Betty White, beloved actress and devoted animal advocate, has passed away at the age of 99, just weeks before her 100th birthday.
According to CBS, White has played major roles in television and film since her first acting role in 1939. Her role as Rose Nylund in “Golden Girls” catapulted her to fame on the screen. small picture in the 1980s and early 90s, and has had roles in more recent feature films.
Along with his Hollywood stature, White is also recognized as a champion for animal activism. Her love for animals developed at an early age.
“Both my mom and dad are huge animal lovers,” she told Smithsonian Magazine. “They instilled in me the fact that, to me, there is no animal on the planet that I do not find fascinating and want to learn more about.”
White began working with the Los Angeles Zoo in the 1960s.
“My preference [in zoos] started very early, pursuing my mom and dad, who frequented the zoo, not just to please their young daughter, but because they enjoyed the experience,” she wrote in her autobiography.
“I joined the Los Angeles Zoo because I was really shocked that Los Angeles had such a shabby zoo inside,” she said. AARP. “I have never been one to stand by and criticize. I’d rather go inside and see what’s going on, see if I can help.”
White became a member of the board of directors at the zoo, and later worked with Morris Animal Foundation, “advance animal health by funding only research that meets the highest scientific standards.”
While the COVID pandemic has caused White to spend more time at home, she continues to devote her energy to the work she loves and helping animals.
In an interview with CBSWhite said she spent her 99th birthday making the 50th anniversary episode “The Pet Set,” a weekly show she first created and hosted in 1971.
“Running a mile every morning has been restricted by COVID, so I’m working on re-released ‘The Pet Set’ and feed the two ducks that come to visit me every day,” she told CBS.
White talks to famous friends like Carol Burnett, Mary Tyler Moore, Doris Day, Rod Serling and others, along with their pets.
“The Pet Set” will be released on digital platforms on February 23, 2022, according to a press release from MPI Media Group.
The show highlights White’s, “a lifelong devotion to animals and the people who love them,” the statement read.
Based on ABC, the nationwide theatrical event of “Betty White: 100 Years Young – Birthday Celebration”, is scheduled for January 17, which is her 100th birthday.
