Pets

Lady Gaga's dog walker gave graphic testimony in the case of the dognappers who attacked and shot him, saying he's still having significant medical struggles months after the incident.

Ryan Fischer testified before an L.A. County Grand Jury about the 3 men who attacked him as he was walking Gaga's 3 dogs. According to the transcript, obtained by Rolling Stone, Ryan was thrown to the concrete as one of the attackers began choking him, and he hit the guy with a bottle of champagne he had just purchased at a nearby liquor store.

He described what he did after being shot in the chest ... "I immediately tried to call for help but realized I was bleeding out of my lung and that I was losing more and more air quickly."

Five people have been charged with attempted murder and robbery. They have pled not guilty. Three of the men are alleged gang members who were driving around Hollywood specifically looking for French bulldogs ... which go for a lot of money. They were not targeting the dogs because they were owned by Gaga.

Ryan says his lung collapsed, he was rushed to the hospital but 2 days after his release the lung collapsed again, requiring major surgery.

The so-called "gay" dog that was given up by its owners over perceived homosexual behavior now has a new home -- and that pad is very LGBTQ-friendly ... as is his new name!

North Carolina's Steve Nichols tells TMZ ... he and his longtime partner, John, adopted Fezco Tuesday after hearing the story about him getting abandoned by his former human parents ... all because they caught him humping another male pooch.

Nichols says they felt an immediate connection to Fezco, as he explains both he and John have faced discrimination in their own lives. So, they applied ... and were actually chosen.

Now, get this ... Nichols says they've actually gone ahead and rebranded Fezco with a new doggy tag, now calling him "Oscar" instead of his old moniker. We're told they chose that to honor the Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde -- who was also gay.

It's probably for the best, because Nichols tells us his new pet was apparently not well taken care of by his previous owners ... saying the dog wasn't neutered, and had heart worms -- which he's taking care of now by sending Oscar straight to the vet, where he'll be for a bit.

Nichols says the application wanted to make sure that whoever would embrace Oscar would be committed to nursing him back to health, and both he and John certainly are. Word of Oscar's availability came courtesy of WCCB's Morgan Fogarty, who broke the news.

Looks like Oscar will have some company ... the couple already have a furry friend named Harry, who's a Terrier-Chihuahua mix. They expect their two boys will get along just fine.

Two dogs have been sprung from death row after allegedly killing a neighbor's cat ... this after a legal battle that lasted more than a year.

A 2-year-old pit bull named Odin, and a 6-year-old Akita mix named Lucy were caught back in January 2021 next to a dead cat named Big Boy. Animal control officers came and took the dogs to a shelter, and began legal proceedings to euthanize the pooches.

The dogs owners, Nola Lowman and her son, William Dillon Jr., hired lawyers ... who argued Odin and Lucy just came upon the cat and the probability was that a coyote killed the feline.

They pointed to not just one but 4 cat attacks in the area ... which suggested a serial animal killer was on the loose.

Authorities didn't see it their way, and ruled the 2 dogs were considered "vicious." That's a critical word, because under Maryland law animals that are labeled "vicious" must be euthanized.

According to The Washington Post, the dogs were impounded for more than a year, as lawyers racked up a $25,000 bill trying to appeal the decision.

A few weeks ago, a judge reversed the death sentence, saying the dogs had no history of aggressiveness. The judge didn't find the dogs innocent ... rather, the label "vicious" was replaced with the label "dangerous."

A wise owl figured out how to commandeer a news conference by crapping all over a sign language interpreter, and it's hilarious!

The poop went down in Brisbane, Australia Wednesday ... Deputy Premier Steven Miles was giving a speech about recent flooding as the sign language interpreter dutifully translated his comments, and then ...

The owl was super strategic ... waiting for just the right moment to descend from a tree and plop a giant dump on the interpreter.

It's hard not to laugh at the mess, but even funnier is how civilized the reaction is ... it's almost like someone spilled a drop of tea on someone's coat.

