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Betty White Celebrates National Pet Day With Stunning Throwback Photo

Betty White is serving us throwback perfection with this photo for National Pet Day.

Pet lovers around the world are sharing their favorite animal photos today. Including comic legend, Betty White. She recently shared a throwback photo of herself with a little doggo. Along with the photo she wrote, “Happy National Pet Day to all my animal friends out there, both two legged and four legged! I have been a pet lover all my life. #nationalpetday”

And when Betty says she’s been a pet lover her whole life, she’s not exaggerating. During an interview in 2009, Betty White said she’s loved animals since she was “in the womb.”

“I’ve loved animals since I was in the womb,” said Betty. “I was the lucky little girl who had parents who went for a walk and they’d come home with a dog or a cat. ‘He followed us home, Betty. Can we keep him?’”

Betty White Once Had 19 Dogs Running Around Her Home

As she stated in the interview above, Betty White has been a lifelong animal lover. While she was rising to fame on the show Date With The Angels in 1958, Betty White gave an interview. She didn’t talk about her career or the show or her talents. Instead, she talked about the importance of pets. During the interview, Betty admitted that she wasn’t a dog expert but she could offer some wisdom based on experience. Up until then, she had never lived with less than three dogs and, at one point, had 19 dogs running around her house.

“Every child should have at least one pet. Naturally, I’m prejudiced in favor of dogs. I have a parakeet, and the census hasn’t been taken recently on my aquariums of tropical fish,” said Betty. But I think a dog is the ideal pet for a child. And I stoutly maintain that no child is too young to own a dog. An intelligent puppy, the breed wisely chosen, is a wonderful experience for any youngster. As soon as a baby can sit up, he will enjoy stroking the soft fur and love the warmth of a puppy curled up against him.”

Betty Encouraged People to Adopt ‘Mutts’

During the same interview, Betty White advised that parents keep an eye on their children and their pups, and ensure that they teach their children how to interact with their pets.

“Most pups will take a certain amount of childish manhandling in a good-natured way. Then they will take over, and inform the small owner that enough is enough,” said Betty. “A few growls, and a couple of gentle nips, generally get the message across. But it’s the parents’ job to train the child in proper care of a puppy.”

Betty even promoted adopting mixed-breed dogs, which was pretty progressive for the times.

“Some of the most intelligent, most adorable dogs I’ve ever known have been just plain mutts. Sometimes, a just-plain dog is sturdier and healthier than some of the high-strung, finely bred ones. And many of the fellows here in Hollywood, who train dogs for parts in the movies, claim it’s easier to train a mutt,” said Betty.