Pets

Spain's Running of the Bulls event might have been axed over coronavirus -- but these goats kept the tradition alive here in the States ... with a wild scattering of their own.

Check out this video captured Tuesday night in a residential neighborhood near San Jose, CA -- where what looks like a couple hundred goats stampeded (eh, fiercely totted more like, actually) down a sleepy street as neighbors were trying to corral them.

It's certainly not as intimidating as what goes on in Europe -- goats to bulls are apples to oranges -- but still, it's crazy considering we don't see this all too often around these parts.

Now, as for how this got started in the first place -- apparently, there's a little hillside ranch of some sort that borders these homes here, and a gaggle of goats are brought in each year for a few days to eat and clear out the dead grass to avoid a wildfire breaking out. Neat!!

Somehow, the goats broke through their enclosure ... and they all made a run for it. Fortunately, they didn't cause too much damage -- other than some front yard flower munching and unrestrained defecating -- and eventually ... the townsfolk reined 'em in.

It also looks like one of the local hounds played impromptu sheep dog to get the herd back where they belonged. Good boy! Baaah-d goats 😅

A guy was caught on camera choking his ex-girlfriend's dog -- and now ... he's facing criminal charges for the sickeningly evil deed.

30-year-old Shane Mitchell allegedly took his ex's pup -- a Doberman named Rubyjean -- without permission, and when he showed up at the owner's front door with Rubyjean, the owner threatened him with a call to the cops. That set Mitchell off, and what happened next is disturbing.

While his ex remained behind her front door during the argument, her Ring doorbell cam recorded Mitchell angrily reaching down and yanking up the dog by its leash, suffocating it, and letting it dangle in front of the camera. The owner shrieks from inside, pleading for him to stop -- then, the video ends.

Cops in Slidell, Louisiana say Mitchell was eventually arrested and booked on animal cruelty charges after the clip made the rounds online, and even better news ... Rubyjean is okay.

She's back in her home and doesn't seem to have suffered any permanent damage as a result of the choking. The city's police chief issued a strong statement of the heinous act, saying ... "I was sick to my stomach watching that video." He added, "How someone can hurt a defenseless animal is beyond me."

"Mike the Tiger is not my favorite part of campus."

Heisman winner Joe Burrow says he's not a big fan of LSU having a live mascot ... saying he's against keeping wild animals in captivity.

The #1 overall pick made the revelation while discussing the super-popular Netflix doc, "Tiger King," on Barstool Sports' "Pardon My Take" on Friday ... saying he probably won't tune in to the series due to the subject matter.

"Actually, I haven't watched it yet," Burrow says. "I'm anti animal in cage. So, I'm not gonna watch it, I don't think."

That's when co-host Big Cat brought up Mike VII -- LSU's beloved mascot that lives on campus -- and Burrow said he was against the idea.

FWIW -- Mike has a huge habitat on campus for students to check out the kitty in between classes ... and there's a vet on-site to make sure all is well.

There's even a live cam for people across the world to check in on Mike ... although the thing seems to be chilling most of the time.

As for "Tiger King," Big Cat and PFT Commenter say it's probably for the best he sits that one out ... and Burrow agrees.

"Very sad, yeah."

The good news?? Burrow's Cincinnati Bengals don't have a live mascot ... they just have a grown-ass dude dressed up as a tiger named "Who Dey" ... so, silver lining!!

One of the last reminders Dog the Bounty Hunter had of his late wife, Beth, is now gone too ... the African grey parrot she gifted him years ago has passed away.

We're told the parrot, a female dubbed Baby Bird, died Wednesday morning and just days after the bird started plucking its feathers ... a behavioral problem that can cause them physical harm like infections from open sores. We're told Dog believes the cold climate in Colorado may have possibly led to her death.

Our sources say Beth gave Dog Baby Bird a few years ago ... and in that short span Baby Bird, as most smart parrots often do, started mimicking how Beth said "hello" while also blurting out phrases like "Bail Bonds." Baby Bird also learned how to say "Francie" ... a nod to Dog's new fiancee.

We're told these are just some of the reasons why Dog -- an avid animal lover -- is devastated by Baby Bird's sudden passing. However, he feels comforted knowing Baby Bird is now by Beth's side.

Baby Bird was 3.

WHO'S A GOOD -- AND NOW VERY POPULAR -- BOY?!?!?

Bill Belichick's girlfriend says their dog, Nike, is!!!

Linda Holliday said on "The Adam Schefter Podcast" this week that the pup was so adorable during its viral moment at the NFL draft ... the dog's fan base has grown from a couple hundred to nearly 20,000!!!!

If you missed it ... Nike stole the show at the Patriots' draft last Friday -- when it took Belichick's seat just seconds before New England made its 2nd-round pick.

