albums, but whatever.) Billboard staffers are no different. Not only do we love our four-legged pals, we sing to them, and sometimes, even name them after our favorite musicians!
There’s staff writer Hannah Dailey, who has an adorable kitty named after her “songwriting hero” Stevie Nicks. “Stevie is the first pet I ever owned by myself, so I wanted to give her a name that was particularly special,” she says. “And because she makes me so happy, it only felt right for her to share a name with someone whose music has also added so much to my life.”
Senior photo editor Jenny Regan nearly named her mini goldendoodle Robert Plant because the pooch’s golden locks resembled those of the Led Zeppelin singer in his youth. “But [we] didn’t like ‘Robert’ for a dog,” she shares, noting that her husband is a fan of the band. So the pup was named after another member — Jimmy Page.
While not everyone on our staff has a pet named after a famous artist, some of our furbabies do have their own favorite (and least favorite!) songs and musicians. Take kitty Boba, who prefers to never hear Alvin and the Chipmunks’ cover of “I Gotta Feeling” ever again; good boy Riggins, who is partial to Bad Bunny; regal Paco, who prefers Norah Jones’ soothing tunes during thunderstorms; or Murphy, who’s a huge Swiftie, just like her mom.
Want to meet and learn more about the Billboard staff’s beloved pets? Keep pawing down!
Howie
Parent: Jenny Sargent, Photography DirectorHometown: Los AngelesBreed: Lhasa ApsoAge: 15 yearsFavorite food: Eggs, bacon, popcorn, anything that humans get to eat.Fun fact: His haircuts are more expensive and often than his human’sFavorite nap spot: On the balcony in the sunPet Rescue: Bichons and Buddies
Benito
Parent: Ingrid Fajardo, Senior Social Media Manager & Staff Writer, LatinHometown: MiamiBreed: PomeranianAge: 5 yearsFavorite toy: Birthday Party Lamb ChopHow does your pet react when you’re playing music? Depends on the mood, he either makes a dance around me or gives me the side-eye look!
Tangy & Zeke
Parent: Samantha Xu, Deputy Photo DirectorHometown: Hackensack, N.J.Age: 4 years (Tangy) and 1.5 years (Zeke)How does your pet react when you’re playing music? Tangy is a girly princess who loves to nap and luxuriate, so she prefers music with lo-fi chill vibes and female vocals. Zeke is a very active social boy who is not bothered by loud or fast music — it helps him get hyped for playtime!Favorite music/song: Tangy loves SZA, Lana Del Rey, Alt R&B, Lofi Girl Radio on Youtube. Zeke loves Turnstile, Power Trip, thrash metal, hardcore punk, jock jams.Pet Rescue: Rock n’ Rescue (Tangy) and East Coast Maine Coon Rescue (Zeke)
Riggins
Parent: Josh Glicksman, Deputy Managing EditorHometown: DallasBreed: Australian cattle dog/American pit bull terrier mixAge: 1.5 yearsFavorite music/song: Bad Bunny. Any time he sees Bad Bunny on TV or hears his music, he’s completely enthralled.Favorite nap spot: Sunbathing and taking a snooze on his dog bed next to our record player.Fun fact: Riggins was a member of Team Fluff on Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl XX.Pet Rescue: Heart & Bones Rescue
Gaia & Terra
Parent: Eric Renner Brown, Senior EditorHometown: Brooklyn, N.Y.Breed: dilute tortieAge: 3 yearsFavorite nap spot: Gaia’s favorite spot is the coveted cat tree hammock or, when mischievous, the turntable!Favorite food: Terra’s favorite food is any human food she isn’t supposed to be eating!Pet Rescue: Whiskers-A-GoGo
Jimmy Page
Parent: Jenny Regan, Senior Photo EditorHometown: upstate New YorkBreed: mini goldendoodleAge: 4 yearsFavorite food: Cheese or anything on our platesFavorite toy: Stolen socksFavorite nap spot: Hanging halfway off the couchHow does your pet react when you’re playing music? He jumps up to give you a hug and slow dance with you.
