United Kingdom, March 6 -- Katherine Heigl has filed a defamation lawsuit against a California dog rescue organisation, accusing it of spreading false claims and damaging her foundation's reputation.

The actress, 45, and her mother, Nancy Heigl, 76, lodged the complaint on Wednesday against The Pitty Committee and its owner, Alyssa Deetman, in a California court, court papers show.

They allege Deetman falsely accused their charity, the Jason Heigl Foundation (JHF), of mistreating rescue dogs and withholding funds, despite previously praising their work.

The Heigls, who founded JHF in memory of Katherine's late brother, Jason, had entered into an agreement with The Pitty Committee (TPC) in January 2023.

Under the deal, JHF would provid...