Pets

Nicolas Cage looked a bit outta place in NYC wearing a cowboy hat and boots. No, he wasn't shooting a modern western ... he was on a date.

Nic and his 26-year-old GF, Riko Shibata, enjoyed a horse-drawn carriage ride Wednesday in Central Park. The couple left the Italian joint Cipriani on 5th Avenue before embarking on their tour of the park. After, they hit up a bar for several hours enjoying some drinks.

It looked like a romantic date, and also pretty cliche. The hansom cab is one of those things every NYC tourist's bucket list. Still, the couple really did appear to enjoy the scenery.

The same cannot be said of their driver who seemed to be intensely glued to his phone. Y'know what they say ... those horses practically drive themselves. Take that Tesla!!!

Anyway, Nic and Riko -- who's 30 years younger than him -- have been spotted around the city quite a bit. A few days ago they hit up the American Museum of Natural History and then enjoyed dinner and a movie. Turns out Nic's kind of a traditionalist ... on dates, anyway.

William Shatner and his ex-wife are divvying up all their assets, and we mean ALL -- because the settlement covers everything from dogs to land, to ashes of exes and yes ... horse semen.

As you know, Bill filed to divorce Elizabeth back in December and it's now been finalized, but they had plenty to split up. We'll start with their livestock. Capt. Kirk is boldly leaving with 2 horses ... Renaissance Man's Medici and Powder River Shirley. He also gets 2 dogs ... Macchiato and Double Espresso.

Elizabeth also gets 2 horses ... Belle Reve's So Photogenic and Pebbles (they kinda mailed it in with that name). No dogs for her.

Shatner's love for his horses is well known -- he breeds them after all, and he made sure to cover that in the docs. For instance, he gets "all horse semen" and horse equipment. Yes, that's spelled out in black and white.

On to their real estate and cars. Elizabeth gets a Malibu Cove home, another in Versailles, Kentucky and she keeps her share off her family's farm in Indiana. In her garage, you'll find a 2007 BMW X5, a 2015 Mercedes Benz ML65, and a 2004 Ford Explorer.

Shatner keeps a Studio City home and a ranch in Three Rivers, CA near Sequoia National Park. However, they've agreed that Elizabeth gets the right to "occasionally harvest some fruit" from trees on the ranch. It's clearly a special property to both of them ... because she can also go there to visit the ashes of her first husband, and some horse graves.

The divorce also spells out visitation rights -- they didn't have kids together, but they've got lots of animals. Elizabeth can visit with Macchiato, Double Espresso and some of the horses ... as long as she gives Bill "advance notice."

As for the boring stuff -- AKA money -- he's already paid her one lump sum of $2 million in spousal support, and that was spelled out in their prenup.

The judge has already signed off, so that's a wrap on marriage #4 for Bill and #2 for Elizabeth. They're both single and ready to mingle!!!

"Little Women: LA" star Christy Gibel is officially -- and happily -- single with a few weeks to spare in her pregnancy ... but there are still some doggone issues to hash out.

Christy and Todd Gibel are no longer husband and wife after the judge signed off on dissolving their marriage ... making them both single in the eyes of the law. She also has restored her name to Christy Lynn McGinity, her maiden name ... so another W there.

Sources close to McGinity tell TMZ ... even though she wanted an annulment, she's satisfied with the divorce ruling because she just wants to be done with Todd before the birth of her child, whose due date is April 1.

As we told you ... Christy moved on quickly following her split from Todd with a new guy named Gonzo, and the 2 announced they were expecting soon after. We're told Christy's excited to start a fresh life with her boyfriend and their baby ... who they plan to name Violet Eva Carazo.

However, Christy and Todd still need to determine how to divvy up their marital assets ... including a dog named Elvis.

Sources close to Todd tell us ... he wants Elvis back in the divorce settlement. Problem is -- according to Todd's side -- the dog was surrendered to Vanderpump Dogs, where they originally bought it, without his knowledge ... and then Vanderpump adopted Elvis back out to one of Christy's family members.

We're told Todd believes Elvis is marital property and should be returned to him, and Vanderpump Dogs has apparently agreed to this if Christy's family member returns the dog.

Our sources say Todd's holding out hope the court will award Elvis to him as part of the final divorce judgment. But as for Christy's side, she's telling friends the family pet was in her name, not Todd's.

It's pig day and there really is no better way to celebrate this wacky holiday than to share some snaps of piggies hoggin' up famous feeds!

From stars such as Khloe Kardashian and Nick Lachey to Jessica Burciaga and Anthony Anderson these celebs have helped some sweet snouts get a good whiff of their lavish life.