Boba
Parent: Naomy Pedroza, Assistant Photo EditorHometown: Providence, R.I.Breed: BombayAge: 4.5 yearsHow does your pet react when you’re playing your music? Boba is a true music critic — she is very vocal about the songs she loves and the songs she loathes.Favorite music/song: “Right Where You Left Me” by Taylor Swift, but she’s also partial to Boygenius, Norah Jones and Vampire Weekend.Fun fact: Boba’s least favorite song is a cover of “I Gotta Feeling” by famed rodents Alvin & the Chipmunks.Pet Rescue: Dixie Girl Dog Rescue
Mortimer
Parent: Michael Calcagno, Photo ResearcherHometown: Yuma, Ariz.Age: 1.5 yearsFavorite toy: Squeaky pizza toy (courtesy of Billboard‘s own Anna Chan)Favorite music/song: “Angel of My Dreams” by JADE. My wife and I were obsessed with the song around when we adopted him, and we sing it to him all the time now.Pet’s best friend: His grandma. She sneaks him what we’ve dubbed as “cute treats” (i.e., treats for just looking cute and not doing anything), and also loves slipping him McDonald’s fries.Pet Rescue: Friends for Life Animal Rescue
Mabel & Bean
Parent: Anna Chan, Deputy Editor, DigitalHometown: Seattle (Mabel) & New York (Bean)Age: 19 years (Mabel) and 9 years (Bean)How did your pet come into your life? With Mabel, I was volunteering at PAWS in Seattle when I peeked into a cage and found the most brilliant pair of sparkling blue peepers — aka White Walker Eyes — staring back at me from behind the litterbox. The moment we locked eyes, I knew Mabel was mine.It’s a similar story with Bean: I was doing my weekly volunteer shift at Best Friends when I spotted the cutest Resting Bitch Face of my life. I sat down to pet the little petite black cat, who immediately began to purr — then slapped me quickly and repeatedly with her tiny paw. I was in love with Bean from that moment on.Pet Rescue: PAWS (Mabel) and Best Friends Animal Society (Bean)
Paco
Parent: Dan Rys, Director, Business NewsHometown: Brooklyn, N.Y.Breed: Boston terrierAge: 12 yearsFavorite toy: Noise ball because he’s blindFavorite music/song: Norah Jones when he’s scared or nervous from thunderFavorite nap spot: On the bed underneath a fur blanket
Tucker
Parent: Becky Kaminsky, Director, Social MediaHometown: GeorgiaBreed: SupermuttAge: 6Favorite food: Beef lungs and beef sticksFavorite toy: Benebone wishbone and Nylabone footballHow does your pet react when you’re playing your music? He gets very hyped if the vibes are there. We always have music playing if we’re cooking or cleaning, and he’ll partake in a dance break with us. He’ll stand up on his hind legs (which makes him almost as tall as me) and two-step with me.What is your pet’s favorite music or song? Probably all the jingles I make up for him on a daily basis. It’s a full catalog at this point.Pet Rescue: Puppies and More Rescue
Stella “Grumble Grumble” & Ace “Soggy Paws”
Parent: Taylor Mims, Senior EditorHometown: Long Beach, CABreed: French bulldogAge: 13 years (Stella) and 4 years (Ace)Favorite nap spot: Anywhere in the sun for StellaFun fact: Stella loves to go paddleboardingHow does your pet react when you’re playing music? Stella snores … very loudly!Favorite music/song: Ace’s is “Aquí Te Cuido” by Reyna TropicalFavorite food: Ace’s are rocks, that’s why he’s so heavy!Pet’s best friend: Ace’s is sister Stella, but she does not feel the same way.
Rooney
Parent: Abby Webster, Assistant Social Media EditorAge: 2 yearsFavorite food: Cheddar cheeseHow did your pet come into your life? My roommate needed safety and companionship after a mouse infestation in her first NYC apartment.How does your pet react when you’re playing music? She’s a big music video lover. A recent favorite is “Sports Car” by Tate McRae.
Murphy
Parent: Danielle Pascual, Social Media ManagerHometown: Noti, Ore.Breed: Mini AussiedoodleAge: 4 yearsFavorite toy: Chuckit! squeaker ball — it always has to be near even when sleeping, eating and on walks.Favorite music/song: “Betty” by Taylor Swift, except every instance of “Betty” is changed to “Murphy”Favorite nap spot: Mom’s laundry hamperWhat is the best thing that your pet has changed about your life? Murphy always knows when I’m having a bad day, and through cuddles and kisses, she never fails to make me feel better.
