Pets

Bob Barker's animal rights legacy is something PETA wants to honor with a street name change on the most iconic boulevard in L.A. ... which could actually happen!

A rep for PETA tells TMZ ... they've made an official request with the City of Los Angeles for an honorary add-on to Sunset Blvd. -- to pay tribute the late 'Price Is Right' host, who just died last weekend.

Don't worry ... this isn't as wacky as it sounds. PETA assures us this would only be a minor change, and it wouldn't even require the removal of an actual "Sunset Blvd." sign hanging from street lights.

Basically what we're talking about is a second sign -- under one of the Sunset Blvd. signs -- that would read "Bob Barker Blvd." The PETA rep says they'd love to have this on their block on Sunset.

There's also this ... PETA tells us they've actually taken steps to make this happen. They've contacted City Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez, who reps their area. We're told PETA brass and Soto-Martinez's staff are scheduled to meet in the coming weeks.

PETA says they're pushing this because Bob actually made a generous donation way back when that allowed them to open this L.A.-based office, and they wanna return the favor.

Lil Uzi Vert found himself in the middle of a stolen puppy case in Pennsylvania -- but he's not the wanted dognapper, and it sounds like cops didn't do their due diligence.

The rapper's photo appeared Thursday in a Facebook post from the Wilkes-Barre Township Police Department alerting the public to a puppy that had been taken from a pet store.

Problem is ... Lil Uzi Vert is NOT the suspect.

Cops have since taken down the post with Uzi's photo and replaced it with a different man with face tatts -- who is the actual suspect accused of swiping a pooch from Brookside Pups.

The Uzi version lived on the internet for about 30 minutes -- enough time for the FB post to be flooded with comments about the Philly artist.

So why the confusion? Brookside Pups tells TMZ ... the guy who allegedly grabbed a puppy and fled Thursday afternoon has Lil Uzi Vert's face as his profile picture on a social media account, which they sent to cops.

Police are blaming the pet store for providing them with the photo of Lil Uzi Vert.

Brookside Pups says police took down the photo once they realized the face tattoos on Lil Uzi Vert didn't match the suspect's. The store sent a new photo for cops to share.

Roc Nation says Uzi was nowhere near Philly at the time and the incident has left them fuming ... telling us, "The Wilkes-Barre Township Police Department should be embarrassed and ashamed for disparaging [Uzi's] character. This grave error could’ve had significant repercussions on Uzi’s career and epitomizes how Black men can be wrongfully charged and arrested by police departments across the country."

And just in case anyone's got it twisted, they add ... "Uzi loves all animals and this serious mistake has deterred the apprehension of the kidnapper. Our collective hope is that the puppy is safely and promptly rescued."

Britney Spears has a new battle to handle. Along with a contentious divorce, she's now getting ripped by the animal rights warriors at PETA for buying a new dog, instead of rescuing one from a shelter.

The "Toxic" singer showed off her new puppy Wednesday on social media, introducing the world to an all-white puppy -- appropriately named Snow -- and while Britney's over the moon about her new family member, the folks over at PETA are not.

A rep for PETA tells TMZ ... "When influential people buy puppies, puppy mills cheer and animal shelters watch the homeless-animal crisis get even worse. With this one cutesy post, Britney Spears has sentenced countless deserving dogs in shelters to more days without love, a comfy bed to curl up on, or a chance at a real life."

Britney got Snow after her estranged husband Sam Asghari filed for divorce, and the former couple hammered out an agreement splitting up the 5 dogs they shared when they were together.

TMZ broke the story ... Sam's keeping their Doberman, Porsha, and Britney's hanging on to the other 4 pooches.

With Snow in the fold, Britney's back up to 5 dogs at home, but PETA is wagging a tail finger, saying ... "She could have been a force for good and adopted, but instead she chose to be toxic, and animals will pay with their lives."

Britney Spears and Sam Asghari shared 5 dogs between the two of them, and have already come to an agreement on who gets each pup ... TMZ has learned.

Sam was spotted walking the couple's Doberman, Porsha, Monday -- the same dog he bought as protection for Britney a couple years ago. We've learned Sam now has Porsha full-time, and got her back last week in an arrangement with Britney.

