Alongside her decades-long acting career, Betty White was a tireless advocate for animals. Over the years, Betty helped raise millions of dollars for animal welfare organizations and pet rescues around the country. Sadly, Betty passed away on December 31, 2021, just a couple of weeks short of her 100th birthday.

People all across the internet looked for a way to honor her memory and quickly settled on a hashtag: #BettyWhiteChallenge. During the Challenge, donors were asked to chip in $5 or more to their favorite animal rescue organization on January 17, which would have been Betty’s 100th birthday. After hearing positive feedback from community members, RASKC joined hundreds of animal organizations in the Challenge.

We are happy to report that just under 400 generous people gave nearly $13,000 to RASKC during the Betty White Challenge. Many donors also sent emails or made posts on social media about their pets adopted from RASKC.

“The support we received during the Betty White Challenge was just tremendous,” said RASKC Manager Gene Mueller. “We had no idea what to expect, but we are thrilled that people gave so generously in Betty’s memory to help animals in need. Thank you!”

The money raised during the Betty White Challenge will go to support all of the services RASKC provides, including animal sheltering, spay and neuter services, veterinary care, and raising awareness about responsible pet ownership. If you’d like to give a gift to RASKC, either monetary or in-kind, visit kingcounty.gov/pets and click on “Get Involved.”