The mass exodus from Ukraine has created a crisis with the pets residents had to leave behind, but in the middle of Putin's brutal war, some Ukrainians have stepped up to save the animals.

Katya Kurletz is on the ground in Ukraine, leading the efforts to track down dogs in destroyed cities and transport them to safety in Poland and Romania ... and she joined us on "TMZ Live" Tuesday to tell us about her dangerous mission.

In the face of constant fear of encountering advancing Russian forces, Katya says she and others are doing everything they can to save Ukrainian pets from the rubble.

Katya tells us there are hundreds of dogs being evacuated ... and her group, Transform a Street Dog, still needs help transporting dogs and cats and finding them new homes.

It's pretty scary .... Katya tells us she saw a Russian missile destroy an entire block, but she couldn't let it derail her mission, because the blast left more pets in need of her help.

We've seen upwards of 1 1/2 million people flee war-torn Ukraine, including the elderly, and it's sad to think about the pets ... but there are some good folks out there looking out for the animals.

A Ukrainian woman was killed trying to save dogs that were abandoned during the war.

Anastasiia Yalanskaya was delivering dog food to a shelter outside Kyiv, when she was shot and killed by Russian troops. Her family believes the shooting was intentional ... that Anastasiia was targeted by members of the Russian military.

Two other volunteers were also killed.

The town where this happened -- Bucha -- has been the site of unrelenting aggression by the Russian army ... with daily bombings.

She posted a photo of her in a car next to bags of dog food she intended to deliver ... the Insta post went up just hours before Anastasiia was shot and killed.

The attack occurred while she was still in her car ... having just delivered the food.  The car was bullet-ridden.

Anastasiia's husband said, "She was one of the best human beings I knew. She was committed to help, to help her friends and relatives and whoever needed help."

Lee Asher is deep in the dog house, AKA "The Asher House" ... but wouldn't have it any other way, after quitting a 6-figure corporate gig to start his own animal sanctuary!!!

Lee stars in the new Animal Planet/Discovery+ show, "My Pack Life" ... and joined us Thursday on "TMZ Live" to explain why he turned his life upside down. He says the epiphany came when he thought about what he loved most in the world.

Watch the clip ... he says there were 2 things, in particular, that prompted him to quit his L.A. job, sell all his stuff and buy an RV. What happened next is an incredible adventure.

After traveling around the U.S. and Canada -- and getting 500 dogs adopted along the way -- Lee finally put down some roots in Oregon where his 'Asher House' is almost like Noah's Ark.

But, he says it's not just about the animals ... it's people who can change the world and help them. When people are happy, they treat each other better, and he wants folks to live with a purpose, he says.

He now has a whole pack of furry friends ... including 30 dogs, 2 donkeys, 2 horses, 13 pigs, 3 cows, 4 goats, 6 sheep, 4 alpacas and a parrot.

Authorities in the UK have confirmed to TMZ Sports that Kurt Zouma's cats have been taken from the soccer star after he was seen on video kicking and slapping the animals.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals tells us the two cats were taken this week ... as it continues to investigate the footballer for animal abuse.

"The two cats are now in RSPCA care," a spokesperson for the RSPCA said in a statement. "Our priority is and has always been the wellbeing of these cats."

"They've been taken for a check-up at a vet and then will remain in our care while the investigation continues."

As we reported, 27-year-old Zouma was seen on video, obtained by The Sun, kicking a cat across the floor over the weekend. He was also seen in the footage slapping a cat.

Zouma -- a member of the French national team -- apologized for his actions following the video's release ... saying there are "no excuses" for his behavior.

He added that the cats were "perfectly fine" and said that this would never happen again.

Despite the horrifying video, Zouma's West Ham team still allowed him to play in its game Tuesday -- and reporters on the scene said he was booed nearly every time he touched the ball.

