Pets

Alanis Morissette claims her housekeeper stole her precious pooch out of revenge and she and her husband are both heartbroken and PISSED.

Alanis' husband, Mario Treadway, filed a lawsuit ... claiming he and Alanis found a stray, 10 lb Chihuahua/Pug mix roaming the streets back in May, 2011. Mario says they did the right thing and took the dog to an animal shelter but no one came to retrieve it.

So Alanis and Mario adopted the pugnacious pooch, which they named Circus.

All was fine until January, when they fired their housekeeper (in rich people's lingo they call it "House Manager"), Maria Garcia.

According to the lawsuit -- filed in L.A. County Superior Court -- Maria wanted Circus as part of her severance, because they claim she had the dog and refused to return it. Maria sent an email to their business manager saying she wanted "ownership" of Circus. Apparently Maria grew attached to the dog because she took care of it while Alanis and her hubby were on the road a lot.

Now Alanis and Mario are out for blood. They're suing Maria, asking for more than $25K and they want the judge to order the return of the dog.

UN-FUN FACT: Under California law dogs are considered property ... so an individual dog is almost never considered so special that a judge would order its return ... the only remedy is money. And that's a sad dog tail.

Tragedy struck on the set of the "Entourage" movie today -- TMZ has learned, a crew member's dog got hit by a car and died.

Sources tell us, Tucker -- a 1-year-old Aussie Shepherd -- somehow escaped from a production trailer and darted onto busy Wilshire Blvd near downtown L.A.

We're told Tucker was immediately taken to a nearby vet, but it was too late. The dog passed away from his injuries. Tucker was surrounded by friends and family at the time of his death.

The director of the Oscar Winning live-action short "Helium" may have been high himself ... telling our photog his Oscar will become a canine toilet.

Anders Walter and producer Kim Magnusson were leaving a post-Ocscar party at Ago in West Hollywood ... when Walter talked about losing the doggie door in his home and jerry-rigging a statuette to accomplish the function ... and he fully expects his dog to mark his Oscar territory.

And then ... Walter dropped the best humble brag of the evening.

Simon Cowell is drawing a line in the sand ... paparazzi who want a piece of him will have to answer to his bitches.

Cowell's Yorkies -- Squiddly and Diddly -- aren't taking crap from the photogs who got their owner in trouble earlier in the week for allowing them on the beach in Miami. Cops gave Simon a warning ... one which he clearly didn't heed.

Ex-WWE Superstar Goldberg has a new pet more terrifying than Stone Cold ... more destructive than Hulk Hogan.

Goatberg has issues. He's peed all over the floor and munched on ritz crackers ... without invitation. Short story ... the goat's a terror, but the Goldberg's couldn't be more in love.

Bill Goldberg tells TMZ ... his wife is a huge animal lover and when he found out her horse trainer was trying to unload the goat -- he took it off the guys hands.

Goldberg says they have plenty of room on their 30-acre property near San Diego ... but the goat is kind of a house pet.

Although the goat is free to chill he actually makes the floors warmer. Moments after this photo was snapped -- the goat went #1 on his wood floor.

Who's next?

"Dog Whisperer" Cesar Millan says Simon Cowell's dog got WAY too close to his baby on the beach this week -- and he better get his bitch in line ... or the baby could be in danger.

We posted the pics Monday of Simon on the beach in Miami with his newborn son and two Yorkies -- and one photo shows a dog sniffing the baby's face.

Cesar called in to "TMZ Live" today to explain why it's a TERRIBLE idea to let your dog get so close to a baby ... and it's pretty shocking. Take a listen.

Liam Neeson is PISSED OFF at New York City's new mayor for trying to kill the Central Park horse industry.

Things got pretty heated last night on "The Daily Show" -- Neeson unloaded on Mayor Bill de Blasio, claiming the horse carriage industry has been a major part of NYC life from the beginning.

Next on WHEN ANIMALS ATTACK! -- rapper-producer Mally Mall's pet serval turns on him ... violently ... and the scary encounter was all caught on tape.

The video was shot last week inside Mall's Vegas compound -- his living room, specifically -- where his pet serval was having some kind of meltdown ... probably because it's a wild animal inside a house ... and Mall sprang into action.

You have to see how it all unfolds -- somehow, Mall calms the cat down ... but not without a couple scratches.

You'll recall ... Mall's the same guy who gave Justin Bieber that monkey a while ago. Pretty wild.

Simon Cowell's two dogs are puppies non grata on the beach in Miami -- the TV mogul was just warned by cops to get them off the sand ... or else.

Simon's been chilling in the sun all day with GF Lauren Silverman and their newborn son Eric -- but despite the beach's explicit NO DOGS ALLOWED rule, he brought along his two Yorkshire Terriers Squiddly and Diddly.

We're told a police officer gave Simon an official warning ... and Simon and Lauren took off soon after.

We almost felt bad for the dogs ... almost.