While she might be without Porsha, we're told Britney gets to keep 4 of her 4-legged friends as her own. She's got her Australian Shepherd, Sawyer, her Yorkie, Hannah, and 2 other smaller dogs.

We're told both Sam and Britney are happy with the agreement on how the dogs were split.

As we first reported, Britney's pushed almost her entire support system -- including her family -- away in the past few months -- and is really only left with her manager, Cade Hudson, and lawyer, Mathew Rosengart.

Sam Asghari is moving forward as a newly single man ... walking his dog without his wedding ring.

Britney Spears' estranged husband was spotted in public Monday for the first time since their divorce, and he was sporting a naked ring finger.

Sam was walking around Pasadena with the Doberman Porsha, he gifted Britney back in 2021 when they were engaged.

The actor was also showing off his muscles in a sleeveless black tank top ... the day after Britney had a divorce party with a bunch of shirtless men.

Sam joked over the weekend about needing help picking a disguise to hide from the paparazzi ... but here, he's only wearing a hat and sunglasses and not shying away from the cameras.

Remember ... Sam filed for divorce from Britney last Wednesday, and as we first reported, he moved out of their mansion after he believed Britney was cheating on him with a staffer at their home.

We also saw Britney without her wedding ring on the same day Sam filed for divorce, taking it off before tooling around in her Mercedes.

Cheems, one of the most famous dogs on the internet, is dead after a battle with cancer.

The viral meme dog died Friday during a surgical procedure ... according to his owners, who say he fell asleep during surgery and never woke up.

Cheems shot to fame way back in 2017 when an awkward photo of him went viral ... sparking a meme that is still shared to this day.

Also known as Pup Balltze or just Balltze, the shiba inu was famous for his love of cheeseburgers ... and he's got his own meme character, Cheemsburger.

The pup's owners say ... "Don't be sad, please remember the joy that Balltze brought to the world. A Shiba Inu with a round smiling face connecting you and me, he has helped many people during the pandemic and brought a lot of joy to many of you, but now his mission has completed."

Cheem's family believes he's in a better place now ... "running freely in the sky and having a lot of delicious food with his new friends."

Naturally, Cheems is getting a grand send-off on social media ... with the meme getting posted all over the place.

Cheems was 12.

Aaron Rodgers is used to dropping jaws with his arm, but at a recent Jets team meeting, he was the one in awe -- absolutely awestruck over a wild magic trick that featured a real, live goldfish!

The guys over at "Hard Knocks" dropped the footage of the hocus pocus in a teaser for this week's episode of the hit show ... revealing Rodgers and his teammates were enthralled by some sleight of hand from famed mentalist Oz Pearlman.

In the clip, you can see Pearlman asking Rodgers to pick one of his favorite cards after going through a deck of 52 ... before he correctly guesses the quarterback had taken the three of diamonds.

But, the trick didn't stop there, because he then asks New York safeties coach Marquand Manuel what animal he had been thinking of earlier in the trick.

"A goldfish? Seriously?" Pearlman asks. "I got you. Look in your hands, Aaron."

Sure enough, Rodgers was then holding a goldfish in a clear case ... rather than the deck of cards he had believed he was fondling.

The trick baffled Rodgers -- as well as everyone else in the room, who all screamed out in shock.

David Montgomery and his girlfriend's offseason move to Detroit didn't get off to an auspicious start ... TMZ Sports has learned one of the couple's dogs was involved in a bloody biting incident just days after the new Lions running back got settled into his new Michigan home.

According to police documents, officers were called out to Montgomery's new Grosse Pointe Shores residence on June 4 ... after his and his GF's pitbull mix, Lola, was accused of escaping the house and attacking a smaller dog on the sidewalk.

In police body cam footage from the scene ... Montgomery's girlfriend -- Tatum Causey -- can be heard explaining to officers that she was in the backyard when she realized her pooch had gotten out.

"I go inside, literally opened the door and I said, 'Anybody see Lola?'" she told an officer at the scene. "So, I'm looking in the backyard for her -- she normally stays right in the backyard -- but when I walk out, I see my brother carrying her."

The owners of the dog who claimed Lola bit their pup said in an incident report that during the attack, Lola grabbed their animal's leg and would not let go.

"I heard our dog's leg break," one of the complainants wrote in the documents.

