Pets

Awful news out of Red Sox nation ... Drago -- the German shepherd who became famous for roaming the field at Fenway Park over the past few years -- has died at 10 years old.

The pup's owner, Red Sox head groundskeeper Dave Mellor, mourned the passing in a message to the Associated Press this week.

"I was blessed he was in my life as he saved my life, changed my life, inspired me, and gave hope to my life in ways I hadn't had in decades and didn’t know were possible,” Mellor said. "I am absolutely heartbroken."

Mellor, a die-hard Red Sox fan and a former star high school pitching prospect, got Drago back in 2014 in order to help deal with the PTSD he was suffering from after he was involved in two horrific car crashes earlier in his life.

The two quickly became inseparable -- and Drago soon joined Mellor at his job tending to the grounds at Fenway Park, where the dog quickly became beloved by Red Sox players, staffers and fans.

Sadly, Drago suffered a stroke before Boston hosted the Oakland Athletics last week, and died two days later.

The Red Sox org. showed a heartfelt message on the video board at the ballpark last Friday when the team played the St. Louis Cardinals ... saying that Drago was a companion who provided countless memories over the years.

"We send love and support to his family, honor his service and recognize a life well-lived," the Sox's tribute read. "We will miss you, Drago.”

VH1's "Black Ink Crew" star Ceaser Emanuel has been fired from the show after a video surfaced allegedly showing him abusing dogs ... TMZ has learned.

A spokesperson for VH1 tells TMZ, "We have made the decision to cut ties with Ceaser Emanuel from Black Ink Crew New York. Since next season was close to finishing production, this decision will not impact the upcoming season."

Sources familiar with the situation tell us they are wrapping production, but keeping it open in order to properly address the situation in the show. We're told producers also found the viral video appalling.

A video surfaced Wednesday that allegedly shows Ceaser beating and abusing dogs -- the clip made many fans sick to their stomachs, instantly.

Ceaser's co-star Donna Lombardi reposted the clip online and said "I don't even get into the life of this man, but this video made me so upset."

She called on the network to cancel him completely ... adding "I pray the people see you, @ceaserblackink, as the monster you are."

The show is currently in production for its 10th season, and Ceaser's been a part of the series since its 2013 premiere.

The show follows the daily operations of his shop, Black Ink tattoo, in Harlem ... the guy also owns studios in Brooklyn, ATL, Orlando and Houston.

L.A. Chargers defensive lineman Morgan Fox woke up Wednesday a proud dog dad ... 'cause his French bulldog won the Non-Sporting Group at the Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday night -- and is now heading to the finals!

The 146th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show -- which is held at the Lyndhurst Estate in Tarrytown, NY -- announced his dog, Winston, took home the W after a sweet performance Tuesday evening.

"Give a round of a-PAWS for your Non-Sporting Group Winner, WINSTON!" Westminster said on IG.

The defensive end -- who signed with the Chargers last month after playing for the Rams and Panthers -- watched the whole thing go down on TV ... and he was stoked!

"If this is how my parents felt watching my games all these years I apologize," Fox said on Twitter after Winston's win. "Winner winner!"

Following the victory, Fox had a hilarious interaction with a pet food and nutrient company over Winston's advantages with Dad being a six-year NFL vet and all.

"Has Winston been training with you on the field to get a leg up in the competition?" the company asked.

Fox responded, "😂😂 apparently I should be training with him."

Now, Winston -- along with Trumpet the bloodhound, Hollywood the Maltese, and River the German shepherd -- will advance to the finals.

Three more dogs will be selected on Wednesday afternoon, and then all seven pups will face off for the coveted Best in Show prize just hours later.

Paws crossed for Winston!

A stray dog is lucky to be alive after it found itself in a less than familiar environment ... getting stuck inside a gorilla enclosure at The San Diego Zoo.

Officials say, the canine somehow wandered into the gorilla habitat Sunday, after sneaking inside the San Diego Zoo Safari Park -- you can feel the anxiety from the crowd as they watch on, desperately trying to get the dog to climb out and to safety.

The gorillas chase down the pup at points, but keep their distance in an intense stare-off during others ... one thing is for sure -- the dog is terrified.

The good news? ... the zoo staff ended up moving the gorilla so that officers from the San Diego County Humane Society could get in and safely get the doggy out.

While officials have yet to find an owner for the pup, he was reportedly given the shelter name of 'Mighty Joe Young' and the Humane Society is hopeful its owner will come to bring him back home.

Soccer star Kurt Zouma will not have to spend time behind bars for attacking his cats ... instead, he was sentenced to community service on Wednesday.

Zouma had faced jail time after pleading guilty last week to kicking and slapping his pets during a February incident ... but a judge ordered him to just 180 hours of community service and a five-year ban from owning cats.

His brother, Yoan -- who pleaded guilty to a charge last week that he aided and abetted Kurt during the incident -- was sentenced to 140 hours of community service and was also banned from owning cats for five years.

The two were ordered to pay fines and fees as well.

During the sentencing hearing, the judge scolded the two brothers -- calling their actions "disgraceful and reprehensible."