The rattlesnake that killed "Snake Salvation" Pastor Jamie Coots a week ago made an encore appearance Saturday night at the same church with Jamie's son at the helm ... and this time no animals or people were hurt.

Cody Coots prayed over a bevy of snakes -- one of which was the rattler that killed Jamie. The video is insane ... it looks like a revival service with a live band and snakes and worshipers all flailing in the air.

As we told you ... Cody made it clear to us ... if the rattler bit him he would refuse treatment ... just like his dad.

But snakes weren't the only trick up Cody's sleeve. He also played with fire ... literally.

Bite me once shame on you ... the new pastor in the "Snake Salvation" church will NOT accept medical treatment today if he's bitten by the rattlesnake that killed his father exactly one week ago.

Cody Coots tells TMZ ... he will indeed handle the deadly snake during the afternoon Kentucky service. What's more, he says there will be NO anti-venom meds on hand in case the snake attacks again.

And ... if he's bitten and paramedics rush to the church, he'll send them away ... just like his dad Jamie Coots did.

The top police force in Kentucky will NOT step in and block a church service featuring the rattlesnake that killed "Snake Salvation" star, Pastor Jamie Coots last Saturday.

TMZ broke the story ... the Middlesboro PD told us they would not enforce a state law prohibiting the handling or displaying of reptiles in religious services. Police Chief Jeffrey Sharpe told us the government has no business meddling in religious affairs.

So we called the Kentucky State Police ... they have the power to step in and take care of business if the local police refuses to enforce state law.

An official from the Kentucky State Police tells TMZ ... they acknowledge the law prohibits snake handling during services, but says unless they get a call from someone with a "legitimate" gripe, they won't barge into the service.

The new pastor, Cody Coots -- Jamie's son -- made it clear ... the same snake will be used in today's service.

Katy Perry should give her limo driver a 10% cut of profits from her new video ... because he's the one who discovered the biggest breakout music video star since Courteney Cox.

Jiff the Pomeranian steals the show ... and credit goes to the guy who was sitting behind the wheel last month while Katy was at the Grammys.

We're told the driver noticed the tiny pooch doing skateboard tricks and he was good enough to attract a crowd. The driver shot video of the pup and even took a flyer from the dog's owner which included contact info.

When the Grammys were over Katy got in the car and she and the driver started small-talking. She asked what the driver had done to pass the time ... he showed her the video of the dog.

Two days later ... Katy's people took the flyer from the driver -- he wisely saved it -- and made a deal with the dog's owner.

So now Jiff is a big dog ... a star in his own right. And we're told Katy says she will work with him again.

So congratulations limo driver. You're a big dog, too.

Bree freed her pup Petey after she got out of jail. We're told she had to pay $100 to get him out of Animal Control custody.

Bree Walker, a famous 80s news anchor and reporter ... was busted for DUI in Orange County, CA -- and her poor dog was also taken into custody ... TMZ has learned.

Anaheim police arrested Walker around 12:30 AM Wednesday after she was initially pulled over for running a red light.

Police smelled booze ... put her through a field sobriety test -- which they say she failed -- and 61-year-old Walker was taken to jail.

Law enforcement sources tell us Walker's pit bull Petey was in the car with her, but since Bree lives in L.A. County ... no one was available to pickup the dog. We're told animal control took custody of Petey.

Walker -- who was once married to famed sportscaster Jim Lampley -- was booked for misdemeanor DUI, and released a few hours later ... aka once she sobered up.

Unclear at this point if she sprung Petey yet.

Walker worked local news in New York, L.A., and San Diego -- and did a stint in rehab for booze a few years ago.

The rattler that took a deadly bite out of "Snake Salvation" pastor Jamie Coots will not be killed ... in fact, the family will deploy the snake during next Saturday's service ... TMZ has learned.

Coots was bitten Saturday while he was preaching to his congregation and died after refusing medical help ... believing he was protected from the venom by God's power.

Jamie's son Cody tells us, the family still believes in God's protective power against snake venom -- despite his father's death -- telling us his dad felt it was much better to die from a snakebite than a stroke or car accident ... in fact, for him a snakebite was "God's way."

Cody -- who will take over as pastor -- says, "It was God saying, this is how you wanted it, and it's your time to go ... If he didn't plan [to die this way] he would have stayed alive."

As we reported ... even though using snakes during religious services is illegal in Kentucky, the police chief told us he would NOT enforce the law.

"Snake Salvation" pastor Jamie Coots was breaking the law when he was bit by a deadly rattlesnake during church services ... but the police chief tells TMZ ... he's doing the Christian thing by turning the other cheek.

Middlesboro Police Chief Jeffrey Sharpe concedes a Kentucky law makes it illegal to handle or display reptiles in religious services. But Sharpe says he doesn't care what the law says ... as far as he's concerned the government doesn't have any business meddling in religious affairs.

Sharpe says he will NOT enforce the law ... period.