The owners said they suffered bite wounds and lacerations of their own during the attack. They added that their pup was diagnosed by the vet with two leg fractures. They also claimed it required stitches.

Causey -- who has a child with Montgomery -- was charged with misdemeanor harboring a vicious dog over the incident ... though court records show she pleaded not guilty to the count at a hearing in late June. The records show she's due for another hearing on the matter in September.

As for Lola, Causey shared an emotional tribute post to the dog one month after the biting incident that seemed to indicate the animal had passed away.

"So many quiet days just filled with your unconditional love," she wrote on the IG post. "You are and always will be the best. My soul dog, I love you forever and ever my Lola Bear."

The wildfire disaster in Hawaii is breaking hearts across the world, including those in the surfing community ... and, according to Kelly Slater, it's now planning to step up in a big way to help victims -- by sending boats, supplies and cash.

The 51-year-old surfing legend explained the plans to TMZ Sports this week ... after flames have ravaged Maui and the Big Island during August.

"Everyone within our surf community is rallying to get boats in, supplies, donate money," Slater said out at LAX, "but that's all not organized yet."

The reason for the delay, according to Slater, is all the debris blocking the harbor, including boats that have caught fire near the piers ... as well as the lack of power in the affected areas.

"There's still a lot of people not in touch with family because they don't have cell towers and power there and they're blocked off on both sides actually," Slater said, "the north and southern side from Lahaina got blocked."

Slater -- who holds 56 championship tour victories -- says several of his friends have been impacted by the blazes ... with some even running for their lives.

"One friend lost everything he owns but he was able to save his dog and a backpack and that was about it," Slater said.

"I know at least two friends, right now, that lost their houses -- actually three. I just got a text about another one, but that's just the beginning."

Former NFL star Henry Ruggs has been sentenced to 3-to-10 years in prison over the 2021 car crash that resulted in the death of 23-year-old Tina Tintor and her dog.

The ex-Raiders wide receiver learned his fate just minutes ago inside a packed Las Vegas courtroom.

Ruggs, 24, showed up to the Wednesday morning proceedings in a navy suit and tie ... and issued an apology to Tintor's family right at the outset of the hearing.

"To the parents and family of Ms. Tintor, I sincerely apologize for the pain and suffering my actions the morning of Nov. 2, 2021 have caused you, your family and those who knew Ms. Tina and Max," he said.

"I let my family, my teammates and those who believed in me down with my actions and hurt so many."

He added that there was "no excuse" for his actions.

A statement from Tintor's family was also read inside the courtroom ... before the judge made her ruling. Ruggs was then immediately remanded into custody.

Ruggs was initially facing more than 50 years behind bars in the case after authorities accused him of drunkenly slamming his Corvette into the back of Tintor's Rav-4 in Vegas ... killing her and her golden retriever.

But, the former football player reached a deal with prosecutors back in May, agreeing to plead guilty to one felony count of DUI resulting in death and one misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter in exchange for a prison sentence that would not exceed 3-to-10 years.

Ruggs, who will now be eligible for parole following his third year in prison, was picked by the Raiders in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft ... and had started 19 games in his two seasons with the team. The org. released him following the accident.

Leave the leash, treats, toys and water bowls at home -- these dogs are totally content on riding waves -- and make for some pretty cute pics, too.

The annual World Dog Surfing Championships went down near San Francisco Saturday, and it featured tons of pooches who threw on their life vests and went out to catch some waves ... all in the name of charity and good fun.

The event is pretty self-explanatory -- you place your pup on a surfboard and take 'em out to sea, push them up onto a relatively small wave (whitewater, really) and see how long they can stay on. In the case of some of these doggos, they were able to cruise pretty far!

As far as how this is scored ... it comes down to confidence, style and, of course, how long they can maintain their balance. As it turns out, there were some top dogs to be crowned.

Seven different categories were under consideration -- including Small/Medium/Large/XL solo rides ... as well human-dog and dog-dog tandems. There was also a category for best in show -- and that ended up going to a little guy named Carson, a Terrier of some sort.

Like we said ... this thing benefits great causes -- including raising money for nonprofits pertaining to dog rescues, surfing and environmental efforts. Folks who attended also had the opportunity to adopt shelter and rescue dogs ... a win-win for pets and prospective owners.

