Paris Hilton’s Pets: Hotel Heiress Invites Celebuzz Into Her Home, Shows Off Menagerie (EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS)

Posted June 29, 2012, 9:30 am   •   by Dylan Howard   •   32 comments

Paris Hilton is a lot of things -- an heiress, a reality television star, fashion designer, business mogul and, most recently, a DJ -- but at heart she is just an animal lover.

With a large menagerie, Hilton has her hands full.

With everything from a pig to a sugar glider and even a miniature pony, the 31-year-old has turned her multi-million dollar Mulholland Estate mansion in Sherman Oaks, Calif. into a modern day Noah's Ark.

So why so many animals? Hilton went one-on-one with Celebuzz to talk about the pets she calls her "children".

Celebuzz: Have you always loved animals or was it a recent phenomenon?

Paris Hilton: I have always been a huge animal lover ever since I was a little girl. My Dad grew up with tons of exotic pets, I get my love of animals from him.

CB: Tell us about your menagerie.

PH: I love my pets like they are my own children. They are all so special to me. I adopted a few of my dogs from an animal shelter, it feels so good to know I saved their lives. It breaks my heart every time I volunteer at the animal shelter, it is so sad how many animals they have to put down per day.

CB: Do you have a favorite pet -- and why?

PH: I can’t pick a favorite pet, that is like picking a favorite child. They are my pride and joy, each of them for a different reason, so they are each special to me in their own way.

CB: Why do you have so many?

PH: If I could have more I would! I love animals and I think every animal deserves a good home. I am able to provide a good home for them with enough space to run around, take care all of them, and each can be spoiled equally. I think if anyone can have pets then they should. There are so many pets without homes, I just want to give a home to as many as I can!

CB: Is it tough to care for them all?

PH: It is tough but it is harder on me when I am traveling for business, because “caring” means also giving them your love and attention. I feel bad when I can only take one or two with me -- I miss them so much when I am gone. But I make sure that they are always looked after 24 hours a day. So my pets never feel alone and are always happy.

CB: Your dogs live in a dog house, but it's not like most kennels. Describe it?

PH: As I said, my pets are like my children, so they are very spoiled. I had a mini dog mansion built in my backyard, it looks like a replica of my house, but the mini version. It has electricity, lighting, heat and air conditioning. It's two stories with a beautiful stair well with crown moldings and gorgeous furniture and even their own closet. It's so cute. I love hanging out with them in there.

CB: Why a pig?

PH: I've had Princess Piglet for almost three years now. I always read about George Clooney loving his pet pig so much and what an amazing pet it was to him. Then my brother Barron bought one and I went and visited her and fell in love. So I just had to have one, they really do make great pets -- they are very intelligent animals.

CB: Celebuzz heard you bought several feeder bunnies from a pet store after you found out that someone was going to be feed them to a snake. What happened?

PH: I was at a pet store and there were all these sweet little innocent bunnies in a cage and some random guy in the store was laughing about how he loves watching his snake eat them. So I went and bought every single one.

CB: On The Simple Life, you had Tinkerbell, the famous Chihuahua, as your constant companion. Where is she now?

PH: She lives with my mom part time, since I travel so much. Plus Tinks is very jealous of my other dogs. My mom spoils her so much and treats her like her baby.

CB: Do you plan on adding to your pet family in the future?

PH: I don’t know if I plan on it, but I am sure I will. Every time I visit the animal shelters, it is hard to not want to take some of them home.

Check out the gallery of Paris Hilton's pets. Which one would you like to take home?