In honor of this big day we're sharing some of the best pig appreciation pics with you ... Dive right into our gallery of celebs pigging out to see all the famous faces making some new four-legged friends!

A family's dream of welcoming a new dog into their lives turned into a nightmare when the father went to pick up the pup ... and found a lifeless body inside the crate.

A California man named Cory Mcjimson tells TMZ ... he purchased a 12-week-old Yorkshire Terrier puppy named Sebastian this week from a breeder out of Ohio. Sebastian was going to be a gift for Cory's 5-year-old daughter.

We're told the breeder arranged for the Yorkie pup to fly with Delta Air Lines from Ohio to LAX, with one stop in Atlanta, and arrive in L.A. Thursday night. Cory believes the dog was transported in the pressurized cargo hold during both flights.

He says his family -- wife, son and daughter -- all went to pick up Sebastian from the Delta Cargo location around 6:30 PM, but when he picked up Sebastian's carrying crate ... he opened it to find the dog not moving or breathing.

He says he alerted Delta and his wife the dog was dead, but told his kids Sebastian was just sick because he didn't want them to see and get upset.

We're told Delta officials immediately rushed the dog to an animal hospital nearby where doctors administered CPR, but couldn't revive him. Sebastian was pronounced dead by 9 PM.

Cory says Delta told him it would handle the necropsy and cremation of the dog. The airline tells us ... "Pets are an important member of the family and we are focused on the well-being of all animals we transport."

Delta adds ... "We extend our deepest condolences to Sebastian’s family and are conducting a thorough review of the situation to understand what happened."

Cory tells us he paid nearly $3k for Sebastian ... it's unclear if he'll receive any compensation from Delta or the dog breeder.

As we've reported ... dog deaths on flights have been a growing concern ever since a French Bulldog died in transit in an overhead bin on a United flight in 2018. Delta also had a Pomeranian die on one of its flights that year, and then 2 dogs died on KLM flights in 2019.

Jenelle Evans says she's not back together with David Eason, but they're still doing a lot together ... like buying new pet supplies, including a dog bed.

The former 'Teen Mom' star was spotted Tuesday shopping at a Walmart in Leland, NC -- where she was leaving the big box store with whom we're told was none other than her baby daddy, DE, and a couple of her kids tagging along. As you can see, they had their hands full.

One of the kids is holding what appears to be a doggy bed or pet bed of some kind. We're also told by eyewitnesses, their bags had dog food inside as well.

In case we have to remind you ... David killed their last family dog, which led to their kids being temporarily taken away. Since then, they've gotten the kids back ... and they've also welcomed a few new animals into their lives, including at least 2 dogs and a goat.

It's unclear if they still got the hounds running around the yard, or what these supplies might be for exactly ... but when ya buy new dog stuff, you probably have a new dog around.

As for whether they're actually a thing again in the wake of their split, we'll let you decide. If it looks like a relationship and walks like a relationship, it's probably ... ah, you get it.

Heather Elizabeth Parkhurst -- an actress who's appeared in "Alpha Dog" and "Beverly Hills Cop III" -- is finding a new home for one of her pit bulls that damn near ripped her arm off.

TMZ broke the story ... Heather ended up in the hospital with some very gruesome injuries after her pit bulls turned on each other, mauling her arm and hand in the process.

Heather's fiance, Mark Nason, tells TMZ ... they've decided it's best to get the younger dog, 9-month old Shorty, out of the house and under a new roof.

Heather and Mark have already reached out to three different organizations ... Vanderpump Dogs, the Blair Foundation and Pit Bulls for Parolees ... to see if they will take in Shorty.

While Shorty is fresh off a violent episode ... we're told the orgs say it's not an issue and they're willing to work with the pup. Heather and Mark haven't picked a landing spot yet -- they're still figuring out what's best for Shorty.

Heather and Mark, two huge pit bull advocates, are getting rid of Shorty for two reasons ... the dog barks a lot and it's not ideal for their apartment, and they're worried another fight could break out between their two pit bulls.

This is NOT what the saying "grin and bear it" is all about -- but a bunch of Southern California residents seem to think so -- coming face-to-face with one of nature's purest killing machines.

This fairly beefy-sized bear is taking a leisurely Friday morning stroll through driveways, front yards and streets of Monrovia, CA -- which is a little northeast of L.A. -- and the neighbors are giving him the paparazzi treatment.

