Alicia Silverstone needs you to write to Oprah

You and I think that stars all know each other and have each other's numbers on speed dial, don't we? Apparently that's not the case, since Alicia Silverstone is turning to her friends to petition Oprah to do a show dedicated to helping pets.

According to MSNBC, the Clueless star sent an e-mail to friends asking them to urge Oprah to dedicate a show to the animals abandoned during Katrina and to solving the stray and overpopulation problems.

“Since millions of people watch and are positively influenced by ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show,’ let’s urge Oprah to dedicate a show to the pet overpopulation crisis, informing her audience of the importance of spaying and neutering,” Silverstone wrote.

We like Alicia and we love pets, so we want to help out. You can share your suggestions for the Oprah Winfrey Show here.

Read more here.

John Leguizamo heads north with sled dogs

Fairbanks is having a winter festival, and John Leguizamo is going to help them kick it off Hollywood style. Why John Leguizamo, you ask? Because John voiced a character in the upcoming animated movie, Ice Age 2: The Meltdown, and the festival will feature ice carving of characters from the Ice Age series.

John will arrive by dog sled on March 12. The actor will then help Gov. Frank Murkowski cut through an ice ribbon with blow torches.

If you find yourself in Fairbanks, be sure to stop in an enjoy the festival. But be careful around those giant ice sculpture--according to the article on MercuryNews.com, they can weigh more than 22 tons.

Check out more info: http://www.icealaska.com and http://www.iceage2.com.

Congratulations to Hollywood Dog Magazine

Congratulations are in order for Hollywood Dog Magazine--it was named one of the top 30 magazine launches of the past year. The magazine was chosen by Samir Husni (“Mr. Magazine”) the country’s leading magazine expert, who has compiled an annual list of the hottest launches every year since 1984.

Watch for the upcoming issue of Hollywood Dog, which will feature an ad from our blog sponsor: JustPetStrollers.com.

You can subscribe to Hollywood Dog here.

Posh Pet Hotel in Philly

A week ago we told you about a dog and cat hotel fit for celebrity pets in Minnesota, of all places. Now comes word that visitors to the City of Brotherly Love can get their pet pampered at the newest upscale pet hotel.

The brand-new riverfront hotel is built to house eight dogs and seven cats. Each plush miniature room is uniquely decorated and labeled with quaint Philly names like "Rittenhouse Square," "Betsy Ross" and "LOVE Park."

At $80 to $100 a night, canine rooms range from 3.5 by 7.5 feet for small dogs to 4.5 by 7.5 feet for larger breeds. Feline rooms are $60, 2 by 2.5 feet in area and 6 feet tall.

The picture is of the Ben Franklin room.

No word on if any celebs have yet visited Mazzu's Canine and Feline Hotel, but you know it's only a matter of time.

You can read more on PhiladelphiaWeekly.com.

Jessica Simpson and pooch

Is Jessica Simpson turning to this dog to forget her woes over her split with Nick? Or are she and the pooch leaving a hotel after she enjoyed some special personal time with Jude Law?

Since this is a celebrity pet blog, we'll leave that question to others, such as Gabsmash. That's the site where I found the picture, which was not accompanied with any explanation but did report that Jessica and Jude Law were seen coming and going from a hotel room where things got mighty loud.

I feel so dirty.

If you care to read more, visit Gabsmash.

Sharon Stone owes dogs an apology

Sharon Stone has seen her fair share of heartbreak. She's been married and divorced three times and has had "countless" boyfriends. Still, that's no reason to insult dogs!

Sharon said, "I think all men are dogs. I honestly do. You know every man starts barking sooner or later."

Excuse me, Ms. Stone, but at least dogs would have the good sense to avoid taking a role in Basic Instinct 2. (Was that catty?) (And by saying that did I just insult cats?) (If so, I am truly sorry.)

