There’s a new pup in politics. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recently introduced the world to her freshly acquired French bulldog via Instagram. He is called Deco, after the art deco movement, and he’s very cute. He has also proved very controversial. The congresswoman’s apparent decision to purchase a purebred puppy instead of adopting a rescue dog has set tongues wagging and prompted a condemnation from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta).

“AOC had a chance to set a compassionate, responsible example in the face of the homeless-animal crisis, but instead, she apparently inadvertently contributed to the problem,” the animal rights group said in a press release. It further noted that “French bulldogs are inbred in order to produce ‘breed-specific traits’, which cause health problems that many people who will be influenced by [AOC’s] purchase won’t be able to afford to address.”

Peta can be an insufferable attention-seeker but I’m with it when it comes to this issue. Ocasio-Cortez has more than 10m followers across Twitter and Instagram; she is highly influential and a role model to many. It is disappointing that she appears to have purchased a dog, when there are so many rescue dogs waiting for homes. I say “appears”, by the way, because Ocasio-Cortez hasn’t clarified how she acquired the pup, despite having been asked multiple times. So it is possible he is a rescue – although I’ve got a feeling that AOC, who is fond of a teachable moment, would have let people know this upfront.

Wherever little Deco comes from, there is also the fact that he’s a French bulldog. Frenchies have soared in popularity in recent years – in part, because they have become a celebrity favourite. However, as Peta notes, they have been bred to be cute, not healthy, and are prone to serious breathing issues that many owners aren’t fully prepared, or financially able, to handle. Dogs are major responsibilities, not cute accessories, and it will be a shame if AOC’s new pup prompts people to buy Frenchies they can’t look after. Having said all that, I would like to clarify that I still think Deco is a very good boy.