RIP

The owners of Peanut the Squirrel and Fred the Racoon are fighting to get the animals' bodies back after both were controversially seized and put down following a home raid months ago.

Mark Longo shared the petition via IG ... demanding the return of Peanut and Fred’s bodies from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, to give them a proper send-off.

Longo said he and his wife, Daniela, aren’t even sure if the bodies are still there -- but they should be, since their lawyer sent a preservation notice to make sure they weren’t destroyed.

Vanessa Bryant is personally helping Los Angeles recover from the devastating wildfires, hitting up Dodger Stadium on Friday to pass out some Nikes to those in need.

Kobe Bryant's widow was seen at the ballpark in a red Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation sweatshirt ... helping Angelenos score some sneakers, socks and other essential items in the wake of the devastating blazes that began tearing through L.A. last week.

Vanessa appeared to be in great spirits as she passed out items ... flashing a big smile to all those who stopped by her setup.

Dame Joan Plowright, a legendary British actress of the stage and screen, has died ... this according to her family.

The actress -- who was best known for her work in the 1992 film, "Enchanted April," for which she earned an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe award -- died peacefully Thursday surrounded by her loved ones at Denville Hall ... a retirement home for performers in North West London.

While her family did not share a cause of death, they did applaud "her brilliant career" and thanked those "who helped care for her in her last years."

Kenny Law, best known for starring on Discovery's "Moonshiners," has died ... TMZ has learned.

Kenny's cousin Henry Law tells TMZ … the third-generation, Virginia-based distiller passed away in a local hospital Tuesday after battling a myriad of health issues the last several years.

As Henry puts it ... Kenny was dealing with heart trouble for some time, and had a heart attack back in 2024. He also struggled with diabetes, which was a constant factor in his ongoing health struggles.

Sad news from Russell Wilson ... his beloved dog has died.

The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback announced the heartbreaking update on his Instagram page just minutes ago ... revealing his Great Dane, Prince, passed away on Friday morning.

"I got you my rookie year," Russ said in an emotional note to his late pup, "& you have been a blessing to our family with so many memories, hugs, and kisses from our 4 kids and us."

David Lynch -- the legendary of "Twin Peaks" has died ... TMZ has confirmed.

A family member tells TMZ ... Lynch passed away Wednesday at his daughter's house -- where he was staying during the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles.

While we don't know the cause of death yet, Lynch revealed just last year that he was diagnosed with emphysema after years of smoking and likely wouldn't be able to direct anymore or even leave his house.

Noah Scurry -- a high school basketball star in Pennsylvania -- tragically died this week after he was shot just steps from his home.

The Philadelphia Police Department said the fatal shooting happened at around 7:15 AM on Tuesday ... revealing Scurry was on his way to Samuel Fels High School when he was gunned down.

He was just 17 years old.

TikTok star Jiare Schneider’s cause of death is out -- he tragically died from injuries sustained in a car crash.

A rep for the Clayton County Police Dept. in Georgia tells TMZ Jiare’s November death has been ruled accidental, and there's nothing suspicious about it. It’s still unclear if alcohol or drugs were involved.

We’re told Jiare was apparently heading to a "content house" in Georgia, where social media influencers live and work together, when he crashed in the woods across the street.

Juuuuuuust a bit outside.

Legendary broadcaster Bob Uecker has died at 90, the Milwaukee Brewers announced Thursday morning.

Prior to his Hall of Fame career behind the microphone, Uecker -- born in Wisconsin in 1934 -- signed with his hometown Milwaukee Braves in 1956 ... before spending several seasons in the minor leagues.

Dwayne Johnson's telling his fans not to wait too long when it comes to squashing beef with parents ... speaking directly to his male fans who have problems with their dads like he did.

The actor posted a black and white video to Instagram early Thursday morning ... and, in it, he reveals yesterday was the five-year anniversary of his dad Rocky 'Soulman' Johnson's death.

The Rock notes he and his dad weren't in a particularly good place when he passed ... and, Dwayne says he woke up yesterday feeling weird -- and realized it's because he'd never get a chance to make things right with his pop, and it's still bothering him.

Betty White may've been known as "America's Sweetheart," but the Hollywood legend allegedly had a mean streak ... this according to fellow actress Sally Struthers.

The "All in the Family" star came out swinging against the "Golden Girls" alum during an appearance on the "Let's Talk About That" podcast ... blasting the late comedy legend as a "very passive-aggressive woman."

Per Sally, she had a less-than-enjoyable encounter working with Betty on a game show pilot.

The Los Angeles wildfires have left thousands of people displaced, businesses charred, and entire neighborhoods obliterated ... and they're not even fully contained yet.

According to the latest updates ... the highest red flag level of high winds and fire conditions, labeled a “Particularly Dangerous Situation,” was declared by the National Weather Service Wednesday.

The Palisades Fire, which has destroyed massive chunks of the famed coastal community, currently stands at 19% containment -- after burning nearly 24,000 acres.

Legendary swimmer Michael Phelps is grieving over the death of Brian Campbell ... sharing a heartfelt tribute to the longtime Olympic swimming staffer.

Team USA Swimming announced Campbell's passing on Monday ... saying the massage therapist -- who also worked for UCLA -- died at the age of 68.

"He served American swimmers for decades on the pool decks of numerous Olympic Games and World Championships," the organization said.

Majorly sad news from the British comedy scene ... Tony Slattery -- best known for his role on the UK version of the improv show 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?" -- has died.

Slattery’s longtime partner of nearly 4 decades, Mark Michael Hutchinson, confirmed the news ... telling BBC the comedian passed away Tuesday morning after suffering a heart attack Sunday evening.

Tony rose to fame in the '80s and was best known for his quick wit and improvisational genius on Britain's hugely successful "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" -- long before the show was remade for U.S. audiences.

tWitch's family is furious with Allison Holker for writing a book about him ... but his widow took steps to make sure she's the only one who could make money off his name.

TMZ obtained the NDA tWitch's family says Allison had them sign in order to attend his funeral, and it essentially financially blocks them from doing what many people assumed she's doing ... namely, collecting any money from a memoir about their relationship and his death.

Under the NDA, tWitch's family and others who signed it agreed to hand over any proceeds from interviews, books, articles or programs about him straight into Allison's pocket ... which is a pretty strong deterrent.

Kate Cassidy -- Liam Payne's girlfriend at the time of his tragic death -- is slowly dipping her toe back into vlogging ... 3 months after the One Direction alum's passing.

The influencer, who is best known for posting lifestyle content on social media, uploaded to TikTok on Monday about her "simple day" ... but the tone was noticeably somber as she gave fans a glimpse into her new routine without Liam.

As you can see from the footage, Kate is putting self-care first during these trying times ... undergoing an extensive skincare routine, exercising, baking, playing with dogs, and journaling, among other healing activities.