Sharon goes on to say, "At least my character in Basic Instinct has the good sense to kill men afterwards, so they won't go around sprouting nonsense." One hopes she said that with a REALLY big smile on her face (or else she's spending a little too much time in character for her upcoming sequel.)

You can read more on ContactMusic.com.

Check out the Hollywood wing of this pet lodge

If you happen to live in or are visiting Minnesota, your pet can go Hollywood. Not normally thought of as a hotbed of celebrity action, Minnesota's Stone Mountain Pet Lodge can treat your pet like the celeb he or she really is.

The $3.5 million state-of-the-art getaway is designed for dogs and cats. It includes a custom-designed wrought iron gate depicting a sun rising over a mountain and a stone fireplace inset with paw prints that reaches to the lofty 40-foot ceiling.

The lodge can board up to 216 dogs and 75 cats. Costs range from $20 on the low end to $48 for the deluxe suites. Cheap! You can afford to travel to Minnesota to pamper your pet for prices like that!

One of the wings is known as The Hollywood Wing (but there's no note if anyone famous has yet visited.) (I would guess Paris Hilton probably doesn't get to Minnesota very often.)

Read more on ABCNewspapers.com, or visit the Stone Mountain Pet Lodge site.

PETA goes provocative with UK Star

The name Jodie Marsh may not mean much to us on this side of the Atlantic, but she's a well-known hottie over in the UK where she's been called "The Human Viagra".

Jodie has appeared on Celebrity Big Brother, but her latest appearance is in a provocative ad campaign for PETA. The campaign features an eye-catching shot of Jodie in the buff with a butcher's diagram drawn on her skin.

Says Jodie, who's been a vegetarian since age nine, "I don't eat any animals ... I could never eat a dog, and I don't see how a cow, a sheep, a pig or anything else is any different because all animals have a mind and a brain and a ... personality."

Click here to read more about the ad campaign and register to win one of 100 limited-edition prints of Jodie's sexy new ad.

Pooch does Winter Olympics

Have you been watching the Turin Olympics? We've been enjoying the drama and excitement at our home, but we thought the Olympics were a pet-free zone. We were wrong!

U.S. skier Daron Rahlves brought his dog, Chevy, to the Olympics. What's cool is that the pooch got his own Olympic credentials!

According to a U.S. ski team spokesman, the Siberian husky is required to go through security but has privileges reporters do not have. "That dog can go places you can't," he told reporters.

You can read more about Chevy and other Olympic news on MercuryNews.com.

Paris Hilton hires a chihuahua

Paris Hilton is heading overseas for an event and had to leave Tinkerbell and Bambi behind, but that doesn't mean she'll be without canine companionship. Paris is renting a chihuahua!

An insider said: "Paris really misses her chihuahuas when she leaves the States... she has her heart set on a mini long-haired Chihuahua called LouLou." Paris will rent Loulou from a specialist dog agency.

"A specialist dog agency," huh? Insert your own pooch pimp joke here.

The article includes this note, which we think is creative license on the part of the correspondent: Paris was surprised people were speaking English in London and admitted she thought that everyone in Europe spoke French. Yeah, I know she's not the sharpest tool in the shed, but it ain't exactly as if Paris hasn't gotten around the world before.

Read more on Female First.

Rufus hits the town

If you're a pet lover, chances are you already know who Rufus is. The now-famous canine celeb took home the top prize at the 2006 Westminster Kennel Dog Show on Tuesday.

So, what did Rufus do after becoming the top dog (pun intended)? He hit the town, bar hopping across New York City! He even sipped champagne from his trophy. Rufus' financial backer Dorothy Cherry said: "I wouldn't let my dog drink anything but very good wine or he'd get a hangover."

He finally crawled into bed around 4:30 a.m. but didn't stay there for long--at 5:30 a.m. he was awake and getting ready for CBS' "Early Show," VH1's "Best Week Ever," and GMA. "He's dragging today," said Rufus' owner Barbara Bishop.

