Barking Up the Wrong Trees

The doggie drama continues with Rebecca, Jerry and the rescue group, celebs offer condolences to Kanye at the Victoria's Secret show and Victoria Beckham needs a facial! Plus, what's David Letterman doin' in his downtime?

Oh, great. Did not want to pursue this, but nonetheless, additional sources (even more) directly involved with the rescue organization from which Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O'Connell adopted their German shepherd puppy have contacted us. We’ll try and be brief.

Here’s what we got wrong: According to the rescue outfit (and Jerry and Rebecca’s publicist), they did not contact Jerry and Rebecca to perform a check-up call on the puppy, Jerry contacted them. And the recently wedded celebs had their pooch, which they named Bigger, for exactly one week, not one month.

And here's what's new: After seven days of new-pooch fatherhood, Jerry emailed the rescue place to inform them that even though Bigger had been “extremely happy and sweet”  for his week’s stay with the stars, they nevertheless had to euthanize him. This, they said, was due to their vet advising that the pup would not recover from what she deemed to be Bigger’s terminal case of pneumonia and congenital mega esophagus.

The rescue outfit was appalled. They claim even though they weren’t aware of Bigger’s condition, they’ve helped many similarly afflicted dogs regain good health, even though it can be a very pricy undertaking. They want to know why they weren’t given a chance to nurse Bigger back to health. We asked.

O’Connell and Romijn state, via their rep, they consider it “illegal” that they were given an animal in such poor health by a rescue organization. They also say they don’t like said dog-helping (nonprofit) canine helpers because they “hoard” animals. The rescue organization vehemently denies both accusations. The rescuers also tell us they spent nearly $300,000 last year alone helping unwanted dogs find new homes. Hoard and hand out near-dead dogs, they do not.

(For the record, pneumonia is an extremely common occurrence with rescue dogs, in general, and German shep pups can be prone to mega esophagus.)

As to the Romijn-O'Connell claim that it is against the law to adopt out a terminally ill dog? Untrue. "There's no statute for it," insists Los Angeles-based animal rights attorney Shannon Keith. "It's not illegal to adopt out a terminally ill dog; there's no code for it." Other animal rights attorneys confirmed this to the Awful Truth. Also, the contract signed by the rescuers and Bigger's new owners states clearly that the dog is not only in good health to the best of the rescuer's knowledge, but that any further responsibilities, including medical, are to be assumed by the adopters. Rebecca and Jerry say they were never given a copy of the contract. The rescue organization says that isn't how it happened: "We handed them the contract," a spokeswoman at the center insisted. "It was the yellow copy [and was given] in a room full of people watching. I have the copy they signed."

And that hoarding charge? "We are very well represented," the spokeswoman (who says Rebecca and Jerry are "making things up") warned, legally speaking. "Calling a rescuer a hoarder is not a good thing."

Oh, must add: Publicist to O’Connell and Romijn insists his clients took Bigger to six different vets, all of whom said Bigger’s case was hopeless. Jerry did not relay this fact in his correspondence to the rescue organization. He did, however, take pains to mention he had spent more than $2,000 on Bigger’s health. The publicist now says that figure has grown to $6,000.

Oh, and in the very first email to the rescue joint, Jerry asked for his $400 donation to be returned.

It hasn’t been.

We then ask, Was this an economical decision made in regard to Bigger, or a  humanitarian one?

Although Kanye West pulled out of performing at the Victoria’s Secret fashion show last week, he was still on the minds and mouths of celebs who attended.

“It’s the worst thing that could happen to somebody I know,” Gabrielle Union said of Donda’s death. “It’s an awful tragedy, and so unexpected...there’s not even words. I think this is a cautionary tale for everybody.”

Yep, sadly, it is. Listen, if you’re going to go under the knife and get plastic surgery, please be sure to do your homework, people. Just because someone was on TV or worked on a celeb bod doesn’t mean they’re legit. Making sure your doctor is board certified in plastic surgery is a must. Many working plastic surgeons are board certified, but in areas other than...plastic surgery! Do you really want someone who’s certified in ears, nose and throat giving you a boob job? Don’t just ask the doc if they’re board certified in plastic surgery, because some of them don’t tell the truth. Go see for yourself at abms.org. It’s free.

Hill Harper also offered his condolences to Kanye on the carpet. “My father passed away in 2000, and I was on set shooting, and I got an email about it, and my heart goes out to him,” Hill said. ”I think it’s really about faith, and there has to be some reason, and for him, I can’t imagine the pain.”

Filling in for Kanye that night was Will.I.Am of the Black Eyed Peas, who ironically performed his solo song “I Got It from My Mama.” He didn’t mention Kanye at all during the performance (which was decent but nowhere near as good as the Chicago rapper’s routine).

Earlier at the do, we asked Will if he’d ever consider using Heidi Klum, who also sang that night, on a Black Eyed Peas song.

“We got Fergie,” he said firmly. Hmmm, sounds like a no. Good thing Heidi’s not quitting her day job.

Other things learned from the VS show: Posh ain’t perfect, damn. We noticed Victoria Beckham’s complexion is not so hot and pretty bumpy up close on the carpet. Paging Proactiv pusher Jessica Simpson! Poor Vicky-poo seemed semiconfused when walking the carpet with her fellow Spice Girls. Should she answer the questions being thrown at her by eager reporters, or just stand there and pout as she normally does?

She settled for standing there with her hand on her skinny hip while Geri Halliwell fielded rapid-fire queries. What kind of undies do the Spice Girls don? “Sensible ones, sometimes,” Geri answered for the group, while resting her hand on Vic’s bum in some strange display of girl power, perhaps?

Gabrielle Union ‘fessed she’s all about the butt floss. “A thong, honey—please!” she dished. “No lines.”

Audrina Patridge likes switching up her Skivvies style. “I have thongs, I have the little booty shorts…It just depends on what I’m wearing. But I never go commando!” Us either, girlfriend!

Neil Patrick Harris, on the other hand, said he’s strictly a briefs man, because he needs “support.” One forgetful reporter next to us asked Neil if he was more of a boobs or butt guy. Um, did she forget about his big coming-out cover via People mag?

“I’d say butt,” he answered with a semistraight face. Like, duh!

Dave Letterman, getting his tyke a treat at the grocery store. The talk-show host was seen buying his “adorable” son a Hershey bar at a local Westchester County A & P in New York. Dave-doll, who reportedly offered to pay his staff out of pocket should the writers' strike continue through the holidays, was wearing a baseball cap and sporting some facial hair. A few shoppers approached the funnyman to shake his hand, and Dave was “very nice.” A much tackier twosome elsewhere was...

Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott, waiting patiently for a table with the rest of the plebeians. T and D were at a crowded dim sum restaurant near Bundy and Wilshire, back in Hell-Ay. Once they were finally seated, both had major appetites and were seen vigorously chowing down. Dean, lookin’ über-scruffy and wearing a chunky-ass silver necklace, wouldn’t stop texting on his BlackBerry during the meal. How rude! Does Candy Spelling know about this? Bet she’s firing off a letter to him via TMZ as we type. Another 90210 alum seen out and about included...

Ian Ziering, doing some shopping on Sunset. Mr. Steve Sanders himself hit Armani Exchange on Thursday with a “brunette model-type” in tow. Ian was wearing a black button-up, jeans and sunglasses and left with a bunch of shopping bags in a black SUV. Wonder if he bought his mystery femme friend something special? Oh, who cares, never mind.