Credit: Instagram
Raquel Leviss‘ mother, Laura, is speaking out about recent reports claiming the Vanderpump Rules cast member dropped her dog, Graham, off at an animal shelter.
After James Kennedy confirmed on Instagram that the pooch was back in his care, and it was alleged that Vanderpump Dogs had reunited the two of them after discovering Graham had been taken to a shelter, Laura insisted that she and Raquel did what they could to get help for the dog, even after he bit her finger so bad that she sustained nerve damage.
“Rachel put Graham into behavior classes after breaking up with James because he had bitten several people,” Laura told Entertainment Tonight on July 21. “When Rachel went into the mental health facility, she asked us to care for Graham as we have many times before. While caring for him, he bit me to the bone, causing severe damage. I saw two doctors for the wound that suggested he be euthanized, which we absolutely declined, and sought out the best rehabilitation center, California Doodle Rescue, that gave him a trainer with over 40 years of experience.”
After talking things over with Raquel, who remained at the treatment center for two months, Laura, who provided the outlet with a graphic image of her injury, said the two of them decided to take Graham to the California Doodle Rescue on May 20 so “he wasn’t alone.” But, after taking the dog to the trainer’s home, where they shared a “tearful goodbye,” Graham bit both the trainer and the trainer’s husband.
“They still worked with him more to get him to a place where he could be adopted. [But] he was placed with a new owner and was returned within three days after also biting her,” Laura continued. “The rescue then reached out to Lisa Vanderpump for financial assistance to hire a different trainer.”
At that point, Lisa offered to adopt Graham, and Vanderpump Dogs picked him up on July 13.
“California Doodle Rescue was told that Vanderpump Dogs would either rehabilitate him and place him in a good home or he could live on her property until his dying day. My daughter nor I ever dumped Graham and want nothing but the best for him,” Laura insisted.
Laura also shared a graphic photo of the injury she sustained to her finger with Entertainment Tonight.
As Pump Rules fans may recall, Raquel and James got Graham in 2018 but split three years later, at which point Raquel, whose parents had gifted her the dog, kept him as her own.
While the cast began production on the upcoming 11th season earlier this month, Raquel has not yet returned to filming. Instead, she’s been spending time in Arizona, where she was recently photographed in a “Be a Nice Person” hat.
Vanderpump Rules season 11 is expected to premiere on Bravo sometime later this year or early next year.