Pets

Dr. Fauci and the NIH are getting a clear message ... STOP supporting animal testing in the wake of allegations his agency used taxpayer money to bankroll torturous dog research.

The Beagle Freedom Project, a nonprofit animal advocacy and rescue organization, fired off a letter to Fauci ... demanding he and the NIH immediately stop funding research using animals. Not only that, they want anyone involved in the research to face criminal charges.

In the letter, obtained by TMZ, the org rips animal testing as outdated, flawed, cruel, unethical and harmful ... and demands Fauci and the NIH put an end to the practice.

As we've reported ... Fauci is under fire because a watchdog group claims to have obtained documents linking NIH-funded animal testing overseas, where over 40 beagles were killed during experiments with insects. There's a photo that appears to show 2 Beagles with their head in netting as sand flies bite their faces. There's a report their vocal cords were removed to prevent them from howling.

Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina previously fired off a letter to Fauci, in which she and 23 colleagues from both sides of the aisle asked the doc to sit for a hearing on the subject.

Here's something new ... Dr. Anthony Fauci getting grilled, but not over COVID-19 -- instead it's allegations his agency used taxpayer dollars to fund torturous dog research ... and a congresswoman's turning up the heat.

Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina explained why she fired off a letter to Fauci last week ... in which she and 23 of her colleagues (from both sides of the aisle) asked him to sit for a hearing on the subject.

The Congresswoman told us on "TMZ Live" ... Fauci handles a lot of the National Institutes of Health's distribution of grants, and, therefore, he should step up to explain why it's backing such a brutal study.

As we reported ... a watchdog group claims to have obtained documents linking NIH/NIAID-funded animal testing overseas -- in which around 44 beagle puppies were gruesomely killed during experiments with sandflies.

Rep. Mace notes that most Americans would NOT be okay with their taxpayer dollars going toward such awful research ... so, she simply wants to find out why that's allegedly happening.

Dr. Fauci might be getting grilled anew -- Congress wants to know why his branch of the NIH allegedly funded research that saw puppies being tortured in the name of science.

A bombshell report from The Hill -- based on docs a nonprofit called the White Coat Waste Project claims to have obtained via FOIA -- suggests the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases partially funded experiments being conducted in Tunisia between late 2018 and early 2019, in which upwards of nearly 4 dozen young beagles were being killed.

WCWP alleges these docs show the NIAID, under the umbrella of the NIH, paid anywhere between $375k up to $1.68 million in grant money for drug research ... which was apparently being carried out on 44 puppies, this despite the fact the FDA condemns such practice.

Some of the twisted experiments alleged to have been carried out include putting puppies' heads into mesh containers, and letting sand flies eat them alive. Some of the puppies are also said to have been left out in the desert overnight for 9 days straight -- where there, too, they were devoured by the infectious flies ... which can carry deadly viruses.

The lab workers are alleged to have silenced the dogs' barking by surgically removing their vocal cords, so they could work in peace. As a result of these ghastly claims, 24 members of the House of Representatives have fired off a letter demanding accountability.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R) led the charge, but got support from several colleagues across the aisle ... including signatures from Reps. Ted Lieu, Cindy Axne, Steve Cohen, Jimmy Gomez, Josh Gottheimer, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Mike Quigley, Terri Sewell and other Dems.

Tragic news from Conor McGregor -- the UFC superstar's beloved dog, Hugo, has passed away.

Conor gave a heartfelt goodbye to his four-legged friend minutes ago ... saying, "So heart broken to say my dog Hugo has passed away."

McGregor reflected on the memories he shared with the mixed-breed for so many years ... dating back to the days before he became a household name in the MMA community.

"He was with me all the way, my closest companion. From sleeping on a bed frame without a mattress to everything else that came after. Thank you for all the work put in alongside me to get this life correct for our family."

Conor shared several pictures with Hugo on Instagram on Wednesday ... showing them side-by-side as he trained, relaxed and enjoyed his downtime.

