James Kennedy Retains Custody of Dog Hippie, No Contact with Ex Raquel Leviss
James Kennedy opens up about adopting Raquel Leviss's dog, Graham Cracker, now known as Hippie, and the current state of their communication regarding custody Find out the latest on their relationship with their furry friend
James Kennedy and Ally Lewber, a family of five including three adorable fur babies, are currently enjoying a wonderful time together. In an exclusive interview with We at BravoCon on November 4th, James (31) and Ally (27) happily shared insights on how their dog Hippie has seamlessly settled into their home alongside their two cats.
"He's absolutely fantastic," James exclaimed, followed by Ally's admiration, "He's incredibly wonderful. I adore him. He's full of joy, and we even have a yard. He has been an extraordinary companion."
Since adopting the dog in the beginning of the summer, James disclosed to Us that he hasn't had any communication with his ex-partner Raquel Leviss, who was the previous owner of Hippie.
Vanderpump Rules viewers were first introduced to Hippie, originally named Graham Cracker. Hippie became a part of James and Raquel’s lives during their relationship, as Raquel's parents gifted her the pet. Even after Raquel broke off her engagement to James in late 2021, she continued to be Hippie's primary caretaker.
Raquel Leviss made headlines earlier this year after engaging in an affair with her costar, Tom Sandoval. This affair put an end to his nearly ten-year relationship with Ariana Madix. In the aftermath of the dramatic situation, Raquel took the step to check herself into a mental health facility. Many fans speculated that Raquel's dog was being cared for by her family during her 90-day stay, but James Kennedy later disclosed that he was the one looking after Graham.
James Kennedy and Raquel Leviss Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images
James, in a July Instagram photo during the filming of season 11, expressed his joy at the return of his beloved dog and vowed to care for him indefinitely. He also announced that he had given the dog a new name, Hippie. Lisa Vanderpump countered this claim by stating that her Vanderpump Dogs Rescue organization had received information that the dog was at a rescue center, which allowed James to regain custody. However, Raquel's mother, Laura, clarified that a specific incident led to the decision to hand over the dog to trainers at California Doodle Rescue. Without Laura's knowledge or consent, they subsequently reached out to Lisa, 63.
One month later, Raquel revealed her perspective on the events that led to Graham being rehomed.
"In all honesty, there is much more to this story, particularly regarding Graham's behavior. He has shown a consistent pattern of aggression and even inflicted severe bites on me. Prior to entering the Meadows mental health facility, I had been contemplating finding a foster family for Graham to see if it would be a better fit," she shared during her appearance on Bethenny Frankel's "ReWives" podcast on iHeartRadio in August.
According to Raquel, she had a specific reason for not wanting James to take care of the dog. She stated that James lacked experience with dogs and was partly responsible for Graham's biting behavior. She claimed that James encouraged Graham to bite his hands forcefully because he enjoyed the sensation, ultimately causing Graham to become a biter. Raquel asserted that she only decided to find a new home for Graham after exploring all other possibilities.
Graham, my dog, severely bit my mom's hand, causing such a deep wound that stitches were not even an option. Faced with a difficult decision, I had to choose between leaving the Meadows to take care of my dog or finding him a new home so that I could continue my treatment. I knew there were still things I needed to work on, so I chose to prioritize myself. After conducting research, we came across a breed-specific dog rescue that agreed to take in Graham despite his history of biting. Unfortunately, finding him a new home proved to be unsuccessful.
To her surprise, the former reality star, who has recently announced her departure from Vanderpump Rules, learned that Lisa had become involved in the process of rehoming Graham.
Courtesy of James Kennedy/Instagram
She stated at the time that "It was intended to be a private, undisclosed [decision] as it is no one else's concern." "Initially, I brushed it off as a prank [when I saw Graham with James]. My heart sank. There was an image of James strolling with Graham and I thought, 'No.' Immediately, my mother contacted the foster caregiver who was handling Graham and they confirmed, 'Oh, it's wonderful. Lisa has adopted him.' Consequently, the narrative has been distorted to suggest that I abandoned my dog at a shelter and he was only hours away from being euthanized, which is completely false."
Raquel has stepped away from filming, while James has embraced the spotlight following the completion of season 11. After participating in the Vanderpump Rules panel at BravoCon on Friday, November 3, James shared that the atmosphere was quite intense. He humorously remarked that Sandoval did not seem to enjoy himself on stage, while he had a great time. Despite the intensity, James acknowledged that there were some amusing moments and they all managed to get through it.
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