A UK zoo is calling in the big guns to get its monkeys some sexual healing ... yes, that means a Marvin Gaye impersonator doing his best to get the primates in the mood!!!

The Trentham Monkey Forest in England is doing mating season big this year, hiring the singer to perform some classic Marvin hits -- naturally including "Let's Get it On."

David Largie is the man doing the serenading inside the zoo's monkey enclosure -- and since it's mating season, Park Director Matt Lovatt said "We thought it could be a creative way to encourage our females to show a little affection to males that might not have been so lucky in love."

So, basically, they're hoping Marvin's songs can get even the loneliest of monkeys laid!

Makes sense ... these classics have been promoting human hookups for decades now.

The park is hoping all of this musical foreplay results in a record number of baby monkeys being born this year.

Soccer star Kurt Zouma -- a member of France's national team -- was caught on video kicking and slapping a cat ... and now, he's apologizing for his abhorrent actions.

The video -- which was believed to be filmed by Zouma's brother and posted to Snapchat over the weekend -- is disturbing ... and shows the 27-year-old picking up a cat and then kicking it across the floor.

Later in the footage, which was obtained and published by The Sun, Zouma can be seen appearing to throw things at a cat. Finally, toward the end of the clip, video shows Zouma slapping one of the animals in the face.

Zouma released an apology this week following an outpouring of criticism ... saying, "There are no excuses for my behaviour, which I sincerely regret."

"I also want to say how deeply sorry I am to anyone who was upset by the video," he added. "I would like to assure everyone that our two cats are perfectly fine and healthy. They are loved and cherished by our entire family, and this behaviour was an isolated incident that will not happen again.”

Zouma's West Ham team also issued a statement condemning Zouma ... though it controversially decided to allow Zouma to play in its game Tuesday despite the player's actions.

Reporters on the scene say the footballer is being loudly boo'ed every time he touches the ball.

Cops, meanwhile, have told multiple outlets they are aware of the video.

Katharine McPhee is saying goodbye to a very special friend ... one she adopted late in life to show her love and happiness in her remaining few years.

We're talking about Wilma ... the rescue dog Katharine took in a few years back. What makes this special is that Wilma was 12, so Katharine knew she would not have the dog for very long, but she wanted her to enjoy her sunset years.

Katharine posted her tribute Monday night ... "Here's a little tribute to my girl Wilma… also known as Willy… ”

She went on ... "Wherever she went her tongue was hanging out without fail." "She traveled the world with me. Was at every rehearsal for my first Broadway show… Thank you Willy for all the great years."

Katharine's gotta be struggling with this, but she clearly gave the best life to Wilma that she possibly could. Great job, Ms. McPhee.

Lisa Vanderpump's hubby, Ken Todd, says the 'RHOBH' star will likely never ride a horse again ... after her last ride ended with a badly broken leg.

We caught up with Ken on Tuesday, just as Lisa was having surgery to repair the shattered bones. Ken confirms she broke her leg in 3 places, and will have a bunch of new hardware by the time you're reading this.

He says he's not completely sure how long it will take Lisa to fully recover, but he's guessing about 8-10 weeks.

One thing at least he's sure of ... LV's riding days are over. Ken says the horse she was riding Sunday was a gentle and amazing animal, and despite the ol' saying, it doesn't sound like he wants his wife to risk it by getting back on the horse. Of course, we'll have to see what Lisa thinks once she's recovered.

As we've previously reported, the 'Real House Wives' star was riding in L.A. when her steed apparently got scared, reared up and bucked her off.

Ken saw it happen, and was in complete shock -- he says Lisa immediately knew something was broken.

Ellen DeGeneres is following in Dian Fossey’s footsteps ... especially now that her section of a gorilla sanctuary is open to the masses.

The talk show host has her own campus in Fossey’s Gorilla Fund in Rwanda -- a massive area dedicated to the protection of gorillas there — and on Tuesday, Ellen’s wing of the sprawling grounds got an official grand opening that’s been years in the making.

