A sharp mind and a fondness for cheesecake. Betty White was known both for her comedic skill and for her caring heart, which, according to Vicki Lawrence, saw her once arrive late to work because she stopped to conduct a dog rescue, helping not one but two fur babies.
White, who passed away at the age of 99 in late 2021, weeks before her 100th birthday, left an indelible mark on television history. Throughout it all, the Golden Girls star was a fierce advocate, always insistent on treating everyone with respect even when it cost her her work, and just as frequently promoting animal welfare in big and small ways. Here is one example of how White put action behind her words.
Vicki Lawrence revealed that Betty White was late to work on set because she participated in animal rescues
Throughout her career that spanned over eight decades, White worked with countless other icons of the industry. She and Vicki Lawrence famously worked together on The Carol Burnett Show, but they reunited in 16 episodes of Mama’s Family. A year after White’s passing, 75-year-old Lawrence shared some of her fondest memories of White, which also say the most about her nurturing character.
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“One day she was late for rehearsal,” Lawrence shared with The Hollywood Reporter. “Nobody could reach her. But to be an hour late was unlike her. We were worried to death. She was always on time and prepared.”
Lawrence continued, “When she finally walked in, she said she was sorry, but she was driving down Sunset Boulevard, and there were two golden retrievers in the middle of the road. And of course, she had to stop — and stop traffic — right in the middle of Sunset Boulevard and get the dogs into her car and get them home. She had to. That’s who she was.”
Betty White lived her real dream and conducted animal rescues throughout her career
MeTV shares that, besides television, White actually wanted to be a forest ranger, so deep was her commitment to caring for animals. However, at the time when White was to pursue a career in earnest, women could not join the forest rangers.
Throughout her life, however, White never faltered in advocating for animal welfare and protection. Since the ‘40s, White was a member of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles.
Then, in the ‘70s, White and her beloved husband Allen Ludden produced The Pet Set, in which stars introduce, bond with, and discuss their pets. White was also careful to include informative segments discussing pet care, ecology, and conservation. She also spent five decades in close partnership with the Los Angeles Zoo and even became a Board of Trustees member with the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association. In the spirit of White’s famous devotion to caring for animals, fans developed the #BettyWhiteChallenge, promoting donations to shelters, knowing that’s exactly the way Betty White would have wanted to be celebrated.
