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Lena Dunham’s Defenders Offer Conflicting Accounts, Say She Was A Good Dog Owner

Shannon Carlin
July 9, 2017, 8:30 PM
Photo: Karwai Tang/WireImage.
What happened to Lamby? The question Lena Dunham addressed last month on Instagram after followers started noticing they saw less and less of her beloved rescue dog has become quite the tangled web.
She revealed she had to re-home Lamby last March because of "challenging behavior and aggression that could not be treated with training or medication or consistent loving dog ownership."
Dunham's admission that she had brought Lamby to Zen Dog, a canine rehabilitation center in Los Angeles, led to criticism and allegations that she was a bad dog owner. Robert Vazquez, a spokesman for Brooklyn's BARC no-kill animal shelter where Dunham adopted Lamby, told Yahoo Style that the pup was never abused. "It's just hard to believe the dog was nasty when she took Lamby to every green room with her when Girls was still a thing four years ago," he said. Now friends, journalists in the know, and Lamby's current landlord have come to her defense.
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Yesterday, journalist Taffy Akner tweeted that Dunham was a good dog owner and gave some substantial evidence as to how she knew that. "To those asking about how I could possibly know that Lena Dunham was a good dog owner, please witness my only-ever Marshall McLuhan moment," she tweeted. "My sister was her vet." Cue the gasps.
Ackner revealed that her sister Tracy Akner was hired to "treat the dog's aggression. She made house calls. She saw the damage. You're all idiots for what you did to her yesterday."
For those who question how the shelter didn't know Lamby had behavioral problems before letting Dunham adopt the dog, Akner tweeted that according to her sister "A shelter doesn't see the aggression. It only happens when the owner brings the animal home" and that this actually happens a lot.
Sia also tweeted her support, writing, "I'll say I watched her pour her heart and soul into lamby, and she did the right thing! Lamby is so happy now!"
Dunham's boyfriend Jack Antonoff weighed in on the Lamby debacle tweeting, "Nobody on earth cares for or loved lamby more than Lena. After her bit her father and her twice, we found a trainer who deals with aggressive dogs who he now lives happily with."
Those looking for proof can look to Lamby's new owner Dani Shay, who thanked Dunham on Instagram for being a "dedicated parent/angel to him." She also mentioned that Lamby still "drink[s] from 'the golden tap' now and then, but that's our weird little boy!"
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Shay said she had also had to re-home a pet of hers, a pitbull named Honey, and had hesitated to talk about it, concerned how people would judge her. She spoke out, though, because she wanted others to know that Lamby is in good hands. "So thanks again for sharing Lamby with me," Shay wrote. "And being his first home out of the shelter. He is loved, learning new things, and cracking me and my friends up all the time. I adore him."

Hi, @lenadunham. Lamby says "Hello!" and "Boww, bow!!" to you, @jackantonoff, and the entire @Matt_THEZENDOG Team. Thank you Lena, for rescuing Lamby and being a dedicated parent/angel to him. I'm sure you know how much he loves and appreciates you. And yes, it's true, he does still drink from "the golden tap" now and then, but that's our weird little boy! He's working on it. :) We practice everything he learned at #THEZENDOG, plus swimming and fetch, on a regular basis. Like you, I've hesitated to talk about my experiences with re-homing. I know firsthand how painful it is to let go of a pet, or to have to change course, especially after bonding and working so hard with them. When Ali and I decided to part ways, and she moved back to NY to be on Broadway, we had to consider what would be best for Honey, our sweet pit bull. We discussed options at great length. Even though it hurt to imagine someone else having Honey, we agreed that, for many reasons, she would be happiest and most supported if we found her a new home. We hoped it would be with someone we knew and trusted. Coincidentally and very luckily, my good friend @stefanie_paulette was looking to adopt a female pit (specifically!), around that time. Now Honey lives in Colorado, where she frequents grassy fields with other big playful dogs. We got to be with her when she was healing from surgery, and helped her into the next chapter of her life. I guess what I'm saying is, it's a gift to care for an animal, at any capacity. They feel our hearts' intention to love them, even when changes are needed, and they love us back. They can often thrive in new homes, if the transition is executed thoughtfully and responsibly by everyone involved. So thanks again for sharing Lamby with me, and being his first home out of the shelter. He is loved, learning new things, and cracking me and my friends up all the time. I adore him. Love, Lamby's Other Parent, Dani

A post shared by Dani Shay (@therealdanishay) on

Dunham, who now has two poodles, Karen and Susan, has also defended herself against BARC's claims. She wrote on Instagram last week, "While I'm sorry to have disappointed them, I can't apologize. Lamby was and is one of the great loves of my life. When I met him I knew we'd have an amazing journey. But his aggression — which was unpredictable — and his particular issues, which remain myriad, weren't manageable, at least not by me."
Dunham said she did what "any mother would do" and found a good home for her dog. She then asked anyone criticizing her decision to "imagine the incredible pain of letting go of your favorite creature on EARTH because you know you can't help them be healthy and happy."
As a final note, she wrote, "I know I'm a lot of fun to place your issues on, but I won't let anyone hang their hat on this peg. Not this time."

It's come to my attention that the staff at the shelter where I adopted Lamby have a very different account of his early life and behavioral issues than I do. While I'm sorry to have disappointed them, I can't apologize. Lamby was and is one of the great loves of my life. When I met him I knew we'd have an amazing journey. But his aggression - which was unpredictable- and his particular issues, which remain myriad, weren't manageable, at least not by me. I did what I thought the best mother would do, which was to give him a life that provided for his specific needs. He'd been with me for nearly four years and I was his mom- I was in the best position to discern what those needs were. After countless hours of training, endless financial support and a lot of tears he was given access to a better life. I still support him financially and I'll always be there for him in every way but he's notably happier in his new surroundings. Why should this story be subject to scrutiny and anger? It is willfully misunderstanding the truth. I hope those judging can imagine the incredible pain of letting go of your favorite creature on EARTH because you know you can't help them be healthy and happy. I would never say an unkind word about the staff of BARC, what they do is amazing and life saving for these animals- but we have different accounts of Lamby's behavior and they were not present in my home nor did they live with him for an extended period. They did not witness the consistent and responsible care I provided. I have weathered a lot of micro-scandals but this one hurts MOST, because of the vulnerability of letting people know Lamby and my story, and because I miss him so damn much. This is the painting that greets me every day when I walk into my home. This is the animal who taught me about loving and letting go. I know I'm a lot of fun to place your issues on, but I won't let anyone hang their hat on this peg. Not this time.

A post shared by Lena Dunham (@lenadunham) on

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