Pets

Britney Spears can rest a little easier after the ugly incident in which her housekeeper accused her of battery ... we've learned the singer will NOT be charged with a crime.

The Ventura County District Attorney's Office tells TMZ ... prosecutors decided NOT to file any criminal charges against Britney for misdemeanor battery.

The D.A. says the office declined to file charges "based on insufficient evidence that a crime had occurred and the lack of injury to the housekeeper or significant damage to the phone."

Britney's attorney, Mathew Rosengart, tells us "As I have previously-stated, this was nothing more than sensationalized-tabloid fodder -- an overblown 'he said, she said' regarding a cell phone. If this involved Jane Doe rather than Britney Spears it would not have been pursued or covered at all."

He continues, "Anyone can make an accusation but this should never have made it this far and we are glad the DA’s Office has done the right thing. Sadly, it is apparent that some have learned nothing from the past, and we sincerely hope the media and others will be more respectful of Ms. Spears in the future."

We broke the story ... one of Britney's longtime housekeepers accused her of battery during an argument over Brit's dogs, with the housekeeper claiming Britney slapped her phone out of her hands.

As we reported, the housekeeper called deputies to Britney's home, but later went to a Ventura County Sheriff's station to file a report, and the Sheriff's Dept. launched an investigation.

As we first told you ... Britney's dogs were taken to a vet after her dog sitter and housekeeper believed the pets were being neglected ... and that's what triggered the confrontation between Britney and her housekeeper.

The Ventura County Sheriff's Dept. wrapped up its investigation into Britney's housekeeper's claim and forwarded its findings to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.

We were told the case basically boiled down to Brit's word against the housekeeper's story -- the housekeeper claims Britney struck her in the arm, while Britney claims all she did was swipe the phone out of her hand.

We're told the Sheriff didn't know which version was true, and the case was ultimately forwarded on to the D.A. to make the final call.

As we reported, our Britney sources were confident nothing would come of the allegations ... and ultimately that's what happened.

As people continue to scramble to flee Afghanistan, so too are a number of four-legged allies ... and one guy's nonprofit is in desperate need of a major donor to make it happen.

His name's Joshua Hosler, President of Veteran Sheepdogs of America ... which is working frantically right now to help evacuate dozens of military dogs used by U.S. service members and others in and around Kabul, which don't seem to have many options for getting out.

He posted a TikTok video explaining the dire sitch -- with a photo of a ton of carrying crates in front of a chopper. Josh says this is just a fraction of the dogs left behind in the mass pull-out. There are military personnel on the ground that Josh is currently working with to coordinate a rescue, but the bottom line is ... he needs resources (like a 737 plane) which ain't cheap.

JH shoots his shots with the multi-millionaires and billionaires of the world -- including guys like Musk and Gates -- who could presumably cut a check for at least $1.67 million to fund an aircraft that could accommodate all these dogs to land somewhere outside the country.

Sounds like some active armed forces members are vouching for him online -- telling folks he isn't a fraudster or anything of the sort, and that he and his cause do, in fact, need all the help (and money) they can get ... thanking him for his sainthood in the process.

Based on @VetSheepdogsUS's tweets, it seems like things are coming down to the wire. The account last wrote some 8 hours ago, "We were told just now if the dogs aren't on the plane we will be forced to leave them in hanger! WE NEED A MIRACLE!"

Chrissy Teigen admits everything she does is a little extra, and that's why she was ready and willing to break down a wall in her home to rescue her pet hamster, Peanut Butter.

We got Chrissy leaving Brighton Medical in Los Angeles on Friday and asked her about her pet rescue mission, which saw her save the family hamster after it went missing.

Chrissy says she has the best hearing on the planet, and her senses led her to a wall in her Beverly Hills home where Peanut Butter was trapped.

She busted open part of the wall to free her pet, and Chrissy tells us she was ready to do even more home damage with her hammer.

Chrissy's able to laugh about what she calls a "debacle" now ... because the wall's repaired and Peanut Butter is out of harm's way.

Britney Spears might've thought this battery case with her housekeeper would "go nowhere" -- but she's not out of the woods yet ... we're told it's now been handed over to prosecutors who will make the call on whether Britney is hit with a criminal charge.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the Ventura County Sheriff's Dept.'s wrapped up its investigation into Britney's housekeeper's claim of battery from last week and forwarded its findings to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office Friday.