Roman & Elliot
Parent: Evan Burke, Producer/EditorHometown: Los AngelesAge: 5 years (Roman) and 10 years (Elliott)Favorite toy: Roman’s is a catnip filled avocado toastHow did your pet come into your life? Roman was adopted on Christmas Eve of 2020 when I needed something to make being stuck at home more tolerable.Fun fact: Roman is named after Nicki Minaj’s alter ego because I would hear “Roman’s Revenge” in my head when he would get the zoomies.Favorite nap spot: Elliot, who is a dachshund terrier, likes to nap next to any humanPet Rescue: Elliot is from the Amanda Foundation
Ziggy
Parent: Ciara Zimring, Director of Strategy & Production, VideoHometown: Los AngelesBreed: goldendoodleAge: 5Favorite Toy: Giant Lamb ChopFavorite music/song: Ziggy loves Noah Kahan!What is the most important lesson your pet has taught you? She’s taught us to stop, slow down and enjoy the present moment. Sometimes life and work can get so hectic, but taking a pause and being in the moment with her has taught us to slow down.Fun fact: She’s freakishly good at catching any ball that you throw at her. I keep telling her we’re going to put her in the Puppy Olympics!
Murray
Parent: Jason Lipshutz, Executive Director, MusicHometown: Madison, N.J.Breed: Treeing Walker coonhoundAge: 6 yearsHow did your pet come into your life? We rescued Murray in December 2019 — he was a sweet boy who simply needed a family. We coordinated an elaborate system of dog walkers while we were at work, but then in less than three months, we were home every day due to the pandemic!What is the most important lesson your pet has taught you? Murray can be loud, overexcited, needy and destructive, but for every trying moment, there are 100 happy memories. Just like with anyone you love unconditionally, we have adapted to Murray’s rhythms, and our lives are fuller for it.Pet Rescue: St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center
Bandit
Parent: Dave Brooks, Senior Director, Touring/LiveHometown: Long Beach, Calif.Breed: terrierAge: 13Favorite food: hot dogsFavorite nap spot: Living room couch with front door cracked so he can bark at the mailman.Fun fact: Bandit has completed extensive training with obedience, obstacle courses and tricks. He can still do tricks, even at 13!What is the most important lesson your pet has taught you? Dogs are better than people in nearly all measurable categories.Pet Rescue: Long Beach SPCA
Stevie Nicks
Parent: Hannah Dailey, Staff WriterHometown: Bloomington, Ind.Breed: torbieAge: 4 yearsFavorite food: dry ass kibbleFavorite toy: my chargersFavorite music/song: Not even kidding, Stevie hates music. Whenever I start singing, she jumps on me and bites me. She’s a hater.Who is your pet’s best friend? Her little stuffed elephant I bought for her at IKEA. She drags him around everywhere. His name is Mr. Elephant.
Freddy
Parent: Rob Levine, Editor at LargeHometown: BerlinBreed: CavapooAge: 1 yearFavorite food: Whatever the humans are eating!Favorite toy: Whatever ball is WAY under the couch at any given momentFavorite music/song: “Who Let the Dogs Out”How does your pet react when you’re playing music? Concern about the fairness of streaming royalty rates
Oreo Lola
Parent: Christina Medina, SVP Talent & ProgrammingHometown: West Covina, CalifBreed: shih tzuAge: Oreo Lola went to Doggy Heaven on March 18, 2025, at age 17 yearsFavorite food: wedding cakeFun fact: She loved blueberry facials.Favorite nap spot: Outside in the sun, she loved to sunbathe!
In addition to being engaged, Demi Lovato and Jutes are also dog parents.
Via Instagram on Sunday, the 31-year-old singer and her fiancé showed off their adorable puppy. In one photo, Lovato beams at Jutes — who is visible in a mirror reflection holding the camera — while cradling the tiny canine, dripping wet after a bath, in a towel in their arms. On the singer’s Story, she shared two more photos of the occasion, revealing that it was the pet’s first-ever bath.
The Camp Rock star also included a number of other snaps showing off the dog posing with a pickle toy, looking at its reflection in the mirror and asleep with its tongue sticking out. In their caption, Lovato shared the little guy’s name: “PICKLE.”
“My family,” Jutes commented with three heart-eye emojis.
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The post comes about seven months after the vocalist and rock musician — who helped write multiple songs on Lovato’s most recent album, Holy Fvck — got engaged over a year and a half after they started dating in 2022. “I’m still speechless,” Lovato wrote in a December Instagram post, sharing a photo of their engagement ring. “Last night was the best night of my life and I can’t believe I get to marry the love of my life @jutesmusic.”
