Pets

"Grey's Anatomy" star Caterina Scorsone and her family are reeling after her house burned down ... and while her family made it out alive, the actor's pets did not.

Caterina shared the devastating news Monday, saying, "A couple of months ago my house burned down. While getting my kids ready for bed and finishing bath time, smoke began to seep up through the grout around the tub."

Caterina says by the time she looked down the hallway, she could already see a river of thick black smoke filling the house ... and she knew she had to act fast.

She continues, "I had about two minutes to get my three kids out of the house, and we escaped with less than shoes on our feet. But we got out. And for that I am eternally grateful. Heartbreakingly, we lost all four of our pets. We are still sitting with that loss, but we are lucky we got to love them at all."

In the post, Caterina took the time to thank those who showed up during a time of need. She says, "This is not a post about a fire. This is a post about community" before listing off some folks who made the whole process easier -- including her team, the firefighters, investigators, parents at her kids’ school, her neighbor and sister.

Rick Ross is grateful one of his neighbors is pointing out he has a problem with stray pets ... a few of his cattle and bison are roaming a little too freely.

Rick says he always manages to corral the livestock on his "Promise Land" estate ... no easy feat, seeing as how the property sits on 235 acres of land. Rozay compares it to the popular TV series "Yellowstone" ... AKA it's the wild wild west when it comes to the wildlife!!!

The level of damage the bison caused to the neighbor's yard doesn't seem like the equivalent of returning a lost pooch ... but the MMG rapper explained they're actually peaceful animals that will graciously accept carrots on request!!!

We broke the story -- one of Rick's neighbors of his Fayetteville estate grew INFURIATED his bison were destroying her yard ... but he urged his neighbors to be courteous and reminded them to keep collars on their pets.

Rick Ross has a home, a BIG one, where his pet buffalo roam ... yet the giant beasts still range onto his neighbor's yard, and she's worried because her young kids play outside.

The neighbor, who lives on a plot of land behind RR's Fayetteville, GA compound, tells TMZ ... the two buffaloes -- aka bison -- have wandered onto her property twice this week. Keep in mind, adult buffalo can tip the scales at around 2,000 lbs.!!!

She's worried they may pose a danger to her small children.

TMZ obtained video showing Rick's behemoth pets running through the neighbor's front yard ... and she says she came home from work to discover the wild scene.

She also snapped photos of the buffaloes grazing on the grass near a paved driveway full of parked cars.

Rick's neighbor says she went to the rapper's place to confront him about the buffaloes grazing on her property ... which turned into a verbal dispute with a member of Rick's team.

Unsatisfied with that interaction, she says her next step is filing a neighbor dispute with the city. She tried calling police, but they told her it's a civil dispute and didn't take a report.

In addition to the potential danger the roaming animals pose to the woman's kids, they also appear to be tearing up her yard. Definitely not as important, but it could still be costly.

Remember, Rick was gifted the bison last March and they are absolutely huge. He also has four horses and a bull. No deer or antelope, though.

Adam Levine and fam are gonna have their hands full, because they just got a new puppy that promises to eventually tip the scales at over 100 lbs!!!

Adam was in Montecito Friday caressing his new pooch -- a fluffy Leonberger, a German-bred dog that will be enormous. Females get up to 140 lbs and dude dogs 170 lbs -- yes 170!!!

Check out the pup's paws ... you can see what's in store for the Levine family.

Aside from sheer size ... these dogs shed like crazy -- so much so, grooming them has become a cottage industry. There are even competitions for who can get the biggest hairballs.

BTW ... can't tell if it's a male or female ... it's a little shy in the pics!

When you gotta go, ya gotta go ... and that's exactly what one adorable pooch did while performing during the halftime performance at a college basketball game!!

The whole bathroom break was caught on camera by one of the hoop fans in the stands -- showing the cute canine doing tricks with a frisbee for the Virginia Tech-Louisville game on Tuesday.

But the show eventually started to stink -- literally -- when the dog walked up to its trainer near the baseline to do another move ... when out of nowhere, it pops a squat and lets it all out!!

