Jennifer Lawrence Admits She Rehomed Her Beloved Dog After Her Son Was Bitten

Jennifer Lawrence has always been known for her unfiltered honesty and relatable approach to celebrity life, and her latest revelation about motherhood is no exception. During a recent Q&A session in New York City while promoting her new film, the Oscar-winning actress opened up about a difficult decision many parents face but few discuss publicly. She revealed that she had to rehome her longtime canine companion, a Chihuahua named Princess Pippi Longstocking, after the birth of her children changed her perspective on pet ownership entirely.

Speaking candidly to the audience at the 92nd Street Y, Lawrence explained that the shift in her feelings toward dogs was sudden and intense. The actress, who welcomed her first son Cy with husband Cooke Maroney in 2022 and a second son in late 2024, admitted that her maternal instincts kicked in so fiercely that her beloved pet suddenly felt like a danger. She described the transition as a complete rewiring of her brain, where the animals she once adored suddenly appeared to her as unpredictable threats to her vulnerable infants.

The situation escalated from general anxiety to a specific incident that sealed the decision. Lawrence recounted a frightening moment when a dog actually bit her son, Cy. While she didn’t specify if it was Pippi or another dog that caused the injury, the event traumatized her enough to change her entire outlook on having dogs around young children. She joked in her signature dark humor that the incident made her want to “obliterate” every dog she saw, describing a fierce, protective rage that any parent who has seen their child hurt can likely understand.

Fortunately, the story has a happy ending for Pippi. Lawrence assured the crowd that the dog was not sent to a shelter but is “alive and well” living with her parents. This arrangement allows the dog to stay within the extended family while removing the daily stress from Lawrence’s household. She also noted that the dog, whom she adopted in 2017, never really enjoyed the hustle and bustle of New York City life anyway. Despite Lawrence moving to an apartment near Central Park specifically to accommodate the dog’s needs, the environment was never quite right for the small pooch, making the move to her parents’ home a better situation for everyone involved.

In the absence of a dog, the Lawrence-Maroney household hasn’t gone completely pet-free. The actress revealed that she has pivoted to being a “cat person” and now owns a cat named Fred. She spoke affectionately, if hilariously, about the feline, praising the species for their aloof and somewhat rude behavior. According to Lawrence, the fact that cats are “misunderstood a–holes” is exactly what makes them so funny and manageable compared to the high-energy demands and potential unpredictability of dogs.

This honest admission comes as Lawrence is in the midst of a busy press tour for her latest project, Die, My Love. The film marks a return to serious, gritty drama for the actress, who took a brief detour into broad comedy with 2023’s No Hard Feelings. Directed by the acclaimed Lynne Ramsay, Die, My Love is a psychological drama set in rural America, where Lawrence plays a mother struggling to maintain her sanity while battling severe postpartum depression and psychosis. The role is described as intense and harrowing, a far cry from the lighthearted soundbites she often gives in interviews.

Starring alongside Lawrence in the film is Robert Pattinson, who plays her husband. The pairing of these two major Hollywood stars has generated significant buzz, with critics already praising their chemistry and the raw intensity of their performances. The film delves deep into the darker sides of parenthood and marriage, themes that seem to resonate with Lawrence’s current life stage, albeit in a much more dramatic and fictionalized way than her real-life dog dilemma.

Beyond Die, My Love, Lawrence has a packed schedule that signals a full-force return to Hollywood dominance after her brief semi-hiatus to start a family. She is attached to produce and star in The Wives, a murder-mystery project co-produced by Apple Original Films and A24. The film is said to be inspired by the Real Housewives reality franchise, promising a mix of high drama, camp, and suspense that fits perfectly with Lawrence’s love for reality TV.

Additionally, there is significant chatter about her potential involvement in the expanding Hunger Games universe. With the announcement of the new prequel film, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, set for release later this year, rumors have been swirling that Lawrence might make a cameo appearance as Katniss Everdeen, possibly in a flash-forward sequence. While nothing has been officially confirmed by the studio, the possibility of her returning to the franchise that made her a global superstar has fans on high alert.

She is also set to star in Why Don’t You Love Me?, another A24 comedy based on a graphic novel, which explores a marriage falling apart in a surreal, humorous way. It appears that Lawrence is carefully curating a mix of prestige dramas and dark comedies that allow her to flex different acting muscles while also producing content through her company, Excellent Cadaver. Her production company has been quietly building an impressive resume, having already backed the PTSD drama Causeway, in which she also starred.

Jennifer Lawrence continues to navigate her career with the same blend of strategic choice and spontaneous authenticity that has defined her since her breakout role in Winter’s Bone. Whether she is winning Oscars, tripping on red carpets, or admitting that her kids made her afraid of dogs, she remains one of the most compelling figures in the entertainment industry. Her ability to pivot from discussing the intense psychological depths of her characters to cracking jokes about her cat Fred is exactly why audiences remain so invested in her journey.

As she balances raising two young sons with a demanding career, it is clear that her priorities have shifted, but her star power has not dimmed. The decision to rehome Pippi might have been a tough one, but it reflects the pragmatic and protective choices parents often have to make behind closed doors.

Have you ever had to make the difficult choice to rehome a beloved pet for the safety or sanity of your family after having children? Tell us your story in the comments.