Amber Heard avoids facing additional charges in the ‘dog case.’
Australian authorities have chosen not to pursue a case against American actress Amber Heard regarding allegations of providing false information while explaining in court how her two Yorkshire terriers illegally entered the country almost a decade ago, violating strict biosecurity regulations.
In an announcement on Tuesday, Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry revealed that they would not be pursuing legal action against Amber Heard over the accusations related to her conviction for the unlawful importation of two dogs into Australia in 2015. The decision was made by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions after reviewing the available evidence.
The ‘dog case’ originated in May 2015 when Amber Heard and her then-husband, Hollywood star Johnny Depp, brought their two Yorkshire terriers, Pistol and Boo, into Australia while Depp was filming the fifth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. The dogs arrived on the couple’s private jet and did not undergo the mandatory ten-day quarantine. Authorities became aware of the breach when a local groomer shared pictures of the pets on social media.
Amber Heard pleaded guilty to falsifying travel documents, with her lawyer arguing that she had not intended to deceive by failing to declare the dogs, as she believed her assistants had taken care of all necessary paperwork. At that time, the more serious charges related to illegal importation, which carry substantial prison sentences, were dropped.
However, in 2020, during another lawsuit, a former employee of Johnny Depp, Kevin Murphy, testified in a London court, alleging that Heard had been repeatedly warned that she could not bring the dogs to Australia without complying with strict rules. These allegations prompted an investigation by Australian authorities into a possible perjury offense by Amber Heard.
The 37-year-old actress has now avoided becoming entangled in another legal case following a lengthy legal battle with her ex-husband Johnny Depp. During their divorce proceedings in 2016, Heard accused Depp of domestic abuse, leading to both actors suing each other for defamation. In 2022, a Virginia jury ruled in favor of Johnny Depp, with much of Heard’s lawsuit being dismissed.