The trainer quickly reacted and grabbed the dog, but the doo doo still remained ... and the crowd's reaction was priceless.

To add to the crappy night, the Cardinals lost again, making it their third consecutive loss. They currently hold a 4-26 record under new head coach Kenny Payne.

FYI, this ain't the first time a dog has dropped a deuce at a sporting event ... Klay Thompson's dog did it at Dodger Stadium in 2016, and a Philadelphia Police Department K-9 handled its business right on the Flyers' center-ice logo in 2021.

Britney Spears, Sam Asghari and their security team will need to keep a closer watch on her beloved pooches, after at least one of the dogs got out and bit an elderly man.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us Britney's Doberman named Porsha got out from her Thousand Oaks property Thursday and was roaming the neighborhood. We're told at some point, Porsha came in contact with a man in his 70s who was riding his bike.

Our sources say the man got off his bike, and Porsha bit him in the leg before a member from Britney's security team came along to wrangle the pooch. We're told the man went to get his bite checked out at a local urgent care.

A source close to Britney tells us her team was later contacted by animal control and advised to make sure the dog stays on the property and doesn't get out again. The Britney source tells us the incident was described as more of a "nip" than a bite.

It was back in October 2021 when Sam gifted Britney Porsha, posting a video with the pup and exclaiming, "It's going to be trained to protect you from any motherf***er that comes around you with bad intentions."

Looks like Porsha might be taking guard dog duties a little too seriously.

Former Univ. of Georgia stars Knowshown Moreno and Tavarres King are firing back at PETA ... telling TMZ Sports the animal rights org. should kick rocks for demanding their live bulldog mascot be removed from its role.

PETA initially took aim at the school after the National Championship Game earlier this year -- requesting the university retire Uga for good ... calling the dog's position as team mascot cruel to the animal.

But, when we talked with Moreno and King about the situation earlier this month, they both said Uga is living better than some students do!

"I feel like those pets live the best lives!" said Moreno, who played at UGA from 2006 to 2008. "Uga live the life!"

"I don't think folks know how good of a life Uga lives," added King, a receiver for the Bulldogs from 2008 to 2012. "Uga lives a good one."

FYI -- Georgia has used a live mascot since the 1950s ... starting with Uga I. The current mascot is Uga X.

Both Moreno and King said they've personally seen the dogs be treated like royalty, telling us the pups get fed regularly -- and even have first-class seats on team planes.

King also said the mascot's dog house has air conditioning!

The 911 call from an alligator's deadly attack on an 85-year-old woman in Florida has just been released ... and it's terrifying.

The frightened caller, who saw it all go down, tells the 911 dispatcher ... "There's a woman in the lake. The alligator's got her!"

The caller says the huge gator grabbed the woman as she walked her small dog by the water, telling the dispatcher ... "He pulled her into the lake."

The dispatcher asks if the gator dragged the woman below the surface ... and the caller says "Yes."

As the call unfolds, the caller says she hasn't seen the woman surface for several minutes ... but about 8 minutes in the caller notices a body floating in the water and exclaims, "I think she's gone, oh my God."

As we reported ... the attack happened Monday at a retirement community in Fort Pierce, FL, where the victim, 85-year-old Gloria Serge, was walking her dog near a retention pond when the gator lunged at them.

The roughly 10-foot alligator was ultimately captured and killed ... but the woman's dog survived.

Spencer -- the dog who became a star for cheering on runners during the Boston Marathon each year -- has sadly passed away after battling cancer. He was 13.

Spencer's owner, Rich Power, made the announcement on Tuesday ... saying the golden retriever died at their home last Friday under the care of their veterinarian.

"We are devastated to share the news of Spencer's passing,' Powers said on social media.

"Spencer has overcome some severe medical challenges over the past several years. We thought we would be lucky to have him for an extra month."

Powers -- who was gifted the pup in 2009 -- explained he was diagnosed in September 2022, and unfortunately, the cancer was inoperable.

"Spencer was not ready to give up and with the love and positive energy sent to him by hundreds of thousands of fans, He beat the odds and gave us 28 months."

