Following charges by Australian authorities that actress Amber Heard, who is the wife of actor Johnny Depp, breached the country’s biosecurity laws when she allegedly imported her and Johnny’s Yorkshire terriers–Boo and Pistol–into the country with false documents, the actress has stated that she intends on entering a plea of not guilty.
In a statement released by her lawyer, Heard stated that she “would like to say that” she respects “the importance” of the country’s laws and that her “decision to defend these charges, as will become apparent in the appropriate forum of the Court, is not intended in any way to diminish the importance of Australia’s laws.”
Whilst I am unable to comment on the specific matters before the Court I would like to say that I respect the importance of Australia’s laws (…) My decision to defend these charges, as will become apparent in the appropriate forum of the Court, is not intended in any way to diminish the importance of Australia’s laws.
Australian officials previously threatened to euthanize the couple’s dogs if they weren’t flown back to the United States within a couple of days — a threat made by the country’s minister of agriculture.
Australia’s allegations against Depp’s wife allege that she illegally imported her dogs into the country on a private jet with falsified documentation. The documentation, according to Voice of America, entails a single document provided by Heard to quarantine officials in the country.
If found guilty, Heard could be looking at prison time, up to 10 years. Not to mention fines levied by the court.
Australia’s quarantine regulations are intentionally strict as they aim to prevent the spread of diseases to its shores, diseases like rabies. Subsequently, the importation of pets into the country requires a minimum quarantine time of 10 days in addition to the filing of a permit application.