Only an hours sleep for that poor guy! And you thought the life of a doggie celebrity was all fun and games!

Read more on ABCNews.com.

Minnie Driver kicks off national adoption drive

Minnie Driver is lending her very attractive face to a campaign to encourage dog adoption. Minnie was one of our favorites well before appearing on Will and Grace, but her guest appearances gave that show it's best moments (including the shockingly funny, how-did-they-get-that-past-the-censors bit about where she hides jewelry she's stolen.)

This time, Minnie is playing a serious role, encouraging people to adopt dogs and to support adoption efforts. It's all part of the Pedigree® Adoption Drive. Minnie and Pedigree want you to:

• Support Fundraising Efforts --Pedigree is donating up to $1 million from a portion of all 2006 product sales to support animal shelters and breed rescue organizations.
• Earn Free Food -- Pedigree will provide a free month's supply of do food to every family/person who adopts a dog in February 2006. Log onto pedigree.com for further details.
• Wear Your Own Dog Tags -- To show support of this cause, "Dogs rule®" fashion dog tags are available for free via a mail-in offer and Pedigree will make a $1 donation for every dog tag redeemed. Plus, celebrity-designed dog tags will be auctioned on eBay® from March 6-16.
• Learn About All Things Canine -- Educational information on what to expect when adopting a dog is available via a downloadable "Adoption Guide" at pedigree.com.

"Dogs from shelters and breed rescue organizations make wonderful, loving pets, and I would encourage anyone contemplating getting a dog not to overlook their local pet rescue organizations," says Minnie.

Read more about the Adoption Drive on Yahoo or on the Pedigree Web Site.

Jason Biggs and "Eight Below" Pooches

The movie Eight Below opens this coming weekend. Inspired by a true story, Eight Below tells the story of three members of a scientific expedition, played by Paul Walker, Jason Biggs, and Bruce Greenwood, who are forced to leave behind their team of sled dogs in Antarctica. During the harsh, Antarctic winter, the dogs must struggle for survival alone in the intense frozen wilderness for over 6 months. The film is inspired by the events of a 1957 Japanese Antarctic Expedition

Not sure if we'll see this film--movies with plots that place animals in harms way for cinematic effect are not generally high on my list. I know the pooches were very well treated during the filming of the movie, so my concern isn't for the well-being of the real animals. I just don't like seeing animals threatened, hurt, or killed, even if it is all make believe.

Perhaps I should change my mind and see Eight Below. At this point, Rotten Tomatoes shows the movie at 100% (although that certainly will change as reviews from major publications and reviewers get released.)

Cast member Jason Biggs got to pet a Siberian Husky named DJ at the party for the premiere of Walt Disney Pictures 'Eight Below' in Hollywood February 12, 2006. You can see more photos from the Eight Below party on Yahoo News.

Image: REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

Matthew McConaughey's new dog has big paws to fill

Matthew McConaughey and his labrador/chow mix, Ms. Hud, were inseparable for 12 years. Together they toured the country as Matthew ascended to Hollywood leading man status, (a mantle he seems to bear with a great deal of discomfort.) But last year, Ms. Hud succumbed to cancer and Matthew lost his best friend.

The actor has a new best friend, and he introduced the world to his new pooch on the Oprah Winfrey show. Matthew is now the proud owner of a red healer named Foxy.

Matthew shared the story with Oprah of his last days with Ms. Hud. The dog had lost a front leg to cancer, and she then lost the use of her hind legs. "The doctor said, 'We've amputated hind legs before but that's with dogs who have two front legs.'" said Matthew. "I said, 'Ms. Hud, do you wanna be a one-legged dog?' and she looks up and she says, 'Let me move on, Pop,' so we let her move on."

We're glad Matthew has found companionship with his new dog, and we hope they enjoy many years of knocking around the world together!

Read more on StarPulse.com.