FOX11 LA's camera people are pretty brave to capture these images, but at least they get paid -- unlike the locals who are getting dangerously close to what we think is a black bear.

Officials suspect this is the same bear that was spotted outside an elementary school on Thursday ... but now it's getting even more comfortable in the 'hood.

So far, it's walked right up to several front doors, and even nearly came nose-to-nose with a dog. We're happy to report no people or animals have been harmed yet. Bear sightings are common in this part of SoCal, but we don't usually see them linger this long and take this much interest in just about everything.

So far, this guy doesn't seem aggressive -- probably just seeking a picnic basket or 2 -- but still, he's got huge claws!!! Those too-curious humans are not nearly as big or as fast.

Just sayin' ...

Joaquin Phoenix didn't wait long to walk the walk after mentioning the plight of mother cows and their babies in his Best Actor speech at the Academy Awards ... and a mama and her calf are living happily together because of it.

The "Joker" star visited a slaughterhouse run by Manning Beef in Pico Rivera, CA the day after the Oscars to have a sit-down talk with Anthony Di Maria, president and CEO of the company ... and it led to something remarkable.

Though the 2 butted heads over the nature of the industry, Phoenix and Di Maria found some common ground ... and the actor helped LA Animal Save liberate a mother cow and her newborn calf, a daughter.

Joaquin's seen carrying the baby cow away from the holding area where she was born and onto a trailer with her mom. The bovine family will now be able to live and grow together at a Farm Sanctuary location in northern L.A. County ... and they now have names.

Phoenix named the mama cow, Liberty, and the calf, Indigo.

Joaquin says ... "I never thought I’d find friendship in a slaughterhouse, but meeting Anthony and opening my heart to his, I realize we might have more in common than we do differences. Without his act of kindness, Liberty and her baby calf, Indigo, would have met a terrible demise."

He adds that he and animal rights activists like him will continue to "fight for the liberation of all animals who suffer in these oppressive systems" ... but he's happy about this victory.

Liberty and Indigo are the fifth set of mother and child cows saved by LA Animal Save ... but they're aiming for many more.

This isn't a first for Phoenix either. As we reported ... he passed on the SAG Awards after-parties last month and instead headed to a slaughterhouse, where he comforted trucks full of pigs on their way to be killed.

Joaquin joined dozens of protesters who congregate there twice a week, calling their demonstrations "pig vigils." Of course, Phoenix also reportedly convinced the Hollywood Foreign Press to serve an all-vegan menu at the Golden Globes.

Heather Elizabeth Parkhurst -- an actress who's appeared in "Alpha Dog" and "Beverly Hills Cop III" -- damn near got her arm torn off when her pit bulls turned on each other, mauling her in the process.

Heather's fiance, Mark Nason, tells TMZ ... the scary incident went down Friday night at their West Hollywood home. We're told Heather was petting their 7-month-old pit, Baby, when their other pit bull, 8-year-old Buddha, suddenly appeared to get jealous and growled.

And, that's when Baby and Buddha lunged at each other but Heather's right hand and arm got caught in the middle of the violent melee.

The attack left Heather -- who's also acted on TV shows like "NYPD Blue" and "Married with Children" -- a bloody mess. She was rushed to the hospital to treat gruesome injuries, including crushed bones in her hand, torn ligaments and other deep cuts throughout her arm.

We're told doctors inserted pins and stitched up her arm but she remains hospitalized.

It's snuggle season and these famous faces have recruited their four-legged friends to join in on the festivities!

From celebs such as Zendaya and Hailey Bieber to Eric Decker and Sean Gunn it seems like everyone could use some love and affection ... and maybe a lint roller too!

These fur babies sure are getting spoiled by their parents, and it seems like they have no shame in sharing their connection!

Join in on some of the lovin' yourself by scrolling through our gallery of stars cuddling their furry friends! Get a good look at whose all nuzzled up!

Tragic day for the Cleveland Browns ... the team's first-ever live mascot, Swagger, has passed away after a battle with cancer. He was 6 years old.

The 145-pound bullmastiff joined the Browns as a puppy at the beginning of the 2014 season ... and ran out with the players before every home game until Week 10 of the 2019 season.

The only home game Swagger missed was in 2017 ... when the Browns played in London.

Swagger's son, SJ, took over the mascot duties as the cancer progressed ... and the beloved dog served as "Dawg Pound Captain" during his final Browns game.

Swagger was a fan favorite at FirstEnergy Stadium ... and even got some one-on-one time with folks like UFC champ Stipe Miocic and Baker Mayfield.

According to Browns fans in our office ... the dog was a true bright spot during some of the Browns' worst years.