"All the love and cuddles we will miss forever and ever our Hugo! Gutted 💔"

Erik Cowie -- one of the zookeepers who appeared on "Tiger King" -- died from drinking too much booze ... TMZ has learned.

According to the NYC Office of Chief Medical Examiner, Erik's official cause of death was acute and chronic alcohol use.

The medical examiner also tells us they are classifying the manner of death as natural.

TMZ broke the story ... Erik was found dead last month. He was face down in the bedroom of an apartment in New York City, where he was visiting a friend -- and a large bottle of vodka was found at the scene.

Erik's had documented issues with alcohol use ... earlier this year, he was busted for DUI in Oklahoma following a car accident. He pled guilty but didn't show up to court for his sentencing, and an arrest warrant was issued.

Cowie was famous for making several appearances in the hit Netflix show as one of Joe Exotic's longtime animal caretakers, and was often cited as the head keeper of Exotic's big cats.

Sam Asghari got his fiancee a living, breathing present with dual intentions ... to keep her happy, and to keep her safe.

Britney filmed Sam as he gifted her a Dobie pup Friday. He posted the video with the caption, "Surprised my fiancé with our newest member to the Family ❤️ Porsha."

As Brit trained her cellphone on man and dog, you hear him say ... "Her name is Porsha and she's meant to unconditionally love you and is going to be trained to protect you from any motherf***** that comes around you with bad intentions."

You'll recall, Brit's had canine issues recently ... she got into it with her housekeeper after the woman took Britney's other 2 dogs to the vet because she felt they were being neglected. The dogs ended up staying with the dog sitter for 2 weeks until they were returned.

It feels like things are lining up for a post-conservator life. As we reported, our sources say Britney and Sam are in the early stages of looking for a new house, though they won't pull the trigger until the conservatorship is terminated. That could happen as early as November 12, the date of the next court hearing.

A lucky fan (or unlucky, if you're not down with talons gripping your head) just got an exclusive Seattle Seahawks experience -- when the team's mascot, an actual hawk, landed right on his dome during Thursday night's game.

The feathery moment happened when the Seahawks faced off against the Los Angeles Rams Thursday Night in Seattle.

At the end of the first quarter, Seahawks' mascot, Taima the Hawk -- who leads the team out of the tunnel -- decided to explore a bit instead of flying back to her handler.

And, ended up in the stands on top of someone's head!

It was all caught on the TV broadcast ... you see Taima landing on top of a Seahawks' fan, flapping her wings, trying to get a grip on the guys head (ouch).

The onlookers seem to be lovin' it (it's not their head a big hawk's standing on). Somehow, the fan stayed calm and collected the entire time ... and Taima eventually flew back to her handler.

This isn't the first time Taima has surprised a fan -- in 2014, she landed on another man's head right before her team took on the New York Giants.

Jeffree Star, James Charles, Austin McBroom and other influencers got way too close with a couple of monkeys -- at least according to federal authorities, who've reprimanded the animals' handler for allowing it.

According to a USDA report, obtained by TMZ, Kevin Keith used a baboon and a capuchin monkey in several social media promo vids back in November 2020 -- but a government inspector says Keith made a major mistake by failing to "adequately maintain direct control of the animals" while they posed with social media celebs.

We're told the primates were used as part of a campaign with the clothing company, Bananas Monkey, that involved delivering a box of apparel to the celebs ... while obviously creating quite the photo op.

However, after the promo event, we're told PETA filed a complaint asking the USDA to investigate Keith for possible violations of the Animal Welfare Act ... arguing it was dangerous -- to the public and the animals -- for him to not have control of the monkeys in case they became aggressive.

According to the Dept. of Agriculture's report ... it reviewed the videos in which the monkeys are seen shaking hands and sitting on the shoulders of the celebs -- without Keith keeping a watchful eye or holding onto their leashes.

