Overview
- The couple’s rescue dog Bella, brought from a Romanian kill shelter, was handed back to the Tierschutzverein after roughly two weeks in Fella’s home, a development first reported on Tuesday and announced by Fella on Instagram.
- Fella told media he returned Bella because she was “much too wild,” saying a later check suggested Terrier and Poodle traits rather than the Malteser he expected and that the dog’s behavior—jumping and frequent barking—did not fit his household.
- Fella and his husband cited personal limits as factors, with Fella noting he is still recovering from a serious thrombosis and his husband saying work travel left them unable to meet Bella’s needs.
- Many followers and animal advocates criticized the quick return, arguing that rescue dogs often need more than two weeks to settle and that public figures have added responsibility when rehoming vulnerable animals.
- Shelter staff reportedly accepted the return without issue and at least one other family has expressed interest in rehoming Bella, while Fella says he will not get a dog for the foreseeable future.