Matthew Mcconaughey must pick up dog's poo

And here's another article about Mathhew and his new dog, Foxy. The actor is on the cover of Details (looking rather fetching) (no dog pun intended), and the article demonstrates what a regular guy Matthew is.

He owns a mansion in Hollywood, but he prefers to live in the Walnut Creek RV Park on the outskirts of Austin, Texas. There, he's treated just like everyone else--including when his dog does his duty. Foxy apparently relieved herself in a neighbors yard, but does the big Hollywood star catch a break from his neighbors? Of course not, and Mathhew wouldn't have it any other way.

“I wake up and there’s a note stuck to my door: ‘The rules around here are to pick up after your dog. Please remove.’" says the star. "I thought that was cool. I mean, in Hollywood there’s all these mirrors. I’m on billboards and magazine covers, but here I’m being asked to pick up dog crap.”

Read more on Details.com. You can also see more pix of foxy Matthew and Foxy on JustJared.com.

I'm Rula Lenska, and I promote cat food

This post is for people over a certain age--We think you'll need to be over 40 to remember the name Rula Lenska.

In the late 70s, hair care line Alberto VO5 launched commercials starring an attractive woman who started, "I'm Rula Lenska," as if she were famous and we should know her. We didn't--no one did. And it turns out that was part of the marketing ploy--she was a largely anonymous actress from the UK and we were only supposed to think she was a famous model endorsing VO5.

Well, she's back and will be endorsing a pet product across the pond where she is now, in fact, famous. In the UK, Rula is now known for her role on the soap EastEnders and even more famous for appearing on Celebrity Big Brother. In January of this year, she and George Galloway, a current member of Parliament, had the "must see" moment of the season when she encouraged him act like a cat. The current British MP acted as if he was licking milk from Rula's hands as she pet him.

Many felt the incident was an embarrassment for the MP, but apparently it worked for Rula. She was voted off the show but has now secured a six-figure deal as the new face of a cat food company. Doubt we'll see her in the states, but if you're visiting London and you see Rula in a commercial, you'll know who she is (unlike in the 70s).

Read more on BrandRepublic.com.

Dog reminds Oscar winner McQuarrie to stay humble

If you become famous, who will love you in exactly the same way they do now? Your pet, of course!

Entertainment Weekly has a wonderful article about the wonderful movie, The Usual Suspects. The movie was a surprise hit and a surprise winner at the Academy Awards in 1996. If you haven't seen it, rent it immediately--but do NOT read anything about The Usual Suspects first. The movie is terrific, suspenseful, and twisty, and reading about it before seeing it may give away plot lines better unveiled while watching the flick.

In any event, screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie had a heck of an evening after picking up the Oscar for Best Screenplay. But if he thought his pet would more appreciate his newly famous human companion, McQuarrie quickly found out the opposite. After partying through Oscar night, he returned home in the not-so-wee hours of the morning to find his German shepherd, Theo, waiting for him.

''No one had come around to let him out and he had taken a massive dump on the carpet,'' McQuarrie says. ''I put the Oscar on the coffee table, took off my tux, and got down on my hands and knees to clean up the mess. I looked at Theo and he had a look on his face that said, 'I don't care who you are or what you won. You still gotta clean up my s---.'''

Read more on EW.com. (Registration required)

Does your pet have Hollywood potential?

According to the Courier-Mail, the squirrels used in Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory were making upwards to $1,000 a day.

If it makes you wonder if your pet has star potential (or the potential to let you retire), check out the interview with Christine Powell who runs Animal Actors, a casting agency that has been providing animals to the television and film industry since 1974.

"Many good animals never make it because of their owners," she says. "Those animals with owners willing to do the hard training yards and who can learn our training methods are the most successful."

Who knows--perhaps someday you're animal will have their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

POP QUIZ: What are the only animals to have their stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame?

ANSWER: Three dogs: Lassie, Rin Tin Tin, and Goodheart.

