To those of us with a love for pop culture icons, it’s no surprise that 2022 was off to a rough start before the year even began. The passing of Betty White on December 31st was a shock to us all, and the fans unanimously agreed that she was taken from us too soon. It says a lot about a person’s life and legacy that a few weeks shy of 100 years old is considered too young.
A simple Google search will tell you about all of the amazing things Betty White did during the course of her career, and I have yet to come across any information that would prevent me and others from continuing to idolize this spectacular human being. But something else that Google search will show is that fans are being encouraged to do something special on Betty White’s 100th birthday. On January 17th, exactly one week from today, show your love for this Golden Girl by donating to your favourite animal shelters. I cannot think of a more perfect gift for someone so involved in animal rights activism.
But if you’re a fan of Betty White, you probably already know this. So why the blog post?
With one week to go, I am here to promote my top 3 favourite animal shelters and related charities. This should come as no surprise to anyone, but they are all cat related.
- Ottawa Stray Cat Rescue: This rescue is at the top of my list for obvious reasons. All but one of our cats has been an OSCatR adoption, so I cannot stress enough how much I love and appreciate the work this organization does. Minerva, Orla, Finn, and Bubs were all rescued from less than favourable situations, and OSCatR not only put them into good foster homes (and then a good forever home), but did everything in their power to ensure that these babies had long, healthy lives. Even when Orla became ill within a month of bringing her home, OSCatR stepped in to offer both emotional and financial support. And they even put us in touch with a foster parent who had lost kittens to similar circumstances and knew what we were going through. (She ended up being Finn and Bubs’ foster mom). Between the visits to fosters’ homes, trips to partner vets, and social media interactions, I can honestly say that we have never had a bad experience with this rescue. Every single person involved cares deeply about the wellbeing of the cats in the Ottawa area.
- Feline Café: If you’ve come to my blog for the cat content before, then I think it’s safe to say you’ve heard of the Feline Café. This is still one of my favourite date night spots – although, admittedly I don’t actually spend much time with my date/husband when we go. He knows that the second we walk in the door, he is likely to lose me to the cats. But since the pandemic, the Feline Café hasn’t really been able to have date night events or cat lounge visits like before. Just from watching them on social media, I know they have put in a lot of work over the course of the past two years to continue to raise funds so that they can care for their cats. Even if there is a lockdown and you can’t visit the cats in person, you can still donate by purchasing snacks, merchandise, and even a few grocery items. Not only do I appreciate this rescue for the work they do in caring for and fostering cats, but I admire their resilience and ability to adapt in the midst of the pandemic.
- EndFIP and SOCK FIP: January 18th, one day after Betty White’s birthday, will be the two year anniversary of when Mark and I lost our Lil’ Nugget Orla to FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis). Since the loss of our fur baby, we have come across other pet parents who have been through the same situation. Although I have heard of some cats receiving experimental treatment, the disease currently has no cure and is almost always fatal. It is devastating to lose a cat to this illness, especially since it mainly occurs in cats under two years of age. Our Nugget was only five months old when we had to say goodbye to her. I don’t want any other pet parent to ever have to go through what we did, so I strongly encourage the cat lovers out there to donate to the charities that raise funds to end these kinds of terminal illnesses.
If you weren’t already planning on it, hopefully this list has inspired you to donate to an animal shelter, animal rights charity, or other animal related cause on Betty White’s 100th birthday. But why stop there? Let’s make this a regular thing. If you’re a fan of Betty White and the work she did, commit to making a donation to a deserving charity every January 17th. And if you can’t spare a donation, then at least do your part to raise awareness for the non-profits that need it. Maybe if we can all strive to be even half the person Betty White was, we can make the world a better place for animals and humans alike.
