Kate Cassidy has addressed online accusations that she abandoned the dog she shared with her late boyfriend, Liam Payne. The influencer, 25, took to TikTok on Thursday to respond to trolls who questioned the care of their rescue dog, Nala.
Cassidy posted a video from the airport, stating she was "flying out of town for some peace of mind." This prompted some followers to question Nala's whereabouts, with comments including, "Leaving Nala alone again??" and "Always away, always having a sub owner for Nala, huh!"
Shutting down the speculation, Cassidy clarified that Nala was staying with a friend named Anna. "Nala is literally staying with Anna everyone plzzzz," she wrote in response to the comments. When asked how the dog was doing, she added, "She's so good she's with Anna."
Cassidy and Payne adopted Nala, a rescue dog, in mid-September 2024, just one month before Payne's death in October 2024. Payne, a singer from One Direction, died at the age of 31 after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Investigations found alcohol and cocaine in his system.
In related personal news, Cassidy recently revealed she is having a tattoo tribute to Payne removed from her hand. She shared a video on Instagram showing the "444" tattoo, which held significance as their "angel number," being lasered off her left hand. This comes 21 months after Payne's death. Cassidy stated she is removing tattoos that were "done poorly" and intends to have them redone later.
Cassidy has frequently shared tributes to Payne, often signing off with "444." She also previously shared a note from Payne expressing his desire to be engaged and married within a year, which he signed "Me and Kate to marry within a year/engaged and together forever 444."
Earlier in the month, Cassidy shared an emotional video on Instagram detailing her grief process, during which she read old love letters from Payne. She described finding comfort in rereading his letters, viewing them as messages from him "from heaven." She read one letter aloud, in which Payne expressed his support for her journey of self-discovery and offered encouragement, telling her, "You're not lost at all my love. You're taking the gorgeous road to finding yourself and I can't wait to be there for every speed bump, left and right turn and roundabout. I love you."
Fans responded with messages of support, encouraging her to cherish the letters and acknowledging the enduring nature of their connection.