As Australia's koala population faces extinction across large parts of the country, it wasn't the best idea for Katy Perry to instruct her pet dog Nugget to "go chase" the much-loved marsupials in an advertisement for her tour Down Under.
The 32-year-old singer has been launching a series of online promotions to give fans a chance to win tickets to her Australian tour next year in partnership with the Australian department store chain, Myer.
At the end of one of the clips, Perry says to her dog, "Okay Nugget, it's time to get your puppy passport. Let's go chase some koalas, Nugget."
Queensland wildlife vet Claire Madden responded to say she was "sickened" by Perry's "offensive comments," before challenging the star to come and see the koalas which have been horrifically attacked by dogs.
"This is just absolute ignorance from Perry and Myer, and inappropriate on so many levels," Madden told The Courier Mail.
"Perry is a role model to so many young people, and this just destroys all the good work we do to try to encourage people not to let their dogs come into contact with koalas."
She then went on to post on social media: "Katy Perry I challenge you to come and spend a day with me (a wildlife vet) and learn first hand why your comment should NOT be streamed across the nation.
"Koalas attacked by dogs is one of their biggest threats and primary reasons for presenting to wildlife hospitals across Australia.
"Come visit me and you will quickly learn how adorable and precious our koalas are and how undeserving your comment is."
Around 110 koalas are attacked and killed by dogs each year in the state of Queensland alone, and according to the Australian Koala Foundation, there are fewer than 100,000 koalas left in the wild, but that number could be as low as 43,000.
Myer has since released a statement to say they are working to remove the comments, with a spokesperson for the company adding: "We are aware of comments in relation to Katy Perry's Witness: The Tour advertisement and a particular reference made to koalas.
"We are currently removing the material which references koalas."
Naomi Gordon is news writer mainly covering entertainment news with a focus on celebrity interviews and television.
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