Betty White

Please Note: The dog in the accompanying photograph is the subject of the story, but any persons shown are probably not those in the story.

When people meet Love On 4 Paws volunteer Betty White, they often think that she’s been named in honor of the resurgence of the career of Betty White, the actress. These days, the actress Betty White can be found on everything from Super Bowl commercials to “Hot in Cleveland” to “Saturday Night Live.”  But when the Golden Retriever Betty White was born, she was simply named after the actress, who had tickled audiences in the 1980s on the “Golden Girls.”  Canine Betty White is, after all, a Golden Girl.

One thing the actress and the Golden Retriever have in common, they both live in Los Angeles. Coincidentally, canine Betty White and actress Betty White’s dogs go to the same veterinarian.  From the time she was a puppy, each time dog Betty White went to the vet, a receptionist or nurse or the vet himself would say, “You know, the actress Betty White brings her dogs here,” and they would mention she was just there an hour or a day earlier, but their paths did not cross.

One Saturday afternoon, after visiting the Sisters of St. Joseph’s, volunteer Betty White and her handler stopped by the veterinarian for the afternoon “shot clinic” to get up to date on vaccinations. While we were in the lounge, waiting to be called into the exam room, the door opened. Guess who walked in? Actress Betty White. She was alone (without her dogs) and was picking up a prescription. We quickly went up to her, introduced ourselves, and told her about her namesake, and the actress became acquainted with the pooch. Actress Betty White even posed for a camera phone photo with the Golden Retriever. No question about it - that was a pretty special moment for the canine and her human.

Golden Girl Betty White has been volunteering with LO4P since 2006, and during that time, she has visited with patients and residents at facilities throughout Los Angeles. Her mellow nature and sweet disposition make her a natural therapy dog. We have numerous stories of how Betty White has brightened the days of patients she has visited. And for this Golden Girl it’s all worth it, especially for the treats and belly rubs.