Look Back at Betty White's Lifelong Love for Animals

Betty White's lifelong love for animals was passed down to her from her parents, noting in her book, Betty & Friends that they were "genuine animal nuts" and stating that she is "eternally grateful" for their passion for animals. 

In the 1970s, she and her then-husband Allen Ludden produced the TV Series, The Pet Set, in which celebrities from the likes of Mary Tyler Moore and Doris Day introduce, interact, and discuss their pets with White. In addition to celebrity dog discussion, White also included segments on ecology, wildlife preservation, and various different ways to care for your pet. The show was re-released in 2021 in celebration of both her 99th birthday and the show's 50th anniversary. 

White was part of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles since the 1940s, participating in several different telethons to raise money for their services and even contributing to the creation of the Long Beach spcaLA Pitchford Companion Animal Village and Education Center. She spent over five decades involved with the Los Angeles Zoo and became a Board of Trustees member for the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association in the 1970s. 

In celebration of the late Betty White's 101st birthday, fans have started a social media campaign through the hashtag, #BettyWhiteChallenge, encouraging donations to local animal shelters to honor the late TV star's lifelong animal rights activism.