Pets

Courteney Cox is filled with gratitude and can't stop thanking the photographer who ran out onto treacherous Pacific Coast Highway and saved her 2 pooches.

Courteney was leaving Giorgio Baldi restaurant Thursday night in Santa Monica and ran into the photog who scooped up her 2 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels after they bolted from her Malibu mansion onto the PCH.

Mind you ... Courteney profusely thanked the photog Wednesday after he handed off the dogs to her, but the appreciation was in full bloom at Giorgio Baldi. Matter of fact -- watch the video closely -- she definitely hands him something that seems to be a cash reward.

The photog is really gracious ... making it clear he didn't want anything in return for saving her dogs -- not even a photo.

Courteney Cox's dogs got loose and darted into traffic, and despite her efforts to save them ... it was a good Samaritan who came to the rescue.

The "Friends" star was desperately trying to chase down her 2 beloved pups on treacherous Pacific Coast Highway Wednesday after they ran off from her nearby Malibu mansion ... and she couldn't keep them from running into a very dangerous situation.

Fortunately for Courteney, a quick-thinking paparazzo driving by saw the dogs and pulled over, jumped out of his car to stop traffic ... and managed to scoop up both little pooches before they got hurt.

Much of the dramatic scene -- in the L.A. rain, no less -- was captured by the guy's dashcam.

We're told when he returned the dogs to Cox, she thanked him profusely and told him, "You saved my dogs' lives!"

Ariana Grande says she's having trouble breathing and it's hard to swallow ... so ya gotta imagine going on a stroll with temperatures in the 30s is NOT what the doctor ordered.

The pop sensation and her pit-mix pooch, Myron, went for a walk Monday night in NYC. It's been raining there and temperatures last night dipped pretty low ... especially when the wind chill kicked in.

That didn't stop Ariana ... who was bundled up and, in all honesty, an incredible sight for sore eyes even in a puffy jacket and sweats. Myron, who as you know was Mac Miller's adopted dog, also shined while in the holiday spirit.

Ariana over the weekend had said she's dealing with a bad sinus infection and feared it may lead her to cancel some shows. She updated her fans Sunday on Instagram and said she woke up even worse, which forced her to cancel her show that night in Lexington, Kentucky.

But, maybe -- just MAYBE -- she's suddenly gotten much better. Ariana tweeted early Tuesday morning, "y'all make me so happy tf. love u. see u tonight," which sounds a lot like she's ready to return the stage. She's scheduled to perform Tuesday night in the ATL.

A giraffe at the Cincinnati Zoo has died after what appears to be a bad reaction to a recent surgery done on its hooves ... which was supposed to mitigate a major health issue.

The zoo says that the male giraffe, named Kimba, passed away Sunday after it had collapsed to the ground early that morning in the zoo's giraffe barn -- where the staff had been monitoring a pregnant female giraffe who's supposed to go into labor any day now.

It's unclear how exactly the giraffe ended up dying -- the Cincinnati Zoo says they're awaiting the results of a necropsy to learn more about what exactly happened -- but they note that Kimba had been dealing with complications from a surgery he had done on his hooves last week. The photo above shows Kimba getting that work done by a team of specialists.

The surgery was meant to help Kimba fight off chronic lameness in his legs -- something the zoo says he'd been experiencing since last summer ... which was causing mobility issues.

The surgery was basically a hoof trim, and based on what the doc told them ... it was supposed to make him "sound" again -- but unfortunately, it sounds like it didn't take. Kimba was 12 years old, and had sired 6 calves, including a 7th on the way now.

Of course, this is the same place where Harambe the gorilla was shot and killed a few years ago after a child fell into his cage and got dragged around by the animal.

Sad news all around.

The rescue puppy with the tail-like growth coming out of his head is catching the attention of scammers looking to steal money from folks who want to help with his mounting medical bills.

Rochelle Steffen, the founder of the shelter who rescued the cute little pup, tells TMZ ... ever since Narwhal went viral, the shelter's noticed tons of fake accounts popping up on social media, ran by scammers asking people for donations. She says she's already been made aware of several scams, reporting them to Facebook and Instagram to get them shut down.

To make it easier for folks to get involved, Mac's Mission Animal Rescue in Jackson, Missouri -- where Narwhal is awaiting adoption -- set up an official donation link on its Facebook page, and it's already raised $1,950. Narwhals medical care is pretty much taken care of, so the money will go towards other current or future rescues.

Rochelle also tells us people have already sent the shelter $4,000 directly through PayPal.

To be clear ... Rochelle says the shelter is NOT looking to profit off Narwhal. She says someone offered $7,000 for the pup, but the shelter turned it down. Rochelle says Narwhal is NOT for sale, he's just up for adoption, and the application fee is $150.

But, as we first reported ... the shelter's worried some folks applying to adopt Narwhal have the wrong motivations.

Aaron Carter's mom was caught on video brutally smacking one of his dogs ... and now the singer is at war with PETA.

Aaron is trading blows the animal org after it called out Aaron and his mother, saying, "Dogs are family -- not for IG likes. SLAPPING them or SELLING THEM for a profit when millions are homeless in shelters is cruelty."

