Pets

Rep. George Santos is now firmly in the doghouse ... the embattled U.S. Congressman allegedly scammed a disabled homeless military veteran out of thousands in donations intended to keep his dying service pooch alive.

The freshman legislator from NY -- who's already copped to lying about his education and work experience -- crossed paths with Navy veteran Richard Osthoff in May 2016 and identified himself by one of his aliases, Anthony Devolder ... according to local news site, Patch.

Osthoff told Patch he and his beloved service dog, Sapphire, were living out of a tent on the side of a highway in Howell, NJ. That would be trying enough, but Sapphire also had a stomach tumor that was getting larger day by day.

Osthoff needed to come up with $3,000 for his dog's surgery, so a veterinary tech put him in touch with Santos through a charity named "Friends of Pets United" ... which was operated by "Anthony Devolder," Santos' alias. Ya, see where this is going, right?

Santos/Devolder allegedly started a GoFundMe to harness funds for Sapphire's surgery, and Osthoff says one month later, Santos posted on Facebook, "We made the goal, and then some."

This is where it gets really shady -- according to Osthoff, he and Santos discussed taking Sapphire to a different vet after a bleak prognosis from Santos' animal doctor.

Osthoff texted Santos, "My dog is going to die because of god knows what" -- and Santos allegedly replied, "Sapphire is not a candidate for this surgery the funds are moved to the next animal in need and we will make sure we use of resources [sic] to keep her comfortable!"

Osthoff says Sapphire never got the surgery, died in January 2017 ... and they never saw a dime of the donation money. Osthoff was so distraught, he contemplated suicide, pointing out he "loved that dog so much, I inhaled her last breaths when I had her euthanized.”

Now, Santos is denying the whole ordeal ... saying he has no clue who Osthoff is or what he's talking about. He told the Semafor news site, "Fake. No clue who this is."

As we've reported, Santos' track record already sucks ... he was accused of fabricating much of his resume to help him win the congressional seat repping parts of Long Island and Queens.

There are growing calls, even from Republicans, for him to resign after he admitted lying about earning degrees from Baruch College and New York University, and making misleading claims about working for Citigroup and Goldman Sachs.

The so-called "Puppy Bus" is already a viral sensation, and we got its founders to break down all the tricks and treats behind their suddenly booming dog walking/training service.

Mo and Lee Thompson joined "TMZ Live" to talk all about their biz, "Mo Mountain Mutts" ... after their dog bus unexpectedly became a social media phenomenon.

The husband/wife duo told us the bus is just one part of a day filled with dog training and dog walking around Skagway, Alaska -- and after those incredibly calm bus rides, the pups get out for an adventure, full of exercise and socializing.

They say the outings are planned to be physically and mentally engaging for their 4-legged clients ... like challenging hikes or a beach run.

The Thompsons admit their popular bus videos are the product of carefully choosing which pups have enough obedience training to go to their assigned seats without causing a ruckus. They added that the dogs' personalities, ages and manners are also factors.

As for how it all started ... Mo says at first she was just walking friends' dogs during work breaks, and then she started doing biking and hiking trips with 'em.

A family's dog tragically lost its life while out in the woods with its owner ... because we're told a hunter accidentally mistook it for a coyote and shot it.

Jennifer Heller, owner of 8-year-old malamute Hunter, shared the loss of her pup on Facebook ... saying her husband Chris put reflective collars and harnesses on their dogs and took them to a "very commonly used walking path by our house" in Berks County, PA.

While there, she says Chris unleashed Hunter but kept him close -- eventually coming across a group of hunters. After finding out there was an extension on hunting season, she says Chris went to go leash up their dog ... but claims it was shot before he could get to him.

Jennifer says her husband yelled for help and they loaded Hunter in a truck and drove like crazy to get him to a vet, but he died before they could even get to a highway. She's now asking authorities to revoke the shooter's hunting privileges.

Northern Berks Regional Police Chief James Keiser tells TMZ ... the dog wasn't under the control of the owner and was shot by hunters who thought it was a coyote -- adding it should've been on a leash. He says there were no arrests and no charges were filed.

A rep for the Game Commission tells us the hunters were in full compliance with PA hunting laws -- saying it seems the dog was simply shot by mistake.

Cheryl Burke is dancing off with a W in the fallout from her divorce with Matthew Lawrence -- instead of going to court over custody of their dog ... he's waived the white flag.

New court docs, obtained by TMZ, show the 'DWTS' star and her now-ex-husband have struck a deal regarding the battle over who'll be the primary caretaker of their French bulldog, Ysabella ... something they'd been fighting about throughout the proceedings.

