Pets

The tribe has spoken -- and the adorable 12-legged man's best friend walked away with the win in our Doggie Dress Up Photo Contest... scoring the $250 bones and some great gifts from TMZ!

The awww-inducing puppy pictures poured into the TMZ newsroom for our Doggie Dress Up Contest and one thing's for sure ... there is nothing cuter than a dog publicly humiliated for our enjoyment!

Be sure to check back on Monday to vote for which costumed canine should score the $250 prize and some great gifts from TMZ!

In their opening statements, lawyers for Lynne Spears and the conservatorship told the jury ... Sam tried to look like a savior to Britney and would stoop so low as to emotionally torture her.

Michael Vick has finally said squarely ... his family does indeed have a dog.

There's been a lot of controversy over whether Vick -- who served hard time for brutally killing multiple dogs, should own one again.

Vick says, "I understand the strong emotions by some people about our family's decision to care for a pet. As a father, it is important to make sure my children develop a healthy relationship with animals."

Fact: Wayne Newton owns wallabies ... several of them.

Fact: Wallabies are indigenous to Australia and are rarely found in the U.S.

Fact: Cops were called to the area near Wayne's Las Vegas mansion Tuesday morning after getting reports of a wild wallaby running loose in the neighborhood.

Fact: The wallaby was apprehended and returned to its owner.

Fact: Clark County Animal Control SWEARS the owner of the wallaby is NOT Wayne Newton.

So, in conclusion ... Animal Control wants us to believe that someone else other than Wayne Newton owns a frickin' WALLABY ... in the middle of the Nevada desert.

Smells like walla-B.S. to us.

Johnny Lewis murdered his landlady and then fell to his death -- but he also viciously took the life of the landlady's cat by beating it to death and DISMEMBERING it in the process ... TMZ has learned.

TMZ broke the story that Lewis -- who appeared on "Sons of Anarchy" -- seemed to be on PCP or meth, because he had exhibited superhuman strength as he fought two neighbors immediately after committing murder.

Law enforcement sources tell us Lewis went wild on landlady Catherine Davis' cat ... kicking and beating the life out of the animal and "tearing it apart." Law enforcement tells us Lewis did NOT use a weapon, but rather his bare hands and feet.

Lewis is the only suspect in the murder and cat killing. We're told cops are confident -- Lewis was the culprit.

Supermodel Maggie Rizer says United Airlines killed her dog -- and then lied about it.

Maggie says she was flying from NYC to San Fran two weeks ago and brought her 2-year-old Golden Retriever along. Maggie says Bea and her other dog were crated in the underbelly of the plane.

According to Maggie, the plane was delayed for two hours and the plane got so hot the pilot told the passengers to open their air vents. She believes the cargo area wasn't ventilated and the hot air caused her dog to die of heat stroke.

And it gets worse. Maggie says United coldly told her after the plane landed that one of her dogs was dead and then lied to her -- saying they sent the dog to the vet for a necropsy (to determine cause of death) but that never happened. The dead dog was just sitting in the crate.

Maggie says, "I am so saddened by the complete lack of competence, honesty and compassion that United has shown." Nevertheless, she is not planning to sue. FYI, the liability limitations would not make a lawsuit worth her time.

A horseback rider claims he was nearly killed while riding a horse on Dennis Quaid's equestrian estate, and he's suing the actor over his life-threatening injuries.

70-year-old Lester Wood claims Quaid gave him permission to use a trail on the actor's property to ride a horse to a nearby park in the exclusive Pacific Palisades area of L.A.

Wood said in an interview with the Palisadian-Post newspaper, the sprinkler system next to Quaid's trail suddenly activated, spooking the horse which reared up and fell on top of him.

Next thing Wood knew he was in critical condition at a nearby hospital with a concussion, fractured scapula, torn aorta, multiple pulmonary emboli, broken ribs, a nicked liver, a tear in his bladder, fractured lumbar discs, a shattered pelvis, internal bleeding, and a torn miniscus in his knee.

Wood says he was not wearing a helmet and was looking down at his watch at the time of the accident.

All told, Wood says the accident cost nearly $500,000 in medical bills -- and he blames Quaid -- who no longer owns the estate -- for what he believes is a flawed trail design.

"The Program" star Andrew Bryniarski has finally reunited with his 25 beloved puppies -- after animal cruelty charges against the actor were dropped yesterday, TMZ has learned.

TMZ broke the story ... Santa Monica police arrested Bryniarski last weekend, claiming he had left 25 starving dogs unattended in a mobile home that smelled like urine.

But yesterday, the charges were dropped because the dogs all checked out "healthy and happy" ... as Bryniarski had insisted from the beginning, claiming he was raising the dogs for adoption.

Bryniarski picked up his dogs moments ago at the Santa Monica Animal Shelter, where they had been staying since his arrest, and the emotional reunion was all caught on tape.

"The Program" star Andrew Bryniarski is vindicated -- days after the actor was busted for animal cruelty, the charges have been dropped ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us Santa Monica City Attorney decided to let the case go ... because the 25 dogs they found in Bryniarski's RV all checked out "healthy and happy."

TMZ broke the story ... Bryniarski -- aka psycho linebacker Lattimer from the '93 movie -- was arrested last week for animal cruelty when police found the pomeranian pups unattended in the RV.

Andrew always insisted he was merely running a mobile adoption center for the dogs ... and said they were in good health and well fed.

Now, he plans to reunite with the dogs as soon as the shelter opens this morning -- and tells us he will continue operating the adoption agency from his RV ... just not in Santa Monica.