Spencer went viral back in 2018 after he was seen holding a "Boston Strong" flag during a rain storm at the race -- his usual spot at the event for nine years -- and the runners always showed him love.

In fact, the Boston Athletic Association named Spencer the official dog of the marathon last year and honored him with a portrait and medal at a ceremony in Boston.

"Spencer, your spirit and determination inspired us all," the B.A.A. said after his death.

"We'll miss you, and are proud to call you a friend and forever the Official Dog of the Boston Marathon."

Spencer's owners are asking fans to donate to his memorial fundraiser ... which helps the Morris Animal Foundation Golden Retriever Lifetime Study.

The study focuses on canine health studies in the U.S. to "identify the nutritional, environmental, lifestyle and genetic risk factors for cancer and other diseases in dogs."

An elderly woman is dead after an alligator attacked while she was walking her dog -- and her efforts to save her pooch ended up costing her her life.

The tragedy happened Monday at a retirement community in Fort Pierce, FL where the beast lunged at 85-year-old Gloria Serge. The gator reportedly went after the dog first, but Gloria wasn't giving up her pet without a fight.

Unfortunately, Serge got knocked over in the struggle, and the alligator yanked her by the foot into a nearby pond ... where she drowned. Not too long after that, the authorities were called in to wrangle and kill the gator.

Photos released by the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Dept. show the dramatic scene ... officers straddling the reptile and tying it up as they prepared to haul it off in the back of a truck.

This one was estimated to be 10 feet in length, and was ultimately euthanized ... while the dog survived the ordeal.

As we know, gators are a dime a dozen in the sunshine state, and are incredibly dangerous. A toddler was killed under similar circumstances at Disney World in 2016.

Seven-time Super Bowl champ, three-time MVP, 15-time Pro Bowler ... and now, cat daddy?!

Tom Brady has just officially added that last title to his resume this week ... 'cause TMZ Sports has learned he's adopted two Siamese mix kittens!!

We're told the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers star got the kitties after he and his daughter, Vivian, fell in love with animals while volunteering at the Humane Society Of Tampa Bay this past season.

According to a spokesperson from the Humane Society, Brady and his daughter had been on the lookout for some new cats for the past few weeks ... and the perfect pair ultimately arrived right in time for Valentine's Day this week.

"Vivi wins again," Brady wrote in a video of the two cats playing around his house on Wednesday morning.

"This is what my mornings are like now," he added.

The future Hall of Famer also promised the Humane Society that the newest additions to the Brady household "are in good loving hands."

No word on the names of the cats yet ... but we're told the duo is just 10 weeks old -- and very adorable.

As we reported, Brady and his kids worked at the Tampa animal shelter all throughout his final NFL season -- alongside his former teammate Logan Ryan and his family.

Ryan's wife, Ashley, praised the ex-QB for the work earlier this month, writing, "It wasn’t about publicity, fundraising or recognition, it was about being a human being. It was about Tom taking the very thing his little girl loves the most and turning it into an opportunity to spend time together."

It's Gisele Bundchen's first Valentine's Day without Tom Brady in over a decade -- but she's still showing love for the romantic holiday nonetheless ... shouting out her doggos in a sappy IG post.

The supermodel -- who used to write about her love for TB12 every Feb. 14 -- switched up her message in the wake of her recent divorce from the NFL legend ... this year, choosing to pen a note to her pups.

"Pure love!!" said Gisele, who officially filed to split from Tom in October. "I am convinced they are little angels on Earth. Happy Valentine's Day to all! ❤️❤️❤️"

She added three photos to the post as well -- showing her getting some lovey kisses from the pets.

Of course, on this day just 12 months ago -- before trouble in paradise with the couple brewed -- Gisele and Tom swapped mushy messages about each other on their social media pages.

Bunchden even revealed she was planting trees in his honor to show him love.

The couple had dated since 2006 -- and were married for 13 years.

There's a super big game coming up, and we're not talking about the Super Bowl ... dozens of puppies will face off in the 19th annual Puppy Bowl and it's all for a great cause!!!

