How Many Pets Did Betty White Have At The Time Of Her Death?
Betty White's death on December 31 was a tragic loss for many, not least of all members of the animal kingdom. A famed animal lover and conservationist, White wrote in her biography, "If You Ask Me" (via Showbiz CheatSheet), "I'm so fortunate that I not only have a passion for my profession but that that profession allows me to indulge my other passion — for animals — and work for their welfare."
White and her late husband Allen Ludden used her platform to co-produce the 1970s show, "Betty White's Pet Set," which White also hosted, per AP News. In one episode featuring elephants, lions, snakes, and, of course, dogs, White quipped, "All I can say is, Charlie Brown is right: Happiness is a warm puppy." She also joked to the outlet about the show, "Allen's offices were the most exciting in the building because we were the only show pre-screening guests who were furry and four-legged."
With White being such an ardent animal activist in public, some might be wondering how many furry friends she owned inside the home.
Betty White's golden retriever used to be a guide dog
At the time of her death, Betty White's most recent confirmed pet was Pontiac, a golden retriever often featured on White's Instagram. In a chat with Parade, she referred to Pontiac as her "beautiful golden."
In a 2009 TV Guide interview, White spoke about Pontiac and her lifetime of pet ownership, sharing, "I've loved animals since I was in the womb. I was the lucky little girl who had parents who went for a walk and they'd come home with a dog or a cat." Tragically, at the time of the interview, White shared that Pontiac was her only pet as "about a year" prior, she "lost" her "16-and-a-half-year-old Shih Tzu," her "10-year-old golden," and "11-year-old Himalayan kitty all within two months of each other." Luckily, Pontiac was, as White put it, a "career-change guide dog" looking for a home at the time. After meeting the pup, White didn't wait long to adopt him. "You don't meet a golden retriever and go home to think it over!" she jokingly told the outlet.
One fan put it best in a remembrance tweet about White, "May she be forever surrounded by four-legged animals in heaven."