Betty White Challenge Brings In $6,500 For Animal Shelter

BURLINGTON COUNTY, NJ — More than 600 people donated more than $6,500 to the Burlington County Animal Shelter as part of the Betty White Challenge, according to county officials.

The Betty White Challenge was held in honor of the late actress, who would have turned 100 years old on Monday. She died on New Year’s Eve. Her career in television and film spanned decades and included "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "The Golden Girls," among others. Read more here: Betty White, Beloved Comedian And Actress, Dead At 99

“Betty White was a remarkable woman who helped bring laughter and joy into our homes over the course of her extraordinary career,” Burlington County Commissioner Director Dan O’Connell said. “More remarkable still was how she used her prominence to promote animal welfare causes and support animal health. We are overwhelmed by the amount of donations to our animal shelter in Betty’s memory, and we thank every contributor for their generosity. We know Betty would be thrilled and proud of the success of this impromptu campaign, and we promise that the funds will be used to care for and find loving homes for hundreds of animals.”

More than 1,182 cats and 411 dogs were adopted from the shelter in 2021 and Burlington County is encouraging anyone who is looking for a new loyal companion to consider adopting a pet from the shelter.

As an incentive, Burlington County has waived all adoption fees for adult dogs and cats for the month of January. Typically, the shelter charges a fee of $75 for adult dogs and $45 for cats.
Burlington County Animal Shelter dogs and cats can be viewed online at www.co.burlington.nj.us/1446/Available-for-Adoption or call 609-265-5073 to make an appointment to visit.

“It’s heartwarming to hear about the hundreds of donations we have received in Betty’s honor, but the best gift is a home for one of the loveable dogs and cats currently residing in the shelter,” Burlington County Commissioner Felicia Hopson, liaison to the animal shelter, said. “For those capable of adopting or fostering, please make an appointment to visit the shelter. Your next best friend may be waiting for you there.”

Those interested in donating to the shelter can do so online with the following form: https://burlingtoncountynj.formstack.com/forms/animal_shelter_donations?fbclid=IwAR0OUbNUJ-qU6jVLhPza7RLfGkj3m5Tq7Uut_5srVGfvKysBk0gXiyVfvpU.