Pup Culture Trivia Quiz

Answer: Born Free

"Born Free" was released in 1960 and became so much more than just a best selling non-fiction book. Its world-wide popularity resulted in it being translated into several languages. Its story was made into an Academy Award winning movie starring Virginia McKenna and her husband, Bill Travers. Those stars founded the Born Free Foundation in their native England which was an organization established to support wildlife conservation.

The author of "Born Free", Joy Adamson, continued to use her fame and resources to promote wildlife conservation worldwide. Sadly, both Joy Adamson and her husband, George Adamson (who had been a game warden in Africa for many years) were killed - in separate incidents - as they continued their work for wildlife conservation. Joy was only a few days short of her 70th birthday when she was killed in 1980.

Answer: Betty White

Very few celebrities worked with greater passion toward the awareness of animal welfare than Betty White. The lists of organizations that have benefited from her endorsement and support is extensive. She worked with the Morris Animal Foundation, the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association, the African Wildlife Foundation and Actors & Others for Animals - to mention only a few.

Her work with the zoos of the Los Angeles (California, USA) area was featured in her book titled, "Betty & Friends: My Life at the Zoo".

It was published in 2011. It offered a lot of photos and was White's way of endorsing the work well-run and well-supported zoos play in the preservation of many animal species that otherwise might be lost.

Answer: Doris Day

Doris Day was very active and outspoken about the concerns of animal welfare. She used her wealth and fame to promote some of her most important issues: Among those were denouncing the wearing of fur, the importance of spaying and neutering pets and allowing people in disadvantaged situations to maintain a safe and healthy environment for their pets, if at all possible.

After her work with the organization Actors and Other for Animals she was able to begin the Doris Day Pet Foundation. (Which later would become the Doris Day Animal Foundation and would eventually merge with the Humane Society of the United States.) Many times her efforts were joined by other celebrities (according to Wikipedia), including Mary Tyler Moore, Jayne Meadows and Angie Dickinson. Now that was star power!

Answer: Bob Barker

Bob Barker credited his wife, Dorothy Jo, with his commitment to animal welfare and his continued diet and life style of vegetarianism. Through the years, Bob Barker was involved in some high-profile and controversial situations when he felt his time, money and/or support would benefit a cause.

He often worked very closely with the organization PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and was credited with donating millions of dollars toward their efforts. Once he was a very popular host of the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants but by the late 1980s he declined to participate because the pageants' promoters refused to discontinue giving fur items as prizes. Barker was born in 1923 and well into the 2010s (aging him well into his nineties) he continued his work with and support of many animal welfare organizations - especially the United Activists for Animal Rights and Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

Answer: Brigitte Bardot

Brigitte Bardot was born in Paris in 1934 and at a very early age aspired to be a ballerina. Before she was twenty years old, though, she began what would become a very lucrative acting career. As soon as 1958, Bardot found solace in seclusion and then completely retired (as an entertainer) - before she was 40. (Although she did do a nude photo shoot for "Playboy" magazine to coincide with her 40th birthday.) Soon thereafter she began to dedicate her life, her affluence and her fame to animal welfare.

She was unafraid to challenge even heads of state when it came to issues of animal mistreatment. She often did more than just write letters and/or send money - she participated on the "front line" when the situation required it. She established the "Brigitte Bardot Foundation for the Welfare and Protection of Animals" in 1986 from monies she raised by auctioning her jewelry and other personal possessions.

Answer: Linda McCartney

Linda McCartney was married to the singer and songwriter, Paul McCartney - of The Beatles fame. Linda enjoyed a life a wealth and privilege as a young woman and member of the affluent Eastman family but her independent thinking lead her to pursue a career that opposed her family's establishment.

In the early 1970s, Linda (then using Paul's name - McCartney) published a series lifestyle and cookbooks written to appeal to those interested in vegetarian and vegan practices. Linda and Paul became strong advocates of animal rights and gave their support to several of the most active organizations.

A few of those were: The League Against Cruel Sports, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and Friends of the Earth. Linda was married to Paul McCartney from 1969 until her death (from breast cancer) in 1998.

After her death PETA created the Linda McCartney Memorial Award.

Answer: Howard Stern

Howard Stern was born in January of 1954 and by the mid-1980s he was hosting his own nationally syndicated radio show. As his notoriety grew his stance was often contentious but when he married television host Beth Ostrosky in 2008 they formed a powerful alliance in defense of animal welfare. Together they authored best selling books (about dogs and cats) with proceeds from those books going to benefit organizations that maintained (cage-free!) shelters for rescued pets in the New York (state) area. One of the organizations that benefited tremendously from their support was the North Shore Animal League, which was billed as "the world's largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization".

As mentioned in the question, the Stern-Ostrosky household opened its own doors to animals in need of a foster situation many, many times.

Answer: Pamela Anderson

As of the second decade of the 21st century Pamela Anderson had graced the cover of "Playboy" magazine more than any other person. Pamela Anderson has been married to (the rock band) Mötley Crüe's drummer, Tommy Lee, and to singer songwriter, Kid Rock.

She rarely hesitated to do whatever she felt was necessary to call attention to a issue of animal welfare. She campaigned against wearing fur, against seal hunts, against bullfights and against whale hunting - to mention only a few. She used her fame to contact heads of state in defense of changing legislation about these and other loathsome practices. Pamela Anderson's activism was not limited to animal welfare.

She raised money to help people who were infected with AIDS and HIV, she became a celebrity spokesperson for the American Liver Foundation and gave (generously!) to the National Domestic Violence Hotline (of the USA).

Answer: Ian Somerhalder

Ian Somerhalder and his wife, Nikki Reed, were both well known activists during the second decade of the 21st century. Issues that were of utmost importance to them were efforts to reduce factory farming, their opposition of GMO foods and education about the importance of biodiversity. Both Somerhalder and Reed were recognized for their work, their support and their contributions by the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).

Although they often did things on the local level - such as volunteer at animal shelters and work with a wildlife cleanup crew after an oil drilling disaster - their foundation was intended to reach and educate people world-wide.

Their mission statement included the following: "All life on this planet is interdependent." Simple, yet so insignificant to far too many who are on this planet, right?

Answer: Kesha

Kesha (sometimes written as Ke$ha) was born in California in March of 1987. She was raised by a single mother who made her living as a singer and songwriter. Kesha collaborated with her mother to write songs that were released on her own - very popular and successful - albums.

As her fame grew Kesha became well known for her empathy of all creatures. In early 2013 the entertainer received the Gretchen Wyler Award which is given by the Humane Society to a celebrity who uses his/her fame - and, thus the media - to increase awareness of animal welfare issues.

In addition to her work for cruelty-free cosmetics, Kesha has denounced seal hunting, lion hunting, dog fighting and shark finning. She was also named the Humane Society's first global ambassador.