The whole incident went down Wednesday night while Aaron was on Instagram Live as he and his mom were driving across the state. At one point, you can see the pug make its way onto the middle console from the back seat when, out of nowhere, Jane violently slaps the dog ... sending it to the backseat.

After PETA put Aaron on blast, the singer responded with an expletive-laced tirade saying, "My message is f*** you, PETA. F*** you, PETA. F*** you, PETA. Whoever is running your f***ing organizations and campaigns, you can f***ing suck my d***." Classy.

Aaron -- who was briefly hospitalized the day after the dog-slapping incident -- also threatened, "I'm gonna sue the s*** out of PETA. I'm gonna take htem for millions of dollars, and then I'm gonna give back money to a community that actually does help animals."

The rescue puppy with the tail growing out of his head will have to wait to find a forever home, because the shelter's worried some folks applying to adopt him might have the wrong motives.

As we reported ... the undeniably cute little dog named Narwhal is "a perfectly healthy puppy, with an extra tail on his face" who was rescued by Mac's Mission Animal Rescue in Jackson, Missouri. Naturally, he's gone viral due to his unique condition.

The shelter has received hundreds of adoption applications for Narwhal, but its founder, Rochelle Steffen, tells TMZ ... she's pumping the brakes for now. She says on Wednesday alone they got more than 100 applications, which is highly unusual because they are normally lucky to get one for a "special dog."

She tells us the shelter is nervous people may be wanting to adopt Narwhal for the wrong reasons -- for instance, fame and notoriety -- and not for love of a family pet. As a result, Rochelle says they're halting the application process for at least 2 months.

Rochelle says they've never had a dog like Narwhal, so they want to keep him and let him get bigger while they monitor the tail and make sure there are no negative health effects. If all's well in 2 months, they will put him back up for adoption, but she says they'll likely add a few questions to narrow down prospective candidates.

Rochelle adds, Narwhal's been checked by a vet and she's been told there is no reason to remove the tail -- it doesn't wag and has no bone structure -- so it would be a cosmetic surgery.

A poor pup was violently launched across a room by her neck by an irate employee and landed on her head on a concrete floor ... and the disgusting incident was caught on video.

The vid shows several dogs running around and barking in the Bark n' Bitches Dog Boutique in L.A. when it appears one dog begins to play a little too aggressively with a smaller dog.

That's when the worker steps in and viciously grabs the larger dog by the neck, picks her up high and tosses her several feet ... to the shock and horror of others in the store.

After the throw, a sickening thud is heard as the dog hits the ground. The sound is the dog's head hitting the floor ... according to the person who first posted the video on Twitch.

Some of the people in the store go to check on the poor pooch afterward, as it hid under a nearby table.

Bark n' Bitches has responded to the horrific incident, saying ... "We will not tolerate this or any actions that put our rescues in harm's way. The appropriate actions are being taken. This is NOT what we stand for."

It added ... "The dog was playing and acting normal after this incident. She was taken to the vet and was cleared 100 percent."

The owner of the shop followed up by confirming the employee in the video has been fired and the dog is doing fine. The owner added the boutique has been in business for 14 years and "this is a first."

Hopefully, it's also a last.

No, this puppy did NOT come from the Chernobyl pound, but yes -- this is a tale of 2 tails ... including the one growing out of the doggo's forehead.

The little guy's name is Narwhal, and he's a recent rescue at Mac's Mission Animal Rescue in Jackson, Missouri. The founder of the joint, Rochelle Steffen, says prospective owners need not worry about Narwhal's extra appendage -- "He had x-rays and a vet visit (Tuesday) and is a perfectly healthy puppy, with an extra tail on his face."

She adds the foretail doesn't require surgery, and doesn't seem to be giving him any harm at the moment.

Rochelle says her staff found Narwhal -- a Dachshund and Beagle mix, they think -- recently at a dumpsite, and took him in to help find him a forever home.

It's unclear what the growth is exactly, but it's probably a mutation that occurred at birth.

Either way, Narwhal is just as rambunctious as any other puppy -- hide your shoes -- and doesn't seem too bent about being named after a whale that has a tusk growing out of its head.

Based on how lovable and unique he is, something tells us he'll be scooped up quickly.

Having a real-life buffalo as a mascot can be pretty freakin' cool ... that is, unless that mascot is actually TOO WILD to control and is forced into early retirement.

That's exactly what's happening to the Colorado University's beloved furry friend, Ralphie V, who's made her last run after 12 years of service due to "safety concerns" ... the school announced Tuesday.

If you haven't seen the tradition before, it's one of the dopest things in college football -- that is -- when Ralphie behaves.

According to athletic director Rick George, that hasn't been happening lately ... so CU decided to regroup and let 13-year-old Ralphie chill before she hurts someone.

"Ralphie V has served the department and the university well," the AD said. "She has been a very special buffalo and has truly been adored by many. We hope she lives for many years to come and look forward to finding her successor."

Ralphie V will be honored at the school's final home game ... when her "career" will be celebrated.