As of now ... it looks like Cheryl is going to play dog mom to the pooch, as she was awarded all ownership rights -- with ML agreeing to give up all docs/data pertaining to Ysabella, including the title of "pet parent" for their once-shared Home Again service.

There was a trial that was scheduled to take place soon if they didn't squash this, and it looks like they did that just in the nick of time -- with all discovery now being withdrawn.

While Matthew and Cheryl finalized their divorce in September, this was one of the final points of contention ... which Cheryl had even addressed publicly, calling Matt's insistence on fighting her over it "cruel." As she said in interviews, she always saw it as *her* dog.

Cheryl says she got Ysabella from an ex, and felt entitled to it. In the end, it seems he saw it that way too. Of course, he's on to new horizons ... now in a relationship with Chilli.

WWE Superstar Alexa Bliss is overjoyed that Logan Paul's former pig, Pearl, has found a new home ... telling TMZ Sports all that matters now is that the animal is getting proper care.

As we previously reported, Logan took Pearl to a horse ranch in California before he moved to Puerto Rico a few years ago ... but sadly, after being rehomed again, the pig was found abandoned and in grave condition.

While many were quick to blame Logan for Pearl's state, the YouTuber made it clear he had no idea his beloved pet ever left the ranch ... nor did he know she was in terrible shape until the Gentle Barn animal sanctuary posted about her on TikTok.

The former women's champ -- who had a pet pig of her own for years -- spoke with us at LAX about the whole situation ... and she's not focused on who's at fault, but rather the fact Pearl is on the mend.

"Unfortunate as it is, I'm happy his pig was rescued and is in a better situation," Bliss says.

"As long as the animal is taken care of, that's all that matters."

Bliss goes on to give a bit of advice to anyone looking to get an oinker as a pet -- "mini" pigs don't exist ... and she'd know, considering her pet, Larry-Steve, a Vietnamese pot-bellied breed, weighed about 150-200 pounds!!

BTW -- Alexa's pig was a social media star, racking up nearly 90,000 followers on Instagram. Unfortunately, Larry-Steve died in 2021 after battling a severe illness.

Logan Paul says he did nothing wrong with his former pet pig, who is now being cared for by an animal sanctuary ... Logan says he gave the pig a good home before it was rescued.

The YouTube star joined us Tuesday on "TMZ Live" and talked about his former pet pig, Pearl, who is now being looked after by the Gentle Barn rescue.

Logan says he owned Pearl for a couple years and gave her a good life at his home in Encino, CA ... saying he would even cuddle and sleep with the animal and made sure she had "the best life."

But, when Logan moved to Puerto Rico during the pandemic, he says he sent Pearl to live at a horse ranch in Santa Clarita, CA because he wasn't permitted to bring her with him. Logan says Pearl received amazing care at the ranch.

Logan says Pearl lived at the horse ranch for 10 months but had to be rehomed again when the ranch owner moved out of state -- he says he was unaware of the rehoming.

Gentle Barn posted a TikTok Monday about Pearl's rescue, claiming she was "irresponsibly rehomed" and was found alone in a field next to a dead pig.

Logan says he only found out about Pearl's situation when the video came out, and he says he checked his records and is certain he didn't rehome the pig irresponsibly.

Logan's also claiming innocence on the second pig that was allegedly found dead next to Pearl ... he says the farmer denies knowing about a second pig and says Pearl was transferred to the farm alone.

TMZ broke the story ... Logan reached out to Gentle Barn after the video surfaced, explaining Pearl's history with him and pledging to help with her care.

Logan says the Pearl saga was unpredictable and unforeseen ... and if he could, he would go back in time and tell himself not to buy a baby pig.

Logan Paul's former pig is now being cared for by the famous, Gentle Barn ... and he's thanking the rescue org. for saving the animal.

Here's the deal ... the famous animal sanctuary in Santa Clarita, CA posted a TikTok Monday about rescuing a pig with tattered ears and a potentially-life threatening infection who was found alone in a field next to a dead pig ... and it turns out the pig has a connection to Logan.

The pig, Pearl, was owned by Logan a few years ago ... and says he thought it was a "mini pig" when he bought her. The pig is now huge.

Anyway ... Logan sent an email, obtained by TMZ, to Gentle Barn ... thanking them for caring for Pearl and explaining how the pig's been rehomed a few times.

