How Many Pets Did Betty White Have At The Time Of Her Death?

Betty White's death on December 31 was a tragic loss for many, not least of all members of the animal kingdom. A famed animal lover and conservationist, White wrote in her biography, "If You Ask Me" (via Showbiz CheatSheet), "I'm so fortunate that I not only have a passion for my profession but that that profession allows me to indulge my other passion — for animals — and work for their welfare."

White and her late husband Allen Ludden used her platform to co-produce the 1970s show, "Betty White's Pet Set," which White also hosted, per AP News. In one episode featuring elephants, lions, snakes, and, of course, dogs, White quipped, "All I can say is, Charlie Brown is right: Happiness is a warm puppy." She also joked to the outlet about the show, "Allen's offices were the most exciting in the building because we were the only show pre-screening guests who were furry and four-legged."

With White being such an ardent animal activist in public, some might be wondering how many furry friends she owned inside the home.

At the time of her death, Betty White's most recent confirmed pet was Pontiac, a golden retriever often featured on White's Instagram. In a chat with Parade, she referred to Pontiac as her "beautiful golden." 

In a 2009 TV Guide interview, White spoke about Pontiac and her lifetime of pet ownership, sharing, "I've loved animals since I was in the womb. 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." Tragically, at the time of the interview, White shared that Pontiac was her only pet as "about a year" prior, she "lost" her "16-and-a-half-year-old Shih Tzu," her "10-year-old golden," and "11-year-old Himalayan kitty all within two months of each other." Luckily, Pontiac was, as White put it, a "career-change guide dog" looking for a home at the time. After meeting the pup, White didn't wait long to adopt him. "You don't meet a golden retriever and go home to think it over!" she jokingly told the outlet.

One fan put it best in a remembrance tweet about White, "May she be forever surrounded by four-legged animals in heaven."