Law enforcement at the Ventura County Sheriff's Dept. has told TMZ ... they routinely send such cases over to the D.A. for review, unless it's clear the case has no merit. In this case, there are 2 versions -- the housekeeper says Britney struck her in the arm, but Britney says all she did was swipe the phone out of her hand. The Sheriff doesn't know which version is true, so that's why it was forwarded on.

The law enforcement sources also tell us the house keeper suffered no physical injuries.

As we've reported, our Brit sources were confident nothing would come of this ... and that still may end up being true at the finish line ... but until then, it's a waiting game.

TMZ broke the story ... Britney got into a spat with the housekeeper after the housekeeper showed Britney pics of the dogs in distress. Britney was angry the housekeeper was taking photos inside her house, and she tried wrestling the phone away.

The housekeeper -- who had worked for Britney for years -- is no longer working for the singer.

BTW ... the dogs were returned last Friday after being in the care of Britney's dog sitter for 2 weeks.

They say opposites attract, but one woman has taken that too far, and is banned from a Belgian zoo after the owners felt her relationship with one of their primates had gone too far.

The lady's name is Adie Timmermans, and she just got the boot from the Antwerp Zoo after a 4-year "affair" she'd carried on with one of their chimpanzees, a male named Chita ... per reports. Apparently, she'd stop by weekly and interact with the thing behind glass.

As for why she got banned ... turns out, Timmermans' affection for the little guy was screwing with his ability to socialize with the other chimps in his habitat. The zoo reportedly said Chita was being isolated after visiting hours ... which is something that happens, it seems, if one starts to get too close to humans. Makes sense -- word is Chita used to be an actual pet, so his fondness for people isn't really his fault, we suppose.

Don't worry ... this unrequited passion didn't get physical -- they say it amounted to blowing kisses and waving and whatnot. So, no monkey sex or anything ... thank God.

Still, Timmermans is pretty pissed about it ... saying it ain't fair that she can't come see Chita, while scores of other people will continue to do just that. She genuinely seems upset -- as she's on record as saying this is "all" she has in her life ... SAD!

Doc Antle letting Chris Brown's young daughter take a joy ride on an elephant's giant noggin wasn't just dangerous and irresponsible, but illegal too ... at least according to PETA.

The animal rights org fired off a letter Tuesday to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, calling on it to investigate the 'Tiger King' star's operation of his Myrtle Beach safari ... alleging he's violating a number of regulations ... spotlighting the most recent incident with Chris' kid.

According to the letter, obtained by TMZ, PETA claims Doc has violated the Animal Welfare Act by allowing 7-year-old Royalty to swim with Bubbles, one of the elephants. The org claims it was super dangerous for the girl to dive off the animal's giant head.

PETA cites a reg requiring certain animals to be kept at a safe and reasonable distance from people with proper barriers to ensure the safety of visitors.

By letting Royalty jump around -- not to mention get lifted up by Bubbles' powerful trunk -- PETA says it's obvious Doc's screwing up ... and they insist it's just the latest alleged violation at the property.

They're asking for a full probe ... calling on the USDA to hold him and his cohorts accountable for what PETA deems dangerous and irresponsible behavior.

Doc tells us PETA sent a similar letter when Lil Pump visited, saying, "Not a thing came of that elephant complaint after USDA investigated it. Just a huge waste of time and resources for the federal veterinarians who have to check out these erroneous allegations. We are in no ways in violation of the animal welfare act. We have continuously perfect inspections. We are well aware of the USDA protocols to conduct this type of filming; as we have been involved in film work of this nature for decades, including more than 500 films, documentaries, television productions and advertisements."

He continues, "Animal Rights activists that are unfamiliar with USDA film protocols routinely report these regulated activities to federal and state regulators as if there has been a violation. Rest assured that we are in full compliance with all federal and state regulations. USDA is our partner in animal welfare and we share a passion and commitment to providing the highest possible care for our animal ambassadors at the preserve."

Kid Cudi is mourning the loss of his beloved dog ... and it'll make you cry to hear about it.