POP QUIZ #2: Who the heck is Goodheart? I searched the Internet, and the only info I could find was from other people trying to figure out who Goodheart was! How odd is it that an animal could be famous enough to get his or her own Star in Hollywood, yet be completely forgotten on the Internet. If you know, please tell us who Goodheart was--we're dying to find out!

Read more on the Courier-Mail site.

Pierce Brosnan & Kevin Nealon Ask you to adopt a Katrina Pet

A new drive to aid in the adoption of Katrina's animal victims has just launched, thanks to the support of some famous folks. Actors Pierce Brosnan, Kevin Nealon and other celebrities will appear in public service announcements to encourage the adoption of pets from local shelters. Watch for their PSAs on your TV!

A new site has been launched to support the effort: www.OperationSaveAPetKatrina.com. On the site, people can look for a pet based on breed, age or location. If you visit the site, be prepared for some heartbreaking video designed to encourage you to adopt some needy pets.

Read more on NBC4.tv.

Help B.B. King find Lucille (his dog, not his guitar)

B.B. King's dog has gone missing, and he's offering an autographed copy of one of his signature "Lucille" guitars in an effort to get her back.

The pooch is a two-year old Maltese named Lucille, after King's famed guitar. She went missing about 10 days ago in West Hollywood while she was under the care of his co-manager.

If you live in West Hollywood, keep an eye open. The 80-year-old blues legend is waiting for the return of his beloved pooch!

Read more on ABC News.

Image: AP Photo/B.B King International, Matt Lieberman

Ashton Kutcher, dog sitter to the stars

I always figured the rich and famous hired pros to watch their pets, but it turns the celebs are just like you and me--they ask friends to help out with their pets. And who does Diddy trust with his canine? Ashton Kutcher, star of Punk'd and That '70s Show.

Now, I've never met Ashton, and he may be the most reliable guy on the face of the planet, but have you seen him on Punk'd? He seems like a tough guy to trust (or at least take seriously), but when Diddy (formerly known as Sean Combs, Puff Daddy, Puffy and P Diddy) visits LA, he lets his dog stay with Ashton.

"It's a white Shar Pei thing," says Ashton. "It stays at my house when he goes out partying."

Read more on Starpulse.com.

Obituary: Washington's "First Dog," Franz

Very sad news to report: Franz, the "First Dog" of the state of Washington, was struck by a car and killed on Sunday.

We first reported about Franz back on January 1, 2006. Franz was an outgoing pooch with a big heart who visited schools, made appearances, and even had his own Web site. Franz's name graced a Washington wine with proceeds from the sales going to pets impacted by Katrina.

On Sunday Franz's owner, Washington Governor Chris Gregoire, was in Detroit cheering on her team at the Super Bowl while Franz was in the care of friends. He apparently escaped and was killed in an accident.

Our sympathies go to the Gregoire and all the Washingtonians who loved their "First Dog."

You can read more on the KVOA site.

What do Audrey Hepburn, Venus Williams, Demi Moore, and Graham Norton have in common?

A reader of our blog, Dorianna, shared some news from a recent Dog Collection magazine. If you click on the two images below you can learn about Sabrina Parisi, the celebrity breeder of Yorkies and and designer of high-end pet accessories.

Sabrina's passion for Yorkies began as a teen, and she won her first prize for a home-bred Yorkie in 1990. Her champion dogs are now the faves of celebs and have names prefixed with Dolce Sinfonia, Italian for "sweet symphony." Sabrina wanted to make sure the fabulous pooches had equally fabulous accessories, so she launched the Dolce Sinfonia Fashion and Collection.

You can learn more about her world-renowned Yorkshire Terrier bloodline and accessories at http://dolcesinfonia.com.

And to answer the question posed in the headline, the celebs listed (along with Zsa Zsa Gabor, Joan Rivers, Mariah Carey, Gisele Budchen, and Ivana Trump) all are star owners of adorable Yorkshire Terriers!

