Alyssa Farah Griffin’s affection for her dog Herbie led to an unusual hypothetical on The View. She said she would have breastfed him if necessary. Whoopi Goldberg had an immediate objection.
The exchange aired October 29 during a Hot Topics discussion about whether employees should receive maternity leave to care for a new puppy.
The panel was discussing a reported request from a woman seeking eight weeks of paid leave. According to the story, she did not plan to have children and wanted time off to look after a dog instead.
Griffin, 37, brought her experience as both a pet owner and a new mother to the conversation. She saw some similarities between the two responsibilities, although Goldberg challenged the comparison.
Goldberg Had a Warning About the Dog’s Teeth
Goldberg introduced breastfeeding as one reason raising a puppy should not be treated as equivalent to caring for a baby. “I would’ve if he needed it,” Griffin replied, according to Entertainment Weekly.
Goldberg imagined how quickly that willingness would disappear once the dog’s teeth became involved. She predicted Griffin would be demanding, “Come and get this damn dog.”
Griffin also explained why she felt puppy care had taught her something useful. Herbie had needed attention every two hours, frequent bathroom trips and extra care when he became sick. She described those demands as exhausting and said they had prepared her for aspects of motherhood she had not anticipated.
Her support for dogs has extended beyond conversations about Herbie. On June 15, The View celebrated her birthday with a segment featuring dogs available for adoption through Muddy Paws Rescue.
Haines and Griffin Put Paid Parental Leave First
Before the breastfeeding exchange, Sara Haines argued that paid family leave should be available to every parent before the discussion expanded to puppy care. She separately supported bereavement leave for people whose pets die.
Griffin also acknowledged the pain of losing a pet. She said she could potentially support leave for new pet owners if both parents first had access to full paid parental leave.
She Returned From Maternity Leave in April
Griffin and her husband, Justin Griffin, welcomed their first child, Justin Patrick Griffin Jr., on February 10. She returned to the panel April 13 after approximately two months of maternity leave.
During that appearance, she described how much motherhood had changed her outlook. As Us Weekly reported, she thanked her husband, nanny Maria and night nurse Teresa. “I could not be here today at work doing my job without them,” Griffin said.