"As a public figure," the judge said, "you must be aware that others look up to you and many young people aspire to emulate you."

Both of Zouma's cats had been taken away from the 27-year-old, who's a member of France's national team, earlier this year after video show him kicking and slapping the felines.

The cats are currently in the care of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ... and are in the process of finding a new home.

Lisa Vanderpump is going all out to celebrate some four-legged friends by hosting her 6th annual 'World Dog Day'!

The 'Real Housewives' star (and her pup) joined "TMZ Live" to give us the lowdown on this weekend's festivities in West Hollywood, which raises awareness about global dog abuse.

Lisa tells us, "World Dog Day' is a real feel-good factor ... especially coming amid some very tough times in America, around the world ... and even for Lisa's charity Vanderpump Dog Foundation.

From the sounds of it, it'll be a whole 'lotta fun ... Lisa says, they're doing it big for all the furry folks -- live music and a DJ, vendors with doggy treats ... also a dog water park, pie-eating contest and even a fashion show with dog models!

While the foundation puts on a great show for pleasure, it also gets down to business too. The org has rescued and adopted over 2,300 dogs domestically and hundreds internationally ... even more of a reason to celebrate!

This year's event is co-sponsored by WeHo as a part of the city's celebration of Pet Week.

Soccer star Kurt Zouma has pleaded guilty to charges he attacked at least one of his cats in an abhorrent act back in February -- admitting in court on Tuesday that he did kick and slap at least one of the pets.

Zouma was seen on video back on Feb. 6 punting one of his two felines across his house's floor, and then slapping one of them as well. Earlier this week, he was formally charged over the incident.

The 27-year-old, who's a member of France's national team, appeared at Thames Magistrates' Court in London ... and pleaded guilty to two charges -- one accusing him of kicking a cat in the abdomen, and one accusing him of slapping a cat in the head.

Kurt's younger brother, Yoan, also pleaded guilty to a charge that he aided and abetted Kurt during the incident after officials say he was the one who filmed it all and posted it to social media.

The two are due back in court on June 1 for sentencing -- it's unclear if either is facing significant jail time.

Kurt had previously apologized for his actions in the days after the video went viral, saying, "There are no excuses for my behaviour, which I sincerely regret." He was later fined by his West Ham team, and lost sponsorships as well.

At the hearing Tuesday, Kurt agreed to give up the cats -- which have been in the possession of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals since February. They're now in the process of finding a new home.

Here's a real mother goose ... a mom breastfeeding her baby ran out of her house and saved the family's pet goose from a bald eagle's talons ... and it's all on video.

The crazy scene played out this week in Canada, where a family's surveillance camera captured the moment an eagle swooped down and tried to carry off the goose ... springing the mother into action before she could put down her baby or put on a top.

The hero here is Cait Oakley, and she told Global News she was getting her baby ready for bed when she heard the cries of the family's female goose, Frankie.

Cait says the eagle grabbed Frankie by the throat, but she was able to frighten the eagle enough to where the bird of prey let go of the 20-pound goose.

The mom says the goose is like her 4th child and she didn't even realize the moment was captured on camera ... but the family later shared a good laugh over the footage, which is now going viral.

Yes, Pamela Anderson's a big Broadway star now, but she's still an animal lover at heart -- which is why she's going out of her way to walk someone else's dog during her downtime in NYC.

Pamela's in the middle of an 8-week-run as the lead, Roxie Hart, in "Chicago." A source close to the actress says she wasn't able to take her own dogs with her to the city, but was still taking daily walks in Central Park.

That's when we're told Pamela had the idea to ask her assistant -- who has friends in the city -- if he knew anyone who needed a dog walker.

Pammy lucked out because someone happened to have an Irish Setter, named Dash, in need of a world-famous actress and sex symbol to stroll with him.

When Pamela showed up to get Dash for his walk, his owners were stunned to see it was the "Baywatch" actress ... and now, she's been walking him every day for the last 3 weeks.

Pamela's run on Broadway continues until the first week of June, and she's gotten a ton of fan support and positive buzz. We're told she'll continue to walk Dash until she heads home to her own 4 pups.

The alleged Buffalo shooter once detailed a grisly account of beheading a cat -- an incident that left him feeling absolutely nothing at all.

18-year-old Payton Gendron documented the killing in a digital journal entry on Discord -- which was public for a time before being taken down -- in which he describes slicing up a feral gray tabby cat that was apparently attacking his family's own pet cat in their garage.

He goes on to say he spent the next hour chasing it around and stabbing it with a camouflage knife ... until the animal died. Gendron is said to have also logged times on when it went limp, and how it bled from its mouth.

Doesn't sound like the guy was done desecrating the body ... Gendron went on to say he pounded the cat onto the concrete with its tail, and then cut off its head with a hatchet after about 20 hacks -- with blood splattering on his face.

He then wrote, "Honestly right now I don’t feel anything about killing that cat. I thought I would be in pain but I literally just feel blank," adding ... "Well my cat Paige is safe now from that evil feral cat, may you find bliss from consciousness less."