Logan says Pearl lived at his home in Encino until April 2020 when he moved to Puerto Rico. He says Pearl was rehomed to a horse ranch in Santa Clarita, where he thinks she lived for 10 months until being rehomed to the farm across the street "with the purpose of care."

But, when Gentle Barn found the pig, they say she had clearly been through more trauma than they could imagine.

A source close to Logan tells TMZ ... he was very upset to learn of Pearl's condition and is truly grateful to Gentle Barn.

Prince Harry looked intense as he walked his dog along a rain-soaked path near his Montecito estate ... as he was making headlines for unloading on his family in his new book.

Harry was bundled up as he and Pula, his black Labrador, traversed an area around a public beach, then put rover in his Range Rover for the ride home.

Although he looked serious, he was clearly not surprised by the news over his book. All of the scandals he revealed were carefully orchestrated for the rollout of "Spare." He's done interviews with 'GMA' and "60 Minutes," and both shows are promoting their "big get" like crazy.

As you know by now, Harry is in full military mode, accusing members of his family of violence, racism, betrayal and a host of other misdeeds.

Former Navy SEAL John Devine is giving back to other vets and saving animals through his org. ... pairing rescue animals with disabled veterans, free of charge!

The Rescue22 founder joined "TMZ Live" to talk all about his org. ... and the impact of turning rescue dogs into service animals for vets in need.

John tells us, his foundation prides itself on saving "two at a time," changing the lives of dogs and veterans ... by traveling to different shelters, training dogs and donating them to injured vets.

And, it's kind of a big deal ... many vets have PTSD, traumatic brain injuries or other medical conditions. Nearly 1,600 returned are now amputees. He says service dogs for vets can cost anywhere between $20K and $40K. So, his foundation not only saves lives but it saves them a ton of money.

We're told training dogs can take anywhere from 6 months to 1 year, depending on the disability ... but it's super impactful. He notes 22 vets die by suicide per day, on average ... hence where he got the name for the org.

As a former U.S. Navy SEAL, he wants to use the skills he learned to train dogs and help others. His hope is to become "Rescue0" ... in other words, he wants to prevent the number of deaths amongst veterans and help transition back into civilian life.

A dog that was separated from her owner during a hike during the winter blast got a precious Xmas present -- life -- thanks to a determined owner and a rescue team.

Nala was hiking with her owner Christmas Eve in Ogden, Utah ... near Waterfall Canyon. Somehow the pooch and owner got separated. The owner searched high and low, but no Nala in sight. At nightfall, the frustrated and worried owner went back home.

On Christmas Day, the owner returned to the trail -- 2.4 miles from start to finish -- and spotted his dog. Thing is ... the owner's family didn't have a clue because cell service sucked, so they became worried he might be in trouble and called the cops.

A rescue team spotted the owner, who told them he spotted Nala at the top of a frozen waterfall, but couldn't reach her because of ice and steep terrain.

With the help of a drone, the rescue team spotted the dog and they then began a difficult hike to save the animal. Nala was a little freaked out at first, but eventually realized the team was there to help and she cooperated as they brought her down the mountain.

Nala had a few injuries, but nothing life-threatening. She's back with her fam.

Dak Prescott's dog has gone from the dog house to the penthouse ... starring in a new TV commercial -- almost four years after he was nearly put down by authorities for attacking a neighbor.

The Dallas Cowboy's pup, Icon, was busted way back in Feb. 2019 -- after cops said he broke free from the quarterback's Frisco, Texas home, chewed through a nearby woman's fence, and then bit off part of her finger.

The pit bull was caught and quarantined ... and, days later, officials set up a hearing for the animal to determine if it should be classified as a "dangerous dog."

If it was found to be dangerous, euthanasia was on the table. But, fortunately for Prescott, authorities ultimately released the dog back to the NFL player under the condition he was removed from Frisco.

The dog has apparently stayed out of trouble since ... 'cause AT&T just tapped him to be in a new ad for the co. this week.

In the spot, Icon can be seen adorably roamin' around a house -- missing his owner while the quarterback was shining for the Cowboys on gameday.

In one scene, Icon can be seen lovingly licking Prescott's face.

Dak shared the advert on his social media page on Thursday, calling the dog his "best friend."

A dog-walking couple says they bumped into something pretty terrifying -- a creepy-looking figure crossed right in front of them in the dark, and although they caught it on camera, they have no clue what the thing is.

Hannah and Dave Rowett were strolling with their pups through Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire, England this month when they nearly bumped into the shadowy creature ... you can see it seemingly appear out of thin air, and cross their path before disappearing.

