Henry Holland, Laura Jackson and Brianne Wills introduce us to their celebrity pets of Instagram. Warning: cuteness overload ahead
When you're a celeb but your dog or cat gets more attention than you do... *eyeroll* We meet the celebrity pets of Instagram and their slightly less famous owners...
Laura Jackson, presenter and one half of foodie duo Jackson and Levine, with her blue whippet Barry
‘I’ll never forget when we first met Barry. He was the runt of the litter and looked so small. Basically, I felt sorry for him and said to my fiancé Jon, “I want that one”.
It’s not easy having a dog when you have busy jobs, but Barry has charmed all our neighbours so they take it in turns to dog-sit if we have to go away. Barry is friendly and quite needy so he loves the attention. He’s more like a cat sometimes – he cuddles up on the sofa and follows Jon everywhere, even to work [he’s a photographer] where everyone from Douglas Booth to Dermot O’Leary has fallen in love with him.
Barry forces me to get outside and walk every morning and evening, which is quite meditative and gives me time to reflect. He also makes me feel safer if I’m home alone so he’s great for my well-being.’
Fashion designer Henry Holland with his French bulldog Peggy
‘When she appeared two years ago, Peggy turned our lives upside down. Having a puppy is a bit like having a baby. My friends with kids might disagree, but when you’re up four times in the night because they’re crying, it can feel that way.
Peggy comes to work with me every day and I’m nervous that she’s stealing my thunder. She has a fashion line – a capsule collection for PetsPyjamas – and when we’re out she gets so much attention.
My boyfriend and I travel a lot for work and we miss Peggy more than we miss each other. You can FaceTime with humans, but it's not that easy with a dog.
It’s no exaggeration to say that Peggy changed our lives. We don’t go out for the day any more unless she’s with us, and we moved house a year ago to be closer to the park. She’s made us much less selfish. Before it was only me and my boyfriend, but now with Peggy we feel like a little family.’
@henryholland
Photographer Brianne Wills and her cats Liza and Tuck
‘I started my Instagram project @girlsandtheircats – photographing women with their cats – when I moved to New York two years ago to meet new people and network in the industry. What struck me was the connection that women in particular had with their pets. I think it’s because we intrinsically want something to take care of.
My cats Liza (a brown tabby) and Tuck (a black and white tuxedo) were Ukrainian street kittens that my husband and I rescued when we lived in Ukraine.
Getting their vaccinations and passports ready for our move to New York took several weeks, followed by an uncomfortable flight for my husband with a cat basket on his lap. But they love it here – cats are very independent. Liza is sweet and timid; she follows me everywhere. Tuck is sociable and will cuddle everyone. They stop me feeling lonely in a big city.’