But, don't worry CU fans ... the 53-year-long tradition will be back next season with Ralphie VI ... and the school's already started interviewing potential replacements.

Lil Pump damn near became a snack for a slithering snake ... and it left him a bloody mess.

The rapper was shooting a music video Thursday night and the crew was handing off a snake to Lil Pump, who was sitting on some sort of stair-like throne. Then, it happened.

The snake, out of nowhere, whipped around and sunk its fangs into Pump's left hand. The scary moment was captured by podcast host Adam Grandmaison -- aka Adam22. You can see Pump flail as he extricates himself from the reptile. He then shows off the gnarly injury.

LP's left hand is covered in blood. And, if you look closely near the end of the vid ... it appears as if the snake's setting its sights on a second victim.

Good news for Lil Pump ... he doesn't seem that hurt, saying, "I just got bit by a snake WTF." He threw in a snake emoji on the caption and a few laughing ones before adding, "I can't f**k [with] no snakes. I hope I don't die."

Ever seen a Beluga whale play fetch in the open seas before???

Now ya have ... 'cause the Seattle Seawolves just posted video of the adorable mammal retrieving a rugby ball from deep in the ocean -- and it's incredible!!

The 74 seconds of awesome begins with some people on a boat pulling a ball out of the Beluga's mouth ... and then they hurl the sphere about 20 yards away.

That's when the whale swims out and grabs it ... AND THEN BRINGS IT BACK TO THE BOAT!!! It's seriously amazing.

Unclear why the guys decided to have the impromptu game of catch ... but the Seawolves were stoked to post the footage Thursday.

"Great to see a fellow marine mammal enjoying a bit of catch-pass with one of the @RugbyWorldCup balls!" the team wrote. "The #Beluga seems to prefer the offload instead of the spin pass."

FYI, the Seawolves' season starts in a few months -- which means there's definitely enough time to make a nickname change to the Belugas ...

The heroic dog that helped take down ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in Syria will not be awarded the Medal of Honor.

Conan the Dog rose to fame when President Trump tweeted a picture of the K9 used in the special ops mission. He even retweeted a doctored photo of Conan being decorated with the Medal of Honor. And, the dog is going to The White House next week, so it seemed a medal was in the offing.

A Dept. of Defense spokesperson tells TMZ, animals are not eligible to receive hardware like the Medal of Honor. So, the only perk the pooch might get is something from McDonalds.

Trump said Conan was injured during the raid, but it doesn't seem like it was that bad, because she was back on active duty a day or so later.

President Trump's got people scrambling to bring home a Belgian Malinois after praising the K9 that hunted down ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi ... and a breeder who supplies the dogs to the U.S. military say they're being flooded with calls from interested buyers.

Remember ... Conan is the Belgian Malinois being hailed an American hero for a stealth operation in Syria, and now she's heading to the White House to be honored by Trump.

Ruidoso Malinois is the kennel supplying U.S. Special Ops with dogs -- its the largest exclusive Malinois kennel in the country -- and owner Irene Howcroft tells us she's been flooded with calls from people looking to take home a Belgian Malinois.

Irene says the surge in interest comes on the heels of Trump introducing Conan to the world, and one man even offered her $85,000 for a Malinois. Irene, who has 73 dogs on-site, tells us she typically sells full-grown Malinois for between $16k and $25k, while puppies go for $2k.

Pups aren't the flavor of the month, though ... Irene says buyers are hitting her up for her biggest dogs.

No word if Conan O'Brien is among the interested parties.

The wildfires raging in California are forcing tons of farm animals to be packed up and moved to safety ... including a pig in a blanket who can play the piano.

Nearly 200 animals are being evacuated to Pierce College in Woodland Hills -- it has an agricultural program -- and the farm manager on campus, Marcie Sakadjian, tells us they've run out of room to keep the displaced critters.

Pierce College works in partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control ... the institution started taking in large animals evacuated from the Getty Fire earlier this week, and more started showing up today as a result of the Easy Fire in the Simi Valley.

We're told Pierce College is housing about 170 animals on its 30-acre farm -- mostly horses in addition to goats, alpacas and a pig who arrived with a blanket and a piano. Seriously.

The piano-playing pig, Romeo, is a 15-year-old potbelly and his owner tells us he can also play the tambourine. We're told Romeo's been lifting the spirits of the Pierce College volunteers by playing his unique brand of music. Yes, Romeo's getting piggy with it.

Pierce College is housing the animals in 3 large barns, and we're told the school recently built about 50 temporary pens that are coming in handy. Students, staff and volunteers are working around the clock to feed and take care of the animals, and the good news is the critters are showing up in good health with no signs of burns from the fires.

With Pierce College at capacity, we're told other large animals are being evacuated to another location in Ventura County.

Meanwhile, an alpaca farm in Somis, CA -- about 7 miles West of the Easy Fire -- is preparing to evacuate its 38 alpacas, 2 dogs and 4 cats ... this according to "Alpacas & Beyond" owner Kim Marziole. She says 3 of the alpacas are special needs animals.

It sounds like a crazy scene at the alpaca farm ... we're told there's horses running around on the loose and smoke is filling the air surrounding the farm.