Andrew also says he thinks the case hurt his acting career, and he's considering legal action against Santa Monica.

"The Program" star Andrew Bryniarski let TMZ inside his RV to show the world ... his mobile home is well-stocked to care for 25 dogs -- but the problem is he's trying to prove it 4 days too late.

We broke the story ... Santa Monica cops arrested Andrew and his pregnant girlfriend over the weekend for animal cruelty -- claiming his RV contained 25 starving dogs ... with no sign of food or water ... and the place stunk of urine.

But Andrew invited a TMZ camera into the RV on Wednesday in an effort to show us cops had it all wrong -- and in the video the place is stocked with water, food, and other pet care essentials.

Our camera guy also swears the RV does NOT smell like pee.

Of course, Andrew was arrested Saturday night ... so it's entirely possible he cleaned the RV and bought a bunch of supplies after the fact.

Andrew insists he's legit ... telling us he purchased the RV from a local dog rescue to launch a mobile adoption center, and -- for what it's worth -- the rescue confirmed his story when we called.

The guy who played Lattimer in the 1993 football flick "The Program" tells TMZ ... his animal cruelty arrest is total BS ... claiming the 25 dogs discovered in his Santa Monica mobile home are "rescues" that he was trying to place with loving families.

TMZ broke the story ... Andrew Bryniarski and his GF were arrested Saturday night after cops say they were neglecting the animals -- noting that several of the Pomeranians appeared sick and starving -- and claiming the home smelled like urine.

But Bryniarski says the cops are lying -- telling us, "Nobody cares for my dogs better than I do, or finds them better homes. These are lies ... and the only thing that smells like piss or maybe sh*t is the story from the Santa Monica Police Department."

Bryniarski tells TMZ ... "We bought the RV as a mobile adoption unit about a week ago to find good, forever homes for the majority of the poms, all of which we have raised ourselves or rescued."

So why would the cops make up the story? Bryniarski claims the City of Santa Monica doesn't want RVs posted up in the nice part of town ... and is doing anything they can to drive them out.

As for the dogs, we've learned all 25 are currently being held at the Santa Monica Animal Shelter ... but Bryniarski tells us he's doing everything in his power to get them back ASAP.

Andrew Bryniarski -- the guy who played 'roid raging maniac Lattimer in "The Program" -- was arrested for animal cruelty in L.A. last week after cops say he was keeping 25 starving dogs inside his mobile home.

TMZ has learned ... cops were dispatched to the actor's motorhome in Santa Monica at 10:30 PM on Sept. 8 ... after receiving multiple tips from a concerned neighbor who constantly heard the sound of crying dogs coming from Lattimer's pad.

When cops approached the home ... no one was there ... but officers say they could see several metal dog kennels containing roughly 15 small dogs (Pomeranians).

Cops say they also noticed there was no visible food or water for the dogs. Plus, the place smelled like dog piss.

According to police, Lattimer and a female arrived to the home shortly after the police ... and admitted the dogs belonged to them.

Ultimately, cops say they found 25 dogs in the home ... and determined they were not being properly cared for. In fact, cops say several of the dogs and puppies appeared to be sick.

Both Lattimer and the woman were arrested for animal cruelty -- and Animal Control was called to remove the dogs from the premises.

Lattimer and the woman were hauled to a nearby jail -- where they were booked and later released.

Adorable "Toddlers and Tiaras" star Paisley Dickey suffered a devastating loss when her little pet bunny died -- and now the little fur ball's getting STUFFED for posterity.

It's pretty sad ... 4-year-old Paisley -- who first made headlines for wearing the Julia Roberts​' "Pretty Woman" hooker outfit -- only had little "Bun Bun" for two weeks ... when he died of a heart attack.

Paisley's mom Wendy tells TMZ they tried to bury Bun Bun, but when Paisley refused to say goodbye ... they decided to take the taxidermy route -- and videotape the whole thing.

In the video ... Paisley and her parents hit up their local animal stuffer in Georgia, so Paisley can choose Bun Bun's eternal resting position -- inside one of her pink-jeweled tiaras.

In case you're wondering ... Wendy says Bun Bun suffered the cardiac arrest when a balloon-popped. She says they didn't realize pet bunnies commonly die that way.

"Precious" star Mo'Nique finally ended a nasty legal battle with her landlords over a house she claimed smelled like dog feces ... and TMZ has learned she's still living there!

As TMZ first reported, Mo's Georgia landlords sued the actress and her husband Sidney Hicks last year, claiming they walked out on their lease agreement still owing $370,000 in unpaid rent. Mo fired back with her own suit, claiming they bailed on the contract for a slew of reasons ... including that the house smelled like dog crap, wet dog, and urine.

Now the craziness is behind them and both parties came to an agreement last week and dropped their dueling lawsuits. Sources tell TMZ as part of the settlement deal ... it was Mo that had to pony up some dough, although it's unclear how much.

EVERYONE STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING! A HOT GIRL NEEDS OUR HELP -- and that hot girl is none other than supermodel Adriana Lima ... who lost her precious little pooch in Miami this week.

Lima took to her Twitter asking for help yesterday, writing, "Please help me find my beloved Ivy.... I am in tears..." She also attached a picture of the 7-year-old Maltese with a phone number to call (if you have info about Ivy, not for a date).

Lima said she had left Ivy with some family friends in Miami while she's in New York -- about to give birth, by the way.

According to Lima, the dog somehow slipped out of her friends' house on Tuesday ... and it's been lost since.

DON'T LET HER DOWN INTERNET! REMEMBER HOW HOT SHE IS!