Click the images below to read more.

Star Jones and Pinky

Here's a nice shot of Star Jones and her dog, Pinky. They attended HollyRod Foundation's 2006 Gridiron Glamour Fashion show in Dearborn, Michigan. The yearly Super Bowl Week event raised money to provide medical, physical and emotional support to those suffering with Parkinson’s disease.

See lots more photos of stylish pooches at the fashion show on Yahoo News.

Image: REUTERS/Rebecca Cook

Nicole Richie and her pooch

The Celebrity Dog Blog has some cute shots of Nicole Richie hanging with her dog

Check them out!

Poodle saved from Hollywood Fire

Here's the story of a poodle who isn't famous, nor is he the companion of anyone famous, but he does live in Hollywood and it's a great story, so I thought I'd share it.

Eric Gonzalez, a heroic LAPD firefighter, was searching a North Hollywood home filled with smoke from a garage fire when he saw a dog that he thought had perished. Then Gonzalez heard small, faint breaths coming from the dog's mouth so he rushed the dog outside where firefighter Danny Wu gave him oxygen. The poodle was then rushed to the North Hollywood Animal Care Center for oxygen therapy.

Within days, the pooch was was walking around and breathing on his own.

"We named him Smokey, because that's what he smells like," said Maria Aleni Sunada, the veterinarian at the animal clinic. They hope to locate the owner and return the dog to his or her care.

Let's give a round of applause to Eric Gonzalez, Danny Wu, and the LAPD firefighters who went out of their way to save a dog's life!

Read more on DailyNews.com.

Talented Pooches paint to raise money

If you're in San Fran and looking something to do next Saturday, how about attending a doggie art auction? The art isn't of dogs but by dogs!

The Paws for Love auction is the idea of Sonoma County artist Ellyn Jaques Boone, who wanted to find a way to help support Bay Area shelters.

You'll find details on http://www.pawsforlove.info/.

Read more on SFGate.com.

Will celebs aid in the restoration of Dover dog statues?

The town of Dover, NJ hope celebrities will help it raise the funds necessary to repair and restore two historic dog statues. The statues used to flank the entrance to town hall but were vandalized in December. The two dog statues were a gift from the mayor of Dover, England, in 1869 to George Richards, the first town mayor.

In need of $8,100, town residents have sent requests to 700 celebrities for autographs they can auction off. Here's hoping we can report in the future on a successful fundraiser and the return of Dover's famed dog statues!

Survivor's Danni Boatwright uses cash to buy dog hips

We all know what happened to Richard Hatch's Survivor dough: The winner of the debut season of the reality show Survivor used the cash in his unsuccessful defense against Federal tax evasion charges. Now he's facing up to 13 years in prison. (What the hell was he thinking? That maybe no one noticed he earned $1 million on the highest-rated TV show of the season? When completing your 1040s, how do you miss $1 million when listing your income?)

But what about Danni Boatwright, winner of Survivor: Guatemala? Where did her cash go (other than to pay taxes)? "I put it all away except for buying new hips for my dog (a Rhodesian Ridgeback)."

Rich, cute, and a dog-lover? Anyone know if she's available?

Who is the greatest dog in pop culture history?

Retrocrush.com asked their million visitors to vote on the top 100 greatest dogs in pop culture history. This exercise was in honor of the Chinese year of the dog, which has just begun.

So, who would you vote for? Would you believe that the top two spots when to cartoon pooches: Snoopy was the most popular, followed by Scooby Doo. (Obviously, those voting never saw the dreadful live-action Scooby Doo movies of a couple years back.)

The top live dog was--of course--Lassie, coming in at third place. The No. 4 spot bears the pawprints of Old Yeller, and I'm tearing up just thinking about that movie. And at number 5, Walt's cartoon dog, Goofy.

Read more about the top 100 list on Canada.com. Or, better yet, check out the entire list of 100 on Retrocrush.com.