Gendron ended that entry by noting his cat had hung out with him more than anyone in the last few years, and that he hoped his family would care for it when he was "gone."

Sarah Paulson is super upset and on the prowl ... in search of her friend's missing pup, after she says it was stolen by a dog sitter.

Sarah pled with her IG followers Monday to help her friend, Clementine Ford, whose dog, Winnie, just disappeared. Sarah believes Winnie's been dognapped, so she wants everyone in the area to keep their eyes peeled for the pooch. Clementine is Cybill Shepherd's daughter.

The "Ratched" actress squarely pointed the guilty finger at the sitter ... "Help. Spread the word. This woman stole my friend's dog. Share far and wide. I'm begging you."

According to Sarah's friend Clementine, she left Winnie with a sitter she found on the 'Rover' app before heading out of town for a wedding. She claims, the sitter went radio silent when she began asking about the dog.

Amber Heard says she isn't to blame for the poop found in Johnny Depp's bed ... instead blaming the actor's dog, who Heard claims was experiencing some serious bowel issues after eating weed.

Amber's back on the stand Monday, after a week-long break, and her defense team just brought up the infamous incident. Heard says the dog, Boo, who was a puppy at the time had gotten into Johnny's marijuana stash.

Heard says before she and her girlfriends left for Coachella, the dogs were up on the bed, and that's when Boo crapped in the bed.

Of course, Johnny had a much different explanation of what he believed had happened -- saying the doo-doo was too big for his tiny dog to produce. He says it looked like it was from a human, and it was, "so outside, so bizarre and so grotesque that I could only laugh."

Starling Jenkins, who worked as a driver for Depp around the time of Coachella, claimed Heard had told him she was involved in a prank gone wrong ... but Amber just testified saying that's just not possible, because she wasn't in a pranking mood, she was in the process of leaving her husband.

French Montana just got screwed by his pooch -- because a jury just awarded his pool guy a bunch of money over French's dog biting the man.

A California jury found French's German Shepherd, Zane, was the culprit in the gnarly attack against Juan Lomeli -- the dude who sued FM way back in 2018.

You'll recall ... Lomeli alleged at the time French's pet lost it on him while he was doing his job on the grounds, lunging at him and sinking its teeth into his arm, causing a nasty and painful injury.

Lomeli -- who was represented by attorney Brad Wallace -- testified the injuries were severe enough for him to miss a substantial amount of time working ... which he claimed cost him serious dough he would've otherwise made.

Looks like this case has been working its way through the legal system ... and now, a jury has weighed in -- awarding Lomeli a whopping $129,500 in damages.

Here's how the judgment breaks down -- $39,500 in past economic loss, $60k in non-economic loss (pain/suffering etc.), and another $30k for future non-economic loss.

Ciara and Russell Wilson welcomed a new puppy to the family for Mother's Day, but PETA's taking them to task for buying the pup from a breeder, and not rescuing a pooch from a shelter instead.

PETA believes it's clear -- the couple's new dog, Bronco, is a purebred puppy -- and likely from a breeder where "mother dogs are often locked inside filthy cages and bred over and over until their bodies give out."

The animal rescue org also uses some Ciara song references in calling out Russ, telling us the QB made a "One, Two Step mistake by killing a shelter dog's chances of finding a home."

They continue, "PETA is calling on the couple to Level Up on kindness by adopting a companion for this pup instead of fueling the homeless-animal crisis."

As we've told you, Ci and Russ revealed they welcomed their new doggy to the fam over Mother's Day weekend, naming her Bronco after Russ' new team in Denver. Ciara called the puppy, "the sweetest surprise."

One little pup became the cause of a big headache for some airport employees ... getting loose and making the tarmac his own personal dog park.

The great escape happened earlier this month at the airport in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. While the dog appears to think the whole thing is a game, the baggage handlers aren't too amused, chasing it down and trying to get him under control.

Unclear exactly how the dog got loose, whether he escaped from a cage ready for a plane, or whether he was a stray that got into the airport ... but eventually, he was captured without any injury. No word on if he delayed anyone's travel plans, though.

New city, new team ... new puppy?!?

Russell Wilson and Ciara just revealed they're welcoming a new doggo into the family following the quarterback's shocking trade to Denver ... and, fittingly, they named the pup "Bronco!"

The NFL star and the musician took to social media to announce the new addition to the Wilson household ... showing off the adorable, four-legged friend in an Instagram video.

"Meet.. BRONCO 🐶," Ciara said of the new dog. "The kids call her Bronco Love Brownie:)"

Ciara insinuated that Russ got her the pup as a Mother's Day gift ... writing on her social media page, "The sweetest surprise. I love you baby."

Wilson and Ciara were all smiles as the "Level Up" singer held Bronco in her arms.

Of course, the pup will now have a whole lot of room to roam in the Wilsons' house ... because, you'll recall, the signal-caller and his wife just copped a massive Denver mansion for $25 million after he was traded to the Broncos this offseason.

The Wilsons' new 20,060 square foot estate sits on 5.34 acres ... which means plenty of space for the new pup to explore.