Vegetarian Star

Betty White has a long history of involvement with animal organizations, almost as long as her acting career. And recently, the last standing Golden Girl has been named chairwoman of the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association.

A press release on the organization’s web site details White’s involvement with GLAZA, which spans 46 years, serving as a trustee and member of the commission.

“Betty’s many exceptional qualities make her an ideal leader for GLAZA,” said GLAZA President Connie Morgan. “Her deep understanding and passion and for the Los Angeles Zoo, her close relationship with its animals and Zoo and GLAZA people, her advocacy in general for animals that share our earth, and her sharp business sense blend perfectly to guide our organization, particularly as GLAZA works toward a public-private partnership with the City of Los Angeles in order to make the Zoo’s operation more financially independent.”

The most recent chairman of the zoo, Tom Mankiewicz, passed in July of this year.

“I’m enormously honored to take on this role, especially being able to follow in the footsteps of our beloved Tom,” White said. “Of everything I do, animal well-being is my most important role, and that’s why I’ve worked with the Zoo and other animal organizations for so long.”

White will release a book about her experiences with the Los Angeles Zoo, titled The Zoo and I: Betty and Her Friends, in 2012.

Below she can be seen in a video discussing watching the zoo’s gorillas.

“Just sit there and watch,” White says. “I dare you not to get hooked. It’s fascinating.”

Photo: PR Photos

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