WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, January 9, 2023 — Betty White remained a tireless advocate for animal welfare for nearly a century, and her 70-year support of American Humane makes her the longest-serving champion in the iconic organization’s history. To honor her lasting legacy, and cement her place in animal welfare history, American Humane today launched a campaign to gather 10,000 signatures to designate her birthday, January 17, as national #BettyWhiteDay.
“For nearly a century, Betty White was a tireless and devoted animal welfare advocate for American Humane and we are proud to honor her legacy by creating a national day of remembrance aptly titled #BettyWhiteDay,” said American Humane President and CEO Dr. Robin Ganzert. “We bestowed our highest honor, the National Humanitarian Medal, on Betty because she reflected our core values of compassion, caring and hope. She dedicated herself to protecting and improving the quality of life for animals worldwide, and we hope people across the country will join us in adding to her legacy by signing our petition to create this special day dedicated to her heroic animal activism.”
Betty, who passed away in late 2021, is known around the world for her exceptional acting career, warm personality and deep love for animals. The world-renowned actor and philanthropist devoted much of her life to animal activism, spending decades serving as a volunteer and board member of American Humane. Betty supported American Humane’s “No Animals Were Harmed” program, which protects animals in film and television and combined her two biggest passions—animals and acting. Betty also served as chair of the now-106-year-old “Be Kind to Animals Week®,” the oldest and most successful humane education campaign and commemorative week in the United States.
To sign the petition and learn more about National Betty White Day, visit AmericanHumane.org/BettyWhiteDay.
About American Humane
American Humane is the country’s first national humane organization and the world’s largest certifier of animal welfare, overseeing the humane treatment of more than one billion animals across the globe each year. Founded in 1877, American Humane has been First to Serve™ the cause of animals and for 145 years has been at the forefront of virtually every major advance in the humane movement. For more information or to support our lifesaving work, please visit www.AmericanHumane.org, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to our channel on YouTube for the latest breaking news and features about the animals with whom we share our Earth.