The rapper wrote a heartbreaking tribute to Freshie ... a dog he got in 2010 after the producers of "How to Make it in America" told him he'd be a weed-selling, dog-walking character on season 2. He got the dog to prepare for the role.

Cudi and Freshie formed a tight bond ... "I had no previous interactions [with] dogs prior, other than giving one a pet if my friends had one at their place. I was truly nervous around dogs and I wanted to be comfortable onset [with] them so it felt legit."

He added, "I had no idea I would have such a best friend in my life. He's been here for 11 years, and my life has been one hell of a rollercoaster this whole time."

The rapper said Freshie would come up to him and lick his face if he was crying. Kid Cudi called Freshie his guardian angel because there were nights where he held a knife to his stomach but, "I'd see Freshie and I couldn't do it. He would stare at me when I would have a knife to my stomach, eyes glaring at me tellin' me to put the knife down."

Kid Cudi checked into rehab in 2016 for depression and suicidal urges.

Amid all the chaos in Australia over renewed COVID lockdowns, a damning report claims a local government killed a bunch of rescue dogs ... to keep the volunteers from going out.

The allegation stems from a Sydney Morning Herald story published Sunday, which cites a watchdog org that keeps tabs on the Bourke Shire Council ... which sits in a rural area in New South Wales. The shelter, which isn't named, apparently lies in the town of Cobar.

Per the outlet, the watchdog claims it'd been informed of the local council's decision to recently gun down a handful of rescue pups at a nearby pound -- this as a result of what they say is the government's twisted interpretation of Australia's newly imposed restrictions.

The idea behind this alleged onslaught ... keep the volunteers from leaving their home and potentially interacting/spreading the virus. To that end, apparently, they offed the pooches.

The watchdog also says they're investigating whether any laws were broken by the command -- namely, whether any companion animal or cruelty violations were at play. The cruelty one certainly seems like a viable claim ... 'cause this might've been totally unnecessary.

SMH says an anonymous source directly familiar with the shelter's staff/protocol claims they already had COVID measures in place to handle the dogs ... adding one was a new mom.

The drastic move speaks to just how crazy things are down under at the moment -- the government is enforcing strict rules for its residents ... which has led to a lot of unrest, protests and clashes with police -- especially this weekend, where people are out in force.

The issue has gotten so heated that people are finding creative ways to push back -- including reports of big rig truck drivers refusing to deliver goods en masse and slow down the economy. Some people have even gone the Paul Revere route to rally the citizenry.

It's a complicated matter. Like we said ... cases are through the roof there and the government appears to be doing what it thinks is best for its people. But, they're clearly not all down with the method -- and as it relates to the dogs that were allegedly killed ... it's BS.

The hero who helped free the alligator handler from the reptile's jaws says he knew he needed to jump in the tank and save her ... and her mom says it's divine intervention.

Donnie Wiseman, the hero from the scary incident at Scales and Tails Utah, tells TMZ ... he felt even better about jumping in the tank to wrestle the gator after getting an emotional message from Lindsay Bull's mother.

He says she told him it was a godsend for him to be on Lindsay's tour, because he was the only one there who was willing to sacrifice his life to save her. Donnie says he cried when he got the message and it made everything worthwhile.

As we reported ... the alligator attacked Lindsay in front of a tour full of paying customers, and Donnie rushed in to save her ... putting his life on the line.

Donnie says he knew it was now or never after seeing the terrified look on Lindsay's face ... and while he's got lots of experience with reptiles, he had never dealt with an alligator before.

As we first told you ... Lindsay escaped with some broken bones and tendon damage, and somehow she's gonna be alright.

Britney Spears' dogs fell seriously ill with one close to death, and her housekeeper believed the only way to save the animals was an emergency trip to the vet, which turned into the dogs being kept away from Britney entirely ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... one of Britney's two dogs has serious digestive issues and both dogs were supposed to be fed a special type of food. We're told the housekeeper became alarmed when she saw the dogs regularly being fed table scraps ... causing the pets to become very sick, especially the one with digestive issues.

The housekeeper also said both dogs were dehydrated from a lack of water ... which ultimately caused her to take them to the vet.

Our sources say after examining the dogs, the vet was alarmed, and Britney's dog sitter decided it would be best if she cared for the dogs instead of Britney.