Cameras caught the pup staring at The Hoodie's monitors ... and the scene couldn't have been cuter.

Linda says within minutes of Nike's unexpected cameo -- her phone blew up ... with people hitting the follow button on the dog's IG like crazy!!!

"Nike went from 1,000 followers to about 10,000 followers," Holiday says, "and my phone was just blowing up."

Nike is now up to over 16,000 followers on his social media account since the draft ... this despite Linda saying she's only put a handful of pics on the page!!

As for how the dog did captaining Bill's ship during the weekend? The coach and Linda have got a lot of belly rubbing to do ... 'cause most pundits gave the Patriots' picks an A grade!!!

A Vallejo official has left his post after he was caught apparently drinking and chucking his cat across the room during a virtual meeting he was conducting with his colleagues.

The guy's name is Chris Platzer and he was one of the city planning commissioners before he tendered his resignation this week ... after a wild Zoom meeting that included shots of him seemingly taking swigs out of a beer, and then hurling his feline in jest.

Check it out ... over the course of the 2 hour-plus meeting -- which was a formal meeting being held to discuss city business on Monday -- you see Platzer taking lots of drinks from a mug he has throughout, and constantly getting up and leaving the meeting several times.

At one point, he picks up the laptop he's using and carries it over to what appears to be his kitchen, where it looks like he opens his fridge and pulls out a green bottle -- which has been reported locally as a beer. Perhaps Heineken -- seems to be that from our POV.

Anyway, at another moment in the meeting ... Platzer's up to talk, and you hear meowing going on in the background. He gets up, brings over his cat and introduces it to everyone ... then throws it off camera, after which you hear a thud. Some of his colleagues laughed.

Toward the end, when everyone had logged off, Platzer's heard calling someone a "bitch," and he supposedly hurled a racial epithet too ... according to the City of Vallejo.

Henry Golding's not giving up on fostering a pit bull named Stella ... even after she bit another dog ... but seems he's warier of where they take their walks.

The "Crazy Rich Asians" star took Stella for a stroll in the sun Thursday at a park in Santa Monica. No other dogs around, just Stella and her foster dad ... who's heeding lockdown guidelines and wearing a face covering.

Henry had Stella on a short leash this time, one week after she attacked a smaller dog.

We broke the story ... Golding took Stella to Pan Pacific Park in L.A. last week, where she bit a smaller pup that was not on a leash, by the way. We're told Henry's dog picked up the other dog by the neck, causing a large gash that required 6 staples.

The actor is offering to pay the vet bills for the smaller dog, which is expected to make a full recovery.

It's pretty commendable that Henry didn't take Stella back to the shelter after the incident -- and is instead choosing to continue giving her a foster home.

Henry Golding's fostered pit bull mauled another pooch in a park -- causing a trip to the vet and staples -- but the actor is now stepping up to cover the injured pooch's bills.

Here's the deal ... the "Crazy Rich Asians" star is fostering a pit bull named Stella during the coronavirus pandemic, and last week Henry brought her to Pan Pacific Park in Los Angeles, where all hell broke loose.

We're told Stella attacked a smaller pup while the dogs were running around, picking the pooch up by the neck and causing a large gash that required several hours at an animal hospital. The hurt pup needed 6 staples, but will survive.

The owner of the smaller dog tells us she spoke to a police officer who was at the park, but the cops couldn't do anything and told her the incident needed to be resolved between the 2 parties. We're also told Henry's dog was on a leash, and the smaller pooch was not.

Tragic news from Atlanta Braves star Freddie Freeman's family ... their beloved pet cat, Benji, was killed in a hit-and-run Monday night.

"He was struck by a car who didn’t even stop to check on him ... we found him too late. Our hearts are broken," Freddie's wife, Chelsea, said in an emotional post on Instagram.

"He was the best cat you could ever ask for, he was more like a dog or even a person," Chelsea said ... adding Benji was very close with their 3-year-old son, Charlie.

"He would run and greet us at the front door, chase baseballs and jump on the trampoline with Charlie... he and Charlie were best friends and he was a cherished child to us for the last 6 years."

The Atlanta Braves shared their condolences in the comments section, saying "We love you, Freeman family ❤️ Benji was the best!"

Chelsea ended the sad post with a heartbreaking line -- "I know Freddie’s mom and Grandma are loving on him in heaven but God does this hurt💔 We love you so much Benji💔"

The fallout from the coronavirus pandemic runs far and wide, and one woman is beside herself with anger and frustration because she's at risk for coming down with rabies and can't get help.

Check out this video ... she says a cat scratched her and she's trying to get a tetanus shot ... typically to prevent rabies.

She says she went to UCLA and they told her to go to a nearby Urgent Care, which they said was open. She followed instructions, but when she arrived at Urgent Care at 4:30 PM Saturday no one was in sight, despite a sign saying they were open until 6.