Often-troubled “Teen Mom 2” star Jenelle Evans said she was shocked and saddened that she was fired from the MTV reality program after husband David Eason killed the family dog at their North Carolina home.
Some media reports said Eason, 30, savagely beat the French bulldog, Nugget, before fatally shooting him earlier this month after Eason said the dog snapped at Ensley, his 2-year-old daughter with Evans.
Evans, 27, posted a heartfelt farewell to her “sidekick” Nugget and said she was “crying every day.” But she told Us Weekly that she is now “working on her marriage” with Eason.
She called her firing “shocking ... but I respect their decision and have nothing but love for MTV,” she told the magazine in an interview published Wednesday.
Her management team issued a statement to People magazine saying that Evans is “appreciative of the opportunity MTV have given her and her family for the last 10 years. It is sad to part ways in this matter but this isn’t the end of Jenelle Evans or her family.”
MTV said in a statement Tuesday that the network “ended its relationship with David Eason over a year ago in February 2018 and has not filmed any new episodes of ’Teen Mom 2′ with him since. Additionally, we have stopped filming with Jenelle Eason as of April 6, 2019 and have no plans to cover her story in the upcoming season.”
Eason was initially cut from shooting following homophobic tweets.
Fans and Evans’ mother have expressed fears that Eason has abused the “Teen Mom.” Evans has called 911 to report abuse — but later changed her story and said there was a misunderstanding. Evans has referred to Eason’s use of guns for target practice at home. Evans herself was harshly criticized last year after pulling a gun out from under her seat in the family car on film during a road rage incident as she traveled with her 8-year-old son, Jace.
Eason confirmed that he killed Nugget in an Instagram post Tuesday that included a video showing the dog snapping at Ensley, which was later removed. A close-up photo of Ensley’s face later showed a red mark on her cheek but no broken skin.
“I dont give a damn what animal bites my baby on the face… whether it be your dog or mine, a dog is a dog and I dont put up with that s—t at all,” he wrote. “I’m all about protecting my family, it is my lifes mission. Some people are worth killing or dying for and my family means that much to me.”
Eason’s daughter Maryssa with another woman, and Evans’ son with another man, Kaiser, also live with the couple. Some media reports said police had been called to do a child welfare check after the dog was shot and that an animal cruelty investigation was ongoing.
Eason has also posted photos of himself with Nugget in the past.
Evans has appeared on “Teen Mom 2” since the beginning of the series in 2011.
Many of her cast mates were happy she was fired, though the father of another of the “Teen Mom 2” mothers said he was afraid for Evans’ and her children’s safety.