As we reported ... Britney's dogs never came home after the vet visit, and she suspected her dad, Jamie Spears, had something to do with their disappearance. She called the cops August 10 and was prepared to file a theft report over the pooches, but changed her mind.

TMZ broke the story, the dogs' whereabouts triggered a heated argument Monday between Britney and the housekeeper ... during which we're told the housekeeper showed Britney cell phone photos she'd taken of the sick dogs.

Our sources said Britney became enraged, believing the housekeeper was sending the pics to Jamie Spears. She allegedly grabbed for the phone and, according to the housekeeper, struck her arm in the process. The housekeeper filed a police report for battery. We're told Britney denies touching the housekeeper ... and that all she did was grab the phone.

As of Friday afternoon, the dogs were still not back at Britney's home and the police investigation had not wrapped. The police findings will eventually be sent to the district attorney's office to review the matter for possible misdemeanor battery charges.

Celebrity chef Jet Tila let his dangerous dog bite a young child on the nose and now she's scarred for life ... at least that's how the kid's parents see it, according to a new lawsuit.

The famed chef and Food Network regular is being sued by the young girl's folks, who claim his dog, Halo, viciously attacked their daughter when she went up to say hello to the pooch.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Jet rented out a playground at the preschool his kid and the girl attend for an event the day after Christmas, and had his dog leashed to a table.

The docs say Jet's wife "chose to relinquish personal control" of Halo and that's when the girl "gently went up" to the Belgian Malinois and the dog started barking and attacked, biting her and leaving a gash on her nose.

The child's family says she was rushed to the ER, and they claim her injuries will permanently disfigure her face.

In the suit, the parents also claim Jet knew his dog was capable of being "aggressive, vicious, and excessively dangerous."

Britney Spears' dogs were taken from her earlier this month -- this after her dog sitter and housekeeper believe the pets were being neglected -- and that's what triggered the confrontation between Britney and her housekeeper that led to a criminal investigation.

Sources directly connected to Britney tell TMZ ... around 2 weeks ago one of her dogs became sick and the housekeeper took that dog and Britney's other dog to the vet. The dogs never came home, and our sources say Britney's dog sitter -- who is also a nurse -- kept and took care of the dogs because she believed they weren't safe at Britney's home.

We're told on August 10 Britney called the Ventura County Sheriff's Dept. to report a theft, but when cops arrived at her home she backed off and sent them away -- this was first reported by Page Six. Our sources say she was prepared to file a theft report over the dogs but apparently had a change of heart.

Fast-forward to this past Monday morning. Britney still did not have her dogs and didn't know where they were, but suspected her dad had something to do with their disappearance.

Britney confronted her housekeeper and demanded to know where her dogs were and why they were taken away. Our Britney sources say the housekeeper expressed concern that the dogs had been neglected and showed Britney photos she had taken on her cellphone of one of the dogs that had just thrown up.

Britney believes the housekeeper -- who gets paid by Jamie -- sent Jamie the photos and he then called the dog sitter and told her to take the dogs away. Sources with direct knowledge say Jamie is "totally in the dark on what goes on in her home," adding, "He's been shut out."

In any event, we're told Britney became extremely upset and told the housekeeper she was not allowed to take photos in her house. Then we're told a struggle ensued and Britney knocked the phone out of the housekeeper's hands. Our Britney sources say she merely hit the phone, but law enforcement sources say the housekeeper alleged Britney struck her arm, which then caused her to lose her grip over the phone.

As of Thursday afternoon, Britney still did not get her dogs back, but she was hopeful that was about to happen.

TMZ broke the story ... the housekeeper filed a battery report with the Ventura County Sheriff's Dept. and the agency is investigating. A Sheriff's Dept. official tells TMZ when the investigation is complete the file will be sent to the D.A. to review for a possible misdemeanor battery charge.

Chris Brown's daughter is living the dream -- that's exactly how Royalty's describing the trip she and her mother, Nia Guzman, took to hang at a 'Tiger King' star's wild animal park.

Royalty and Nia hit up the Myrtle Beach Safari Wednesday, and got pretty cozy with the baby animals at Doc Antle's facility during a day and night safari.

