Betty White may be gone too soon, but her memory lives on forever through her love for animals.
Betty White passed just shy of her 100th birthday, which would have been on January 17, 2022, but that has not stopped fans from wanting to honor the Golden Girls star. The legendary actress was famous for so many things, including The Mary Tyler Moore Show, but fans are choosing to honor her for what she did off the screen.
White was an avid animal lover, and in her honor, the Betty White Challenge was created by fans to raise money for animal rescues.
The Betty White Challenge
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The Betty White Challenge, which was started on Facebook, calls for animal lovers everywhere to make a $5 donation to their local animal shelter in Betty White's name. As with any good social media challenge, the idea has taken off. According to ABC7 NY, the American Humane Society has seen their donations skyrocket since the actress's death. Dr. Robin Ganzert told the media outlet, "We have seen such an uptick in donation all due to Betty White."
The late actress was known for her advocacy for animal welfare causes. Throughout the Hot In Cleveland stars life, she focused on assisting animal rescue organizations and nonprofits and was always surrounded by animals. Her love of animals was clearly evident. She even wrote the book Betty & Friends: My Life At the Zoo.
Betty White once said, "I have to stay in show business to pay for my animal business."
Shelters around the country have seen an uptick in donations for White's 100th birthday, and many have set up donation pages to accommodate fans. For example, Sacramento SPCA wrote on their Facebook fundraiser page, "In 2009, we were lucky enough to have the incomparable Betty White visit the Sacramento SPCA for a luncheon. She was hilarious, gracious, and made a donation to our shelter. We love you, Betty! Thank you for being a friend to the animals."
The nonprofit's fundraiser, which kicked off ahead of the late actress's birthday, has reached over $2,300 in just one day.
The Range Regional Animal Rescue has seen a similar outpouring in the actress Betty White's name, reaching almost $6,000 in donations in 8 days, with a few more days to go until the great actress's birthday.
If you are hoping to join the challenge, you can donate to your local shelter or search #bettywhitechallenge on social media to find a nonprofit near you.
We think Betty would have loved this send-off the most.
Are you participating in the Betty White Challenge? Tell us on our Wide Open Pets Instagram!