“My love, I’m beyond excited to marry you..,” she continued at the time. “Every day I’ve spent with you has been a dream come true and I can’t wait to love and cherish you forever. Here’s to the rest of our lives. I love you baby.”
The pair also recently took a trip to Sedona, Arizona, to search for signs of extraterrestrial life on Earth, guided by two UFO specialists. “We saw incredible stuff – some captured on camera, some too quick to capture but all things we couldn’t explain,” Lovato, who previously investigated alien activity on their 2021 show Unidentified, wrote earlier this month, sharing photos with Jutes and grainy videos from the outing. “Do YOU believe?”
See Lovato’s post showing off Pickle below.
Earlier this month, the story of a terminally ill dog named Kygo went viral, with the dog’s owner stating that it would be a dream come true for the pup to meet his namesake, Kygo the Norwegian electronic music producer.
That story resulted in Kygo the DJ inviting Kygo the dog (and his owner) to the human Kygo’s Palm Tree Music Festival, which happened in Southampton, N.Y., on Saturday (June 22).
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Happily, the dog and his crew made it to the show, with the Kygos convening backstage to pose for photos and swap merch. Kygo the DJ gave the dog a Palm Tree Crew bandanna, while Kygo the dog (and his owner) gifted a “Kygo Krew” hat and T-shirts with the dog’s face on it.
“That’s why I want a dog,” human Kygo said during the meeting, “just to have someone to come back home to and it’s just pure pleasure.”
The story originally went viral after the dog and its owner were featured on the dog-centric Instagram account The Dogist. The pup at the heart of the story is a seven-year-old husky, malamute, poodle and collie mix who’s been diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer. Earlier this month, his owner stated that “he doesn’t have much longer.”
Kygo the DJ & Kygo the dog at Palm Tree Music Festival New York 2024.
Johannes Lovund
The Dogist host Elias Weiss Friedman was also on site for the meeting, posting that Kygo the DJ “invited us all out to his concert in Southampton to meet up before the show. It turns out, despite not growing up with dogs or having one at the moment, Kygo fully understood the importance of a dog and what they mean to their person. I want to thank Kygo the man for making Kygo the dog’s second bucket list dream come true.”
The post also notes that Kygo the dog’s owner received a $10,000 donation from the animal-focused nonprofit The Brady Hunter Foundation to help pay for treatment costs.
The fourth Hamptons iteration of Kygo’s traveling Palm Tree Music Festival featured performances by artists including Swedish House Mafia, Sofi Tukker, Purple Disco Machine and Kygo himself. The producer’s fifth studio album, Kygo, was released this past Friday, June 21.
See the Dogist’s update on the meeting of the Kygos:
Earlier this week a video featuring a terminally ill dog named Kygo went viral. The handsome pup is a seven-year old husky, malamute, poodle and collie mix who’s been diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer. While Kygo the dog is currently receiving radiation treatments, in the video, his owner advises that “he doesn’t have much longer.”
The pup is of course named after the Norwegian electronic music producer, with the dog’s owner also declaring in the video, “I wish Kygo would run into him one day … The only thing I have left is for him to meet Kygo the DJ.”
“Does anyone know Kygo the DJ?” the video’s host, Elias Weiss Friedman, founder of the dog-focused social channel The Dogist, says to the camera.
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Apparently someone did, as a day after the video was posted, the producer wrote, “See you at Palm Tree Fest Hamptons… Can’t wait to meet you” on the post. The comment has gotten nearly 24,000 likes as of press time.
Representatives for Kygo the DJ and Kygo the dog did not immediately respond to Billboard’s request for comment.
This meeting of the Kygos will happen at the Palm Tree Music Festival happening in The Hamptons on June 22. Kygo will headline the event alongside Swedish House Mafia, with Purple Disco Machine, Sofi Tukker and Xandra rounding out the bill.
The next iteration of Palm Tree Festival happens in Lake Tahoe in July, with Kygo’s manager, Myles Shear, telling Billboard in 2022 that the traveling festival is a core element of the Kygo brand intended not simply to gather Kygo fans in luxe travel destinations, but to “create an ecosystem” in which they can live the boats and beaches-centric Kygo lifestyle.
This time, at least, that audience will include both human and canine music lovers.
Watch the video about Kygo the dog below:
