People are not cool with Katy Perry's Australian ad

Don't mess with the koalas, Katy Perry.

The pop star faced criticism for telling her pet dog Nugget "let's go chase some koalas" in an ad for Australian department store chain Myer.

But one veterinarian wasn't cool with the koala, saying it reverses efforts to stop dogs coming into contact with the marsupial.

"Perry is a role model to so many young people, and this just destroys all the good work we do to try to encourage people not to let their dogs come into contact with koalas," Queensland vet Claire Madden told the Courier Mail.

Australia's koala population is in decline, with its numbers estimated to have dipped below 80,000 according to the Australian Koala Foundation.

The drop in populations is largely due to vehicle strikes and habitat loss, according to Queensland's Department of Environment, but koalas also find themselves attacked by other animals.

Dogs attack and kill on average 110 koalas a year in Queensland, making it the most third common cause of death.

A Myer spokesperson told the newspaper it would amend the commercial in light of the criticism.

"We are aware of comments in relation to Katy Perry’s Witness: The Tour advertisement and a particular reference made to koalas. We are currently removing the material which references koalas," the spokesperson said.