Dan Schachner -- the 12-year Puppy Bowl "Ruff-eree" -- joined "TMZ Live" Thursday, and while we love Dan, we're mostly thrilled that we got a visit from some furry and adorable reps for the upcoming game. Yeah, we're suckers for puppies, but these came on a mission.

Dan tells us, the event is all about raising awareness for rescuing dogs ... because shelter animals will be competing Sunday for the Lombarky Trophy. This year, more than 122 four-legged friends will play for either Team Ruff or Team Fluff ... and they hail from 67 different rescues and shelters across the country.

If you're interested in giving one a home, all the pups are adoptable & from Paw Works.

Look for stars like Tailen Hurts, Jimmy Kibble, and Josh Allenhound -- repping for Buffalo, of course -- come game day. Heck, they even got Tom Barky to come outta retirement!!!

Dan says there's a ton of pets who need homes, and that number only increased when folks returned to work after the pandemic.

This year's bowl is super special ... 11 pups with special needs will be featured. And it's the first time ever a dog from Dominica, West Indies will compete as well as a doggy from a Native American animal org.

If you're more of a cat person, there's even a kitty halftime show featuring cats from 3 different shelters.

The Navy veteran who claims Rep. George Santos cheated him out of cash intended for his dying dog's cancer treatment, says he'll get justice if the lyin' congressman is hit with criminal charges.

Richard Osthoff tells TMZ ... he views the alleged scam as both wire fraud and charity fraud -- calling Santos a swindler because he used an alias to get away with the whole thing.

The vet was joined by NJ Veterans Network President Michael Boll when he told us he'd already tried to bring charges against Santos -- but because he was going by Anthony Devolder back then, it led to a dead end.

Osthoff didn't fully disclose what action he's taking to now against Santos, but he tells us government agencies are looking into the case.

As we reported, his late pooch, Sapphire, was a beacon of light for him after getting out of the service and becoming homeless. He realized she needed life-saving surgery when a tumor on her stomach grew larger every day.

He claims Santos, or Devolder, told him he ran an animal rescue, and created a GoFundMe campaign that raised enough to cover Sapphire's surgery -- only to have Santos send him to a different vet, who said the tumor was inoperable.

Osthoff had no choice but to watch his pup die ... while Santos allegedly made off with the thousands raised Sapphire.

BTW -- Santos decided to put a POW-MIA flag in front of his office amid his latest scandal ... and Osthoff sees it as a huge disgrace to him and other vets.

A man was tragically shot and killed in a bizarre hunting accident -- one where his dog reportedly pulled the trigger while they were driving.

The 32-year-old Wichita, Kansas native was killed Saturday according to the Sumner County Sheriff's office ... which told local outlet KWCH the hunter's dog stepped on the rifle while it was in the back seat, causing it to discharge in the owner's direction.

The office says cops responded to the area -- north of Geuda Springs -- and found the man in the front seat ... they started CPR immediately according to reports, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. It's unclear if the animal was harmed at all in the process.

The Yankees gave Aaron Judge 360 million reasons to return to New York, but it wasn't just about the money ... #99's adorable puppy is best friends with teammate and friend Anthony Rizzo's little pup, and the MVP couldn't split them up!

Judge -- who signed a 9-year, $360 million deal with the Yanks this offseason -- joined Jimmy Fallon on 'The Tonight Show' where he revealed Rizzo's dog Kevin was one of the reasons he ultimately came back.

Judge, whose pending free agency hung over the team as he met with different organizations who pitched him on leaving NYC -- told Fallon that Rizzo texted and called him daily, letting the slugger know he needs to resign!

But, that wasn't all Rizzo did ... the 4x-time Gold Glove first baseman pulled on Judge's heartstrings, constantly reminding him of the bond that his dog shares with Aaron's dog, Penny -- and it worked!!

AJ said Penny and Kevin are best friends, adding that Rizzo leaned into their relationship to convince him to return to the Yankees.

Following his MVP season, Judge was the hottest free agent in baseball, and former Yankees like Derek Jeter and Nick Swisher publicly said the team should do whatever it takes to bring him back.

Rizzo understood the assignment.