BETTY WHITE WAS AN ANIMAL'S BEST FRIEND

'Hero' Betty White privately paid to rescue animals after Hurricane Katrina

 

By Aanchal Gera  

 

meaww

January 6, 2022

 

 

 

When will she cease to amaze the world? Turns out even death can't stop her! The late legend Betty White did something exceptional owing to her love for birds and animals. While her love for these God's creations has been spoken of far and wide, a heroic act she did has come out only last week.

When the world was dealing of the consequences of Hurricane Katrina, the late legend Betty White was out playing secret Santa to sea otters and penguins. A tweet shared by an American aquarium said that Betty White paid for a private plane to fly out sea otters and penguins, relocate them, in the aftermath of the 2005 hurricane.

"We lost a conservationist, animal advocate, and friend. When the penguins & sea otters were evacuated to @MontereyAq for Hurricane Katrina, Betty White paid for the plane to relocate them. She did not ask for fanfare; she just wanted to help. #ThankYouForBeingAFriend" says the Tweet shared by Audubon Nature Institute. Wasn't Betty White the best?

As reported by Huff Post, Betty White's contribution was considered anonymous and her name was only revealed after the spokesperson confirmed it. Spokesperson Annie Matherne did not handle this transaction directly. Therefore, the exact amount contributed by White cannot be determined. Matherne said late White paid for a portion of this rescue mission in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. 

Audubon Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans is built on grounds that are quite high and features concrete walls, strong and high windows all of which are designed to protect and safeguard the sea life it houses. Unfortunately, over 10,000 fish died in the aftermath as generators and filters in marine tanks stopped working despite the precautions taken. Matherne said, "It was unknown before the storm of just how extensive the damage would be to New Orleans, as is the case with many hurricanes. Our hurricane plan does not include evacuating animals ahead of a storm because storms can shift and we do not want to unnecessarily stress the animals in our care. There are also a number of logistics ... that make an evacuation difficult.”

When the aquarium shared this tweet, several fans of White shared their views. One user sharing how Betty White's love for animals inspired him to keep volunteering multiple times said, "I visited them in Monterey &sent a note to your office about how well they were doing, which you forwarded to your penguin keeper. He & I emailed back & forth a few times. I was so inspired by his love for animals that I wound up volunteering at the Oakland Zoo for a few years." Another remarked: "What a great Humble human being . Bless you Betty an Thanks fer all the good laughs," while a third tweet read, "Betty White was an icon/legend/GOAT frfr".