Mayfield posted a tribute to Swagger, saying "Doggy heaven got a good one today."

The team says SJ will continue to fill his dad's shoes for 2020 and beyond.

#RIP

Jessica Simpson couldn't escape the wrath of animal rights activists incensed over her wearing fur.

The "Open Book" author was leaving Il Mulino restaurant in NYC after midnight when she was accosted by some anti-fur protesters who shouted out "animal abuser," "murderer" and "shame on you" as she hopped in her SUV.

One guy hammered his point home by screaming ... "What type of person would wear fur in 2020?!"

This wasn't Jessica's first run-in of the day with the angry activists. Earlier Tuesday night, her Barnes & Noble book signing event for her new memoir was crashed by a much larger group of anti-fur folks.

They began screaming and holding up their signs as Simpson came out to give a speech, forcing her to take cover for a couple minutes while security booted the protesters.

The good news for Jessica ... her fans stuck around, chanting her name, and she eventually came back out and talked about her book.

BTW ... if any of the animal rights activists look familiar, it's because this isn't their first rodeo. They've crashed events and confronted several other celebs for wearing fur ... like Kate Upton, Chrissy Teigen, Lil' Kim and Jennifer Lopez.

We're certain they'll do it again too.

NFL D-lineman Rakeem Nunez-Roches says his life has been turned upside down over a "completely false" story about him abandoning a dog ... saying he's been forced to move due to serious threats.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers player is accused of leaving his Cane Corso, Jitterbug, on the side of a Florida road last month ... where it was later found tired, hungry and alone.

The Buccaneers have announced they're investigating the incident ... but in a lengthy statement Wednesday, Nunez-Roches says he had nothing to do with the abandonment.

"We would never abandon a dog," Nunez-Roches says. "We were expecting our first baby, so we thought it would be safer to have only smaller dogs in the house."

"Jitterbug is a Cane Corso, which is an Italian Mastiff and not a Pit Bull as was incorrectly reported, and we gave her to a family that wanted one. We have no idea how she ended up in an animal shelter, but we absolutely did not and would never abandon her or any other dog."

Nunez-Roches says the allegations caused him to receive so many violent threats ... he was forced to call the cops and physically change his address.

"We love and have taken care of dogs for years," Nunez-Roches says. "But, because a few overzealous people mistakenly assumed we had abandoned a dog that was no longer ours, we have received threats and had our reputations smeared in the media."

Nunez-Roches says the Tampa Police Department is now handling the case ... and he says he wants retractions from people who made the accusations against him.

"Hopefully the groups who falsely accused us ... realize their mistake and we can all go back to living normal lives and taking care of our dogs and other pets."

As for Jitterbug, the dog was adopted shortly after it was found in Florida ... and we're told it's doing well and is very happy in its new home.

WWE superstar Alexa Bliss has a serious bone to pick with her fans ... who keep showing more social media love to her butt than her adorable pet piggy!

Bliss has more than 4 MILLION followers on Instagram who follow the 5-time WWE champ in and outside of the ring. As Alexa points out, the fans seem to like pics of her physique!

Buttttttt ... Alexa is also a proud pig parent who's obsessed with her porker pet, Larry Steve, (who also has 97,000 followers!) and she's upset that he doesn't get the same amount of "likes" her butt racks up!

In fact, Bliss posted about the situation recently saying, "I’m not really a fan of the fact that a pic of my booty shorts got WAAAAYYY more 'likes' than any pics of my pups or pig."

We saw Bliss at LAX and asked straight-up -- why the beef?

"I think Larry is a lot cuter than my butt!"

There's no ignoring this elephant in the room, especially because he's taking over multiple rooms ... in a hotel!!!

Ya gotta see this unbelievable video of a wild elephant roaming around the Jetwing Yala hotel in Sri Lanka. As you can imagine, it gets a wide berth upon entering the joint ... no one's rushing him at the check-in line. Yes, he packed his own trunk ... and as you can see, used it to poke around the place.

Best of all, the full-grown Asian bull elephant, -- named Natta Kota by locals -- is a repeat customer!!! The hotel says he's been wandering in from time to time since 2013, spending days napping in the shade and stomping through the resort's walkways.

The pachyderm used to be a seasonal visitor, according to the hotel, stealing fruit from vehicles and grub from the kitchen -- but now he's got a permanent residence at Jetwing and he's left in peace.

No word if he's racking up rewards points, but he's definitely a bull (elephant) in a china shop. Someone's gotta pay for that lamp!!!