Betty White was a lifelong supporter for animals, from caring for those in need to hosting her own weekly TV show, “The Pet Set,” dedicated to her celebrity pals and their dogs.
Her most significant contribution, though, may be yet to come: Fans of White will be ready to donate to animal welfare organisations and shelters on Monday as part of the #BettyWhiteChallenge. Animal welfare organisations are preparing to capitalise on the viral tribute to the “Golden Girls” and “Hot in Cleveland” star on what would have been her 100th birthday.
“I’ve had many conversations with Betty about animal welfare, and I know she’s looking down from heaven and truly smiling,” said Robin Ganzert, the executive director of American Humane, an animal welfare organisation with which White was affiliated for more than 60 years.
“She’ll be happy on her birthday,” she predicted. “And she’ll be beaming about the lives she’s touched.”
It’s unclear who began the #BettyWhiteChallenge on social media shortly after White died on December 31. Regardless of how it started, the idea — to donate $5 to a local animal rescue organisation in White’s honour on her birthday — soon took hold and received support on Twitter from celebrities like as actors Mark Hamill and George Takei.
Following White’s death, traffic to American Humane’s website increased significantly. Donations, according to Ganzert, have also climbed. The group is holding off on revealing how much until further donations arrive, including substantial contributions from some contributors.
Throughout her involvement with the group, White made fundraising appeals, sat on its board, and was a presenter and judge on its TV show starring “hero” dogs. Ganzert recalled that during the early 1970s tapings of “The Pet Site,” White would have American Humane representatives on set to ensure the safety of the animals. The organisation presented her with its highest distinction, the National Humanitarian Medal, in 2012.
Ganzert would also send White a photo album of the animals the group helped each year.
“She had those on her coffee table,” Ganzert explained. “And (it) always moved me everytime we came to see.”
According to Best Friends Animal Society’s chief mission officer Holly Sizemore, donations made in White’s name have raised $25,000 for the Utah-based animal welfare organisation. The organisation has widely pushed the #BettyWhiteChallenge on its social media channels in order to gain support for both its own work and that of other groups.
“That’s the beauty of animal welfare,” added Sizemore. “There’s something for everyone to get behind.” There is so much good work going on and so much possibility to make the world a better place for humans and animals, especially right now.”
Sizemore anticipates a large number of gifts and attention to animal welfare on Monday.
“What a great opportunity to honour Betty White’s legacy – to unite as a nation and celebrate something she was so passionate about, her compassion for animals,” she remarked.
The key challenge for animal welfare groups after Monday will be maintaining that connection with #BettyWhiteChallenge contributors. Although viral fundraising initiatives can generate a steady supply of funds, experts believe donations tend to dwindle fast.
According to Sarah Newhall, chief strategy officer of the fundraising firm MissionWired, charities can capitalise on these moments best if they already have a strong foundation in place to engage prospective donors — whether through emails, a website, social media, or other techniques.
“What it allows them to do is really exploit that tent-pole moment to get in front of an audience they would not have received otherwise,” Newhall explained. However, she continued, keeping these donors might be difficult because the urge to give is tied to one day and one person. Other organisations collecting money for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which also falls on Monday, may eclipse animal organisations.
North Shore Animal League America, a no-kill animal rescue and adoption organisation, plans to engage new #BettyWhiteChallenge donors through a combination of social media appeals and invitations to visit its adoption centre in Port Washington, New York, according to Joanne Yohannan, senior vice president of operations. In addition, in honour of White’s 100th birthday, it is devoting its next 100 animal rescues to her.
The Hallmark Channel has made a donation to the organisation in honour of White, as part of a tribute that includes a “Golden Girls” marathon and her Hallmark movie “The Lost Valentine” on Jan. 17.
“It’s about raising awareness about the condition of homeless animals and what can be done to help them, such as volunteering and adoption,” Yohannan explained.
A self-guided “Betty’s L.A. Zoo Tour” with 16 sites where visitors can learn about White’s efforts is also available. The event can also be accessed online at www.lazoo.org/betty-white.
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