A San Diego thief learned the easy way that a dog isn't just man's best friend, but a crook's too ... as seen in this video.

Here's the deal ... SDPD is trying to catch this guy, who they say broke into someone's garage in the Pacific Beach neighborhood a couple weeks ago -- and then made off with one of their pricey bicycles that's valued at over $1,000.

The worst part, it seems, is that the family's pooch didn't do anything to help -- although, he did slow the burglar down. And by that, we mean he rolled over for some belly rubs.

Check it out -- this beach bum was about to walk away with the bike, but suddenly ... Fido comes running out to confront the man, seemingly determined to stop him. Just kidding -- he was mostly out to greet the stranger and to lick his face a bit ... and did exactly that.

The thief was quickly won over by the canine, who was only out for attention and scratches. Fortunately for the dog, this fella was willing to pause his caper for a little play time ... and while what he ultimately did was very wrong, it's pretty freakin' hilarious to see this.

Kesha's got some good vibrations coming her way after her mom's pet pooch chewed her favorite sex toy to pieces.

ICYMI, the singer was "livid" Tuesday when she said she "Woke up this morning and saw my mom's dog chewed my $250 vibrator to pieces."

We-Vibe is swooping in to save the day, though ... because a spokesperson for the sex toy company tells TMZ they're well aware of Kesha's tragic situation and have already reached out to her to hook her up with a brand new gadget -- and more!!!

We're told Kesha's going to be getting a sweet gift box full of goodies -- and we've obtained a pic of the products being shown off by none other than We-Vibe's human-sized Clitoris ... though it's not clear if the costumed character will drop off the toys herself.

Emily Ratajkowski has been rockin' the new red hair for just over a week now, but there seems to be some other changes in these two recent shots of the stunning star. Take a walk outside, and see if you can put your hand on the minor switch-ups ... hold onto the railing 😜 !

The actress took her cool style (and pups) for a stroll in NYC earlier this week, but not without bringing all her accessories! With the lift of a leg, can you mark your territory on the minor modifications?

Bonnie Chapman, the biological daughter of Dog the Bounty Hunter and the late Beth Chapman, is wearing her emotions on her sleeve when it comes to the pets she lost in a deadly house fire.

Bonnie got an arm tattoo to memorialize the dogs and cats that were killed when her home burst into flames.

Dog and Beth's daughter tells us she got the ink last weekend at a local tattoo parlor in Waynesboro, VA  ... shelling out a couple hundred bucks to pay tribute to her dog and three cats.

Bonnie says someone who heard about the house fire sent her some drawings of her late pets ... and she took the images to the tattoo parlor and got them inked into her skin.

TMZ broke the story ... Bonnie lost her Virginia home in a fire back in April, with the pets dying from smoke inhalation.

Bonnie says she and her boyfriend moved into a new place nearby, where they hung a framed photo on the wall of their late pets ... dog Sophie and cats Azriel, Plum and Merlyn.

The tattoo isn't the only way Bonnie is reminded of her cats ... she says she her new kitten, Valeria, looks like a mix between Azriel and Plum.

President Biden's dog Commander doesn't have to be a recidivist biter ... a former Secret Service agent -- who's trained other White House pups -- says the pup can be trained to stop sinking his teeth into people.

Marshall Mirarchi was in the Secret Service's K-9 division during the Obama administration -- when Biden was VP -- and he joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" to explain why Commander's bitten 7 people over a 4-month span, and to tell us what the hell can be done about it.

Marshall says Commander absolutely can have the urge to bite trained out of him ... offering up his own dog, Hurricane, as a living, breathing example of a dog that can go from harmless to menace on command.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre brushed off Commander's biting problem Tuesday as a casualty of the stressful conditions at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

That's not just spin, according to Marshall -- he confirmed there are plenty of stressors for a White House dog, but he also believes the Secret Service can get the German shepherd to stop attacking folks.

Of course, Marshall says it's going to take a lot of training and patience to see a change in Commander ... but he's confident it can be done, and that the Secret Service has the right agents for the job.

For what it's worth, Marshall trained dogs for Barack Obama and G.W. Bush, and there were no known biting incidents with them. He says that's partly due to differences in breeds, but the guy clearly knows his stuff.