Oh man, this can’t end well: actor Gerard Butler has been accused by an elderly Queens couple of canine abuse! The “hunky” poor man’s Clive Owen has been in New York working on a movie with Jennifer Aniston and encountered an elderly Queens couple as they were walking their Greyhound and he was walking his pug around Long Island City. The couple alleges that Butler’s dog was unleashed and that the dogs growled at each other and “touched noses” but that the couple had complete control over their dog. Butler apparently became enraged and smacked the couple’s Greyhound against a fence and shouted at them that their dog should be “put down.” The couple responded that he should have a leash on his dog (New York does have leash laws, but apparently not for studly B-list actors!) and filed a complaint with the NYPD. Butler claims that the Greyhound bit his pug and that he had to spend hours at a vet’s office to get the dog patched up–although he isn’t willing to release the vet records or even photos of his pug’s alleged injuries. This could really lead up to a career killer for Butler. Why? Nobody likes a dog abuser, especially youngish women whom he is trying to appeal to as a sex symbol.

In fact, the details of the “case,” as it were, are already revealing some signs of fraying around Butler’s celebrity. First, he is referenced in the NY Post headline about the incident as “Jen’s co-star” and in Gothamist’s initial post about the incident he is ID’d in the headline as simply “actor.” Ouch. Butler can’t even get a namecheck in the headline of a small news-y story in August? Next, according to the Post he was identified in the complaint as “Gerrod Butler,” and this is coming from the elderly couple who claim to own some of his movies.

So, a celeb who is firmly placed in the lower end of the B-list category (and let’s be honest, he would be pure C-list if he wasn’t rumored to be Jennifer “Yawn” Aniston’s lover) and who is trying to rev up his career by turning into something of a heartthrob for adult ladies is caught at the very least acting like a jerk to some old people and their dog. Not exactly the kind of stuff us non-teenybopper females go for! Hell, it not exactly the kind of stuff anyone goes for: everyone hates people who hit pets and while Butler isn’t exactly warranting a call from the ASPCA, he isn’t showing off his dog-loving charms. Not to mention the fact his publicist’s disastrous damage control makes Butler come off as more of an entitled jerk who thinks he can hit other people’s pets and lie (allegedly!) about vet visits. Looks like Butler missed his chance to be the next big dark-haired heartthrob by getting tangled in an event that was sure to piss off us ladies–and gents–who, you know, care about animals and stuff.

(Pic via On Location Vacations)

8 Responses to “Is There No Surer Way To Piss Off Female Fans Than Alleged Dog Hitting?”

1. Lori says:

   August 31, 2009 at 1:23 pm

   I laughed at “poor man’s Clive Owen.”

   Reply
2. Sydney says:

   August 31, 2009 at 5:01 pm

   I’ve never really liked him. Sure, he was good in Phantom of the Opera, but……that’s about it.

   Reply
   • Harriet Meadow says:

     August 31, 2009 at 6:50 pm

     I thought he was terrible in Phantom….or maybe I just thought the whole movie was terrible in comparison to the play. Anyway, I did love him in 300; I’m a sucker for that movie, though I can’t explain why.

     Reply
     • Zelda says:

       September 1, 2009 at 2:54 am

       Three words:
       PORN FOR WOMEN

       Reply
3. CatFace says:

   September 1, 2009 at 2:45 am

   But I mean he has his own dog, and if he didn’t care about it, why would he make such a big deal about defending it? I think the greyhound obviously was more agressive than these people are making out, maybe not to the standards he is claiming. But I mean there is a substantial size difference between greyhounds and pugs.

   Reply
   • Alzaetia says:

     September 1, 2009 at 9:02 am

     I’d kick a larger dog that was threatening my dog.

     Reply
4. snapdragon says:

   September 1, 2009 at 10:40 am

   regardless of whose dog started the scuffle, gerard should have had his dog on a leash. most dogs who are on-leash feel more vulnerable, and as a result are a bit more aggressive than when they are off-leash so it’s not a good idea to let your dog run up to them. if he -or anyone else- ever beat on my dog i would kick his ass up and down the street twice. he sounds like he’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

   Reply
   • Sydney says:

     September 2, 2009 at 7:23 pm

     I think he and Christian Bale should take anger management classes together.

     Reply