In Australia, Johnny Depp told his dogs must 'bugger off' home to US or be put down

Australia's farm minister has given Johnny Depp two days to get his pet dogs to "bugger off" home to the US so they can go through quarantine properly, or face having them put down.

Depp, 51, is in Australia to film the fifth of his blockbuster Pirates movies, "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales".

Last month, he flew in his Yorkshire terriers, Pistol and Boo, on his private jet, without declaring them to customs.

Depp cannot sidestep Australia's tough animal import laws just because he is one of the world's most famous stars, Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce said on 14 May.

"Mr Depp has to either take his dogs back to California or we're going to have to euthanise them," Joyce told media. "He's now got about 50 hours left to remove the dogs. He can put them on the same charter jet."

An online petition to save the "cute dogs" had received more than 1,300 signatories by midday on Thursday 14 May.

"Have a heart Barnaby! Don't kill these cute puppies," it appealed.

But Joyce said: "If we start letting movie stars even though they've been the 'sexiest man alive' twice to come into our nation, then why don't we just break the laws for everybody?

"It's time that Pistol and Boo buggered off back to the United States."

Goverment officials went to Depp's rented house following a tip-off after the dogs were seen on the way to a grooming salon, Australian Broadcasting Corp reported.

The incident highlights tough biosecurity laws in Australia, which has had no reported cases of canine-borne disease rabies. But it may threaten the future of the $250m (£160m) production.

The Walt Disney Company (Australia), the Australian arm of the company co-producing the movie with Jerry Bruckheimer Films, did not answer a telephone call to seek comment.

Lynne Benzie, the president of Village Roadshow Studios, where the movie is being filmed, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Filming of the latest installment of the $3.7bn box office franchise started in February but was interrupted a month later, when Depp flew back to the United States for treatment of a hand injury. He broke the animal import laws on his return, Joyce said.