Ndakasi, the orphaned gorilla photographed in an incredible selfie in 2019, has died in the arms of her caretaker ... according to a spokesperson at the national park were she lived.

The Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo broke the sad news of the passing of its beloved orphaned mountain gorilla, saying she died last month after battling a prolonged illness.

According to the park ... Ndakasi "took her final breath in the loving arms of her caretaker and lifelong friend, Andre Bauma."

Bauma had looked after the gorilla ever since she was found clinging her to dead mother's body and taken to the park's Senkwekwe Center, where she lived for more than a decade. Virunga says Ndakasi's mom was killed by armed militia in a series of gorilla slayings.

Bauma says, "It was a privilege to support and care for such a loving creature, especially knowing the trauma Ndakasi suffered at a very young age."

If you don't recall ... Ndakasi went viral in 2019 thanks to an amazing photo of her and another orphaned gorilla in a park ranger's selfie. Virunga National Park responded to all the attention it got at the time, saying ... "Those gorilla gals are always acting cheeky so this was the perfect shot of their true personalities!"

Bauma adds ... "I loved her like a child and her cheerful personality brought a smile to my face every time I interacted with her. She will be missed by all of us at Virunga but we are forever grateful for the richness Ndakasi brought to our lives during her time at Senkwekwe."

Here's exhibit no. 1 for proof that dinosaurs still roam the earth -- an alligator that must be the size of a pickup truck is eating its smaller counterpart ... which itself is kinda big.

Check out this absolutely INSANE video that was posted by a dude from Horry County, SC ... who says his pops filmed this from their backyard in the swampy Low Country. It's Mother Nature at its finest -- but with a kinda sick twist ... alligator cannibalism, as it were.

The clip picks up with the smaller gator already well inside the larger one's mouth ... looking quite dead, and getting munched on in slow, eerie fashion. The massive beast takes a couple chomps, and before ya know it ... his meal is making its way down his gullet, and quickly disappears.

Here's the craziest part ... that little gator is supposedly 6 feet long, according to the Twitter poster. That means this bigger one has got to be at least double that size, probably way more.

We've seen some immense alligators over the years on the internet -- including an infamous one a little while back that looked absolutely enormous as it made its way across a golf course, to the shock and awe of onlookers. It had to have been a good 15 feet, minimum.

Considering this "baby" gator appears to fit snugly into the bigger one's mouth -- ya might say it's about the length of its head ... so we don't wanna know how large it actually is.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may no longer be in the good graces of the Royal Family, but they still give their dog the royal treatment ... even when they're busy.

The couple's dog -- a black Lab rescue named Pula -- got to enjoy a lovely stroll near the beach in Santa Barbara Friday ... courtesy of her professional walker.

It's unclear who the heavily tatted, dog-walkin' bro is, but he made sure Harry and Meghan's pup was nice and clean before she hopped back into their Land Rover and headed home to Montecito.

While the dog walker's 15 minutes of fame may have just begun, Pula's pretty popular already. She was featured in some photo spreads earlier this year frolicking with Harry at the beach ... and she also made an appearance during the couple's bombshell interview with Oprah earlier that month.

A Florida man took out the trash this week ... and may have saved his neighbors from a pissed off alligator in the process.

The hero -- a Mount Dora man named Abdul Gene Malik -- posted the video of his daring gator capture using a large black garbage bin, saying ... "I got kids to protect."

Malik, an Army vet, demonstrated his bravery as he slowly approached the reptile head-on with the trash can as it chomped, hissed and thrashed.

Then, our hero made the clutch move that did the beast in ... by flipping the trash can lid and hitting the gator on the head, stunning it enough to charge with the bin and force it into the receptacle.

Onlookers screamed and cheered as Malik then flipped the trash can up, capturing the reptile until the authorities could come take care of it. Bravo!!!

As courageous as Malik was ... the scene in Florida isn't quite as crazy as what went down in Utah last month, when a gator attacked its handler and tried pulling her in for the kill.