Portia de Rossi gifted Ellen with a gorilla fund in her name -- which was incorporated into Fossey’s larger org -- 4 years ago to celebrate her wife’s 60th birthday, and after a lot of work and construction ... the place is finally available to guests.

The whole purpose of the fund is to help gorillas survive poachers and other deforestation activities that might otherwise wipe out their species entirely, and lo and behold ... it’s been doing its job by keeping these apes going strong for decades now, with hundreds of gorillas thriving thanks, in large part, to Fossey’s conservationist efforts.

Ellen’s too, for that matter -- her campus is said to be a game-changer with cutting-edge tech and resources.

Covering several acres, the campus has state-of-the-art lab facilities and hundreds of thousands of native plants. There’s also custom-designed furniture the gorillas can use as they spread out and make use of the new environment. Gorillas like lounging too, bro!

Ellen seems stoked about her campus seeing the light of day, saying ... “To see my name alongside hers on the walls of this beautiful campus, and to know I'm doing my part to protect endangered gorillas and continue Dian's legacy, is simply amazing.”

There are 4 new legs wandering the West Wing -- the Biden family's welcoming a new cat into the White House ... and let's hope this feline likes dogs.

Willow is a 2-year-old tabby, and Dr. Jill Biden's office says she's got some history with the Prez and First Lady dating back to before they were even in the White House.

The First Lady's Press Secretary Michael LaRosa says Willow jumped on a stage with then-candidate Joe Biden during a 2020 campaign stop at a farm -- and the farm owners said they saw an "immediate bond" between them.

The cat's name is an homage to Jill's hometown: Willow Grove, PA.

LaRosa says Willow's been fostered with friends and acquaintances of the Bidens since then ... just waiting for the right moment to make her White House debut.

Remember, it's already been ruff-going at 1600 Pennsylvania with the Biden's dogs.

As we reported back in June, Champ, the Biden family dog, died at the age of 13 ... then Major had to be re-homed because he'd had multiple biting incidents ... but he was immediately replaced by a new German shepherd puppy, Commander.

So, now that the dust has settled ... the White House is officially a one dog, one cat home -- and, of course, there are still plenty of rats.

It's next to impossible for pet owners in Hong Kong to get their animals out of the country ... as a result, pet owners in large numbers are chartering private jets for their animals.

Here's the deal ... flights out of Hong Kong are packed to the brim and pet owners can't get dogs and other house pets on board.

Enter Top Stars Air, which has found a niche with group charters for pets.

The owner of the company says pet owners have chartered jets for dogs, cats, hamsters and rabbits. Forget businesspeople ... the target audience now has 4 legs.

A flight from Hong Kong to New York runs $22,000, but plenty of folks have plunked down that kind of loot for their beloved pets.

As for how many ... the owner of Top Stars says business is up 700% since the beginning of the pandemic.

Pet owners in Hong Kong may have reason to fear because the country has some of the most restrictive and in some cases drastic COVID restrictions in the world.

Authorities there have been euthanizing small animals by the thousands over COVID fears.

More than 2,500 hamsters and other small pets have been euthanized after authorities tested a hamster in a pet store that turned up a positive COVID read.

Crazy times.

To celebrate her 100th birthday, Betty White's sent a final message, thanking fans for all their love and support over the years.

The video was supposed to go out on Jan 17, which would've been Betty's 100th bday. BW used the opportunity to thank fans for all the money and donations raised for animals through the #BettyWhiteChallenge. In the post, the beloved actress sits in a chair and shares her last words of love and gratitude.

The posthumous post says she would never have imagined such an outpouring of love, and she would be extremely grateful to everyone ... if she were here to see it. The post ended by saying "I think it’s appropriate to post today as a thanks from Betty and the animals."

TMZ broke the story ... the adored actress and comedian died at her home just weeks before her birthday ... she had the longest-running career of any woman in television.