Chris' 7-year-old little girl was pretty chill while petting a couple tiger cubs -- she even jumped in a pool with 'em, and was eventually joined by a baby hyena too.

Royalty and Nia both posted a bunch of photos and videos from their adventure, which included encounters with a chimp, some monkeys and an elephant. Royalty captioned one of her videos ... "Living the dream! #SaveTheTigersSaveTheWorld."

The post also gave a shout-out to Doc Antle saying, "We love what you are doing @docantle thank you for these memories!"

Doc, of course, is the same guy who was indicted in Virginia for animal cruelty and wildlife trafficking in October 2020. He called the charges bogus. Most recently ... PETA wanted the U.S. Department of Agriculture to investigate Doc for alleged violations of the Animal Welfare Act.

This isn't Royalty's first rodeo with exotic pets. We doubt she remembers -- she was only 3 -- but her dad got into hot water back in 2018 after he posted video of Royalty hanging with a baby Capuchin monkey he owned.

The alligator handler who got mauled by the creature she's paid to control suffered a damaged tendon and multiple fractures -- and while the pics of her injuries are gnarly, she's already smiling.

Lindsay Bull tells TMZ ... she was discharged from a Utah hospital Tuesday after she was admitted following Saturday's incident. The gator's powerful jaws broke her thumb and wrist ... in addition to the tendon damage.

As you can see, Lindsay's gashed hand was bleeding heavily while she lay in her hospital bed Saturday -- but now she has it wrapped in a big cast, and she says she's going to be alright.

As we reported ... the alligator attacked Lindsay in front of paying customers who rushed in to help, with visitor Donnie Wiseman heroically jumping on the gator's back to prevent it from drowning her, or ripping off her arm, with a terrifying death roll maneuver.

Lindsay says she's planning to talk to Donnie soon and she's already spoken with some of the folks who were on the tour when she was attacked, and made some dinner plans.

Despite the vicious attack, Lindsay tells us she has no hard feelings toward Darth Gator -- yes, that's his name -- and adds it's like her firstborn son.

Shane Richins, the owner of Scales and Tails Utah, tells TMZ ... Lindsay's training helped preserve her limbs, because she went into the enclosure after the animal chomped down on her hand and let her body go limp as the gator went into the roll.

Lady Gaga's dog walker is trekking across the country to try and heal his emotional wounds from the horrifying shooting ... and he says he's fallen on hard times.

Ryan Fischer says he's 2 months into a 6-month journey across America, which he's calling a sabbatical, but now he's crowdfunding ... because he says his van broke down and he needs money for travel expenses.

He says he's been relying on donations after blowing through his savings, and he's not just looking for money ... he's also asking folks to recommend retreats for trauma, plus queer spiritual leaders and healers.

Ryan says he's felt scared, lonely, abandoned and unsupported during his first 2 months on the road ... adding that he's had long bouts of depression, doubt and self-pity.

TMZ broke the story ... Ryan was shot back in February as robbers made off with Lady Gaga's French bulldogs, Koji and Gustav ... leaving Ryan bleeding on the sidewalk and screaming for help.

The dogs were ultimately found unharmed, and the LAPD later arrested 5 suspects for the attempted murder and dog heist.

Ryan says he had to get out of Hollywood, where he "fought for my life and mobility" after getting shot, and now he's devoted to strengthening his emotional and mental health.

An alligator handler got wrangled in by the creature she was hired to control -- but before things turned deadly ... some on-the-spot heroics by zoo guests saved the day.

An unidentified employee of Scales and Tails Utah -- who was in charge of showing off one of the facility's gators to paying customers -- got ensnared in the animal's teeth as it clamped down on her hand, and barrel-rolled her!!!

It was a freaky scene ... the woman looked like she was about to become alligator food Saturday, right there in front of horrified zoo goers -- that is, until a guy named Donnie Wiseman literally threw himself into the mix ... jumping on the gator's back.

He was, fortunately, able to get it to stop rolling, and then the handler instructed him on what to do next -- sounds like she was taking steps to prevent herself from having a panic attack ... and, finally, the gator loosened its grip, and another guest pulled her to safety.

That left Wiseman on top of the gator by himself, and the handler stuck around to walk him through how to get out of the sitch. Eventually, he escaped unscathed.