GERARD BUTLER'S VERBAL DOG FIGHT

Hunky actor Gerard Butler is in the doghouse with a New York couple who claim he hit their greyhound in the head and slammed her against a fence.
But the PS I Love You star claims he was acting to defend his pug, Lolita, after the bigger dog attacked her and bit her on the neck.
Retired banker Fred Varecka, 67, claims Lolita was off the leash when she ran up to the two greyhounds he and his wife Maria were walking near the set of Butler's new film, The Bounty, in Long Island City.
Lolita touched noses with one of them, Mayfly, then, according to Mrs Varecka, Scottish-born Butler: “Went on this rampage, shouting, 'That dog should be put down!'
“I said, 'Your dog should be on a leash.' He kept on going and going, ranting and raving. He was being verbally abusive.”
She said the two parties walked away from each other.
Then, she told the New York Post, Butler: “Walks back, ranting and raving still and pointing, saying, 'You know what? That dog should be put down.'
“And he smacked the dog in the head. The dog's head went into the fence. I was shaking. The dog yelped.
“I said, 'Keep your hands off my dog! Why did you hit my dog? He didn't say a word.”
Her husband, who rescued Mayfly from the Grateful Greyhounds charity, added: “This dog was about to be put down once. We just saved it.”
Butler left and the Vareckas called the police to file a complaint.
Friends of Butler, 39, who is starring with Jennifer Aniston in the comedy, said Mayfly was the aggressor and Butler had to act to save his pooch.
His manager, Alan Siegel, said: “What happened was, Gerry was walking his dog, Lolita, who is this little, small pug, a teeny thing. You can hold her in one arm, she's that small.
“Then, suddenly, this greyhound, this huge, menacing dog, bites Lolita.
“She and Gerry then have words. The dog again goes over to Lolita and takes another bite.
“They didn't have it trained, They don't know what they're doing wit their dog. People are so mean. They're just trying to milk this.”
Siegel said Lolita spent four hours at the vet being patched up.
Another source told People magazine: “Gerry had to physically get in the middle of the two of them to protect the little dog. And then he quickly put a leash on his dog.
“As far as I know, they are exaggerating. Gerry is an animal lover who simply separated the dogs.
“Gerry is not going to respond to this because he knows he didn't do anything wrong. He's devastated that these people are saying these things. He would never hurt another animal.”
New York police spokesman Martin Speechley confirmed the Vareckas filed a harassment complaint.
“The victim states that the male's dog was unleashed and charged at her dog,” he said. “She stated, 'Your dog should be on a leash,' to which the perp cursed her out. They are claiming someone cursed at them.”
He said he will not be interviewed by police or charged.
The story had a happy ending for one dog.
The People source added:”When Gerry was in the waiting room, there was a couple whose dog was really, really sick and to get further treatment then needed $3,000.
“Gerry overheard the situation and offered to pay and the dog is surviving because of this.”
The Vareckas were not impressed.
Fred said: “This District Attorney's office have contacted us and there will be no further action.
“This could have been handled differently but Gerard Butler chose to lie. I'm half Scottish and we liked his performance in The Phantom of the Opera, but we are not fans of his any longer.
“We are responsible animal lovers and don't deserve to be treated this way by Gerard Butler.
In The Bounty, Butler, who is said to be dating co-star Aniston, plays a bounty hunter hired to track down his ex-wife.
He will next be seen in Law Abiding Citizen, with Colm Meaney and Michael Gambon, opening in November.