The couple posted the spooky clip on Facebook, where it's gotten some serious buzz ... and people are torn as to whether or not this thing is legit, or just a well-edited video.

Dave even referred to himself as a skeptic of ghosts ... but says this encounter made him a believer.

FYI -- Clumber Park is supposedly haunted by a spirit called "Grey Lady" ... known as a woman in a long coat, often described as a demon, crawling on her long limbs -- which lines up pretty well with the hunched-over thing seen in the clip.

Word of advice for the Rowett's -- there's gotta be another park to walk your dogs!!!

A dog owner's going through a ruff patch ... because she's gettin' called out for alleged animal abuse after making her pup look like the mean one himself, Mr. Grinch.

The TikToker showed off her dog's transformation, going from its natural color to getting dyed green -- and even red and white to resemble the titular character's Christmas sweater.

The now-viral clip's captioned "When your groomer slays making your dog into the Grinch," but it might've gained traction for all the wrong reasons -- because people are up in arms over the supposed mistreatment of the animal.

The comment section ran wild ... with some saying "Kinda looks like animal abuse to me," "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should," and "Poor Puppy." Some were in the owner's corner though -- mentioning some dyes are pet safe.

However, some puppies have skin allergies and could get severe reactions in the process, but it's unclear if this doggo fits that bill.

The owner clapped back to all the noise ... showing the dog chillin' on the bed with the sarcastic caption "He's super abused."

Chad Atkins, the cofounder of Paw Works -- one of L.A.'s leading animal rescue organizations -- has died.

The organization announced the shocking news Sunday about its leader, calling him "a truly incredible person who devoted his entire existence to saving animals."

Paw Works says Chad "passed unexpectedly from heart failure" while at home. Further proving his dedication to animals, he had recently planned to open a low-cost spay and neuter clinic.

Paw Works is continuing to honor Chad by opening up the clinic as he wished ... and it's asking for donations to help continue his life's work. All the folks who worked with Chad say they can hear him saying, “It’s time, let’s get back to our mission.”

In the span of Chad's animal rescue career, the org says "he managed to save many humans with his compassion, sassy wit, smile and unconditional devotion."

TMZ has had the honor of working closely with Chad and Paw Works each year leading up to the Puppy Bowl to help promote animal adoption.

Chad is survived by his son, Sebastian, and his husband, Bryan Diaz. He was 44.

Olive Garden is saying arrivederci to a controversial restaurant manager who allegedly got so fed up with employees calling out for work they demanded proof even if a staffer's dog died.

A message reportedly sent from the disgraced manager to employees and obtained by KCTV read, "Our call-offs are occurring at a staggering rate. From now on, if you call off, you might as well go out and look for another job. We are no longer tolerating ANY EXCUSE for calling off. If you’re sick, you need to come prove it to us. If your dog died, you need to bring him in and prove it to us."

The manager, who worked at an OG location in Kansas, continued their rant by claiming they'd not taken a single day off in more than 11 years at the franchise.

Allegedly writing, "Do you know in my 11.5 years at Darden how many days I called off? Zero. I came in sick. I got in a wreck literally on my way to work one time, airbags went off and my car was totaled, but you know what, I made it to work, ON TIME.”

The man charged for shooting Lady Gaga's dog walker last year just got a stiff punishment for the crime ... landing behind bars for decades.

James Howard Jackson was sentenced Monday to 21 years in prison in Los Angeles County -- this after accepting a plea deal from the District Attorney's Office. Jackson was one of five men hauled in by police and accused of carrying out the violent act in 2021.

A rep for the L.A. County D.A.'s office tells us Jackson pled no contest to a count of attempted murder and admitted the allegation of inflicting great bodily injury to a prior strike.

Prosecutors alleged Jackson was the one who actually fired the shot at Ryan Fischer that night in an attempt to steal Gaga's two French bulldogs.

Video obtained by TMZ showed the wild altercation -- the group literally rolled up and hopped out to attack Ryan, shooting him in the process.

Jackson was facing the most serious charges, attempted murder and 2 extra firearm counts, assault with a semiautomatic firearm and a felon carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle.

You'll recall ... he was actually temporarily released by mistake earlier this year after a clerical error by the Sheriff's Dept. Fischer told us at the time he was freaked out, and was calling on police to apprehend him swiftly.

In the end, they did ... and now, he's going away for a long time. It's unclear where things stand with the other four men connected to the case ... two others were also charged with attempted murder, while the final 2 were slapped with accessory charges, among others.