There was no garbage bin to save the day, but thankfully, a guest at the zoo named Donnie Wiseman jumped on the gator's back and wrestled it away to save the woman.

Kudos to both fellas.

A woman got an unexpected (and apparently unwanted) visitor during a boat trip -- it was a sea lion fearing for its life ... who tried hitching a ride as orcas started to close in.

Watch this wild encounter that was captured by a woman who goes by @nutabull on TikTok and lives on Vancouver Island ... where there's plenty of this type of action in the open waters.

Her videos start with the animal already aboard -- which startles her, 'cause she doesn't know where the heck it came from, or how it made its way up. This pinniped's got hops!

Another thing she immediately recognizes in the distance ... that she and/or her vessel are becoming the epicenter of a pod of killer whales that were starting to circle ... seemingly in pursuit of this little guy, who might normally become fish food in the wild.

The orcas get right up against the boat and start to pop out to take a peek at their would-be meal ... who's in no rush to get back into the water, despite this woman demanding he scram.

It's honestly hilarious, but also kinda sad -- because we all know damn well that as soon as it jumps back in, it's almost certainly going to be eaten. There's at least like 3 whales there!

We don't wanna spoil the ending. But, let's just say ... rest easy, sea lion. You lived a long and prosperous life, were sure. Ah damn it -- guess that sums it up. BTW, this woman's rationale for giving it the boot is pretty funny too ... replying to someone in her comments.

When Simon and Garfunkel sang that it's all happening at the zoo ... they weren't kidding, because 2 gorillas got busy in front of a throng of onlookers.

You gotta watch this video ... maybe the most hilarious this year. It -- and the primates -- went down Wednesday at the Bronx Zoo.

It started innocent enough ... one of the gorillas was perched on a rock when he caught the eye of a fellow ape. Seems like they're apes with benefits, because one of them immediately laid on its back, and the other assumed the position and went at it.

As hysterical as the gorillas were ... you gotta see the adults who quickly shielded their kids' faces and began screaming to make a run for it.

A minor league baseball game had a four-legged interruption during the 1st inning on Wednesday ... when a bat dog named Rookie stormed the field -- and it was adorable!!

The cute moment happened during the Buffalo Bisons' home game against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs at Sahlen Field ... a matchup that had Rookie filling in for bat-retrieving duties.

But, Rookie was fully prepared to go above and beyond his role to help out the Buffalo squad any way he could ... so he raced out onto the field in the middle of all the action!!

You can see the happy-go-lucky canine jumpin' with joy on the field right in front of the batter before a pitch is thrown ... and even making his way out on the pitching mound for a few seconds

Eventually, Rookie goes back to the dugout and resumes his position ... and we can't emphasize this enough, it was freakin' cute!!

BTW -- Rookie is a celeb ... he has his own Instagram page with more than 14,000 followers!!

"Tonight was a lot of fun, being with @buffalobisons," Rookie's IG page said after the game.

"I loved being able to go all over the stadium and giving out my baseball card to the fans, especially the kids."

"You can still be rich ... and still have roaches."

Jason Pierre-Paul just revealed his Florida mansion is currently being overrun by dead bugs -- and it's gross as hell!

The Tampa Bay Bucs star showed off the lifeless cockroaches while walking around his pad Thursday ... zooming in on the bugs and providing some pretty hilarious commentary at the same time.

"I don't know where they coming from," JPP said, "'cause there ain't nothing to eat!"

The former NY Giants star hilariously gave some of the dead, creepy-crawlers in the house names ... saying, "He looked like he tried to get out. That's Jodeci."

"Look at him. That's Cici Allah. We'll call this one right here John Doe. Look like he tried to escape quick!"

As for JPP's plan to get them to stop overrunning his place ... the 32-year-old said he already has pest control, and has no idea why the problem is still going down.

Pierre-Paul might not play in the Bucs' game this weekend while nursing a shoulder injury ... so here's to hoping the added free time will help him get it all figured out soon.