Betty White was known for her efforts to help animals.
Santa Barbara Humane celebrated what would have been TV star Betty White’s 100th birthday Monday with a special challenge for donors.
The social media event asked Ms. White’s fans to donate $5 to shelters or animal rescues in her name. Local donors said they would match any donations made Monday to Santa Barbara Humane, which has campuses in Goleta and Santa Maria.
Shelter animals on Monday were named for Betty White’s characters, such as Rose Nyland on “The Golden Girls” and Elka Ostrovsky on “Hot in Cleveland.
“We wanted to maximize this opportunity to shine a light on her legacy,” Sofia Rodrigeuz, the Santa Barbara Humane philanthropy officer, said in a news release. “No matter our age, it seems each of us has a favorite Betty character, even if it’s Mike from the Snickers commercial. This is a fun way to get the animals in on the gag. We think she would have loved it.”
In addition to her long career in acting, Ms. White was known for her efforts to help animals.
She died Dec. 31 after a long career involving everything from “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” in the 1970s to the 2009 movie “The Proposal.”
For more information about donations, go to sbhumane.org.
— Dave Mason
