How Betty White Turned a Heartbroken Seeing-Eye Dog Into Her ‘Leading Lady’
Icon Betty White had a lifelong love for animals that became part of her enduring legacy. After her death, many of her friends shared stories of her kindness, including one about her taking on a heartbroken guide dog when her heart was also aching. She eventually turned the once-depressed golden retriever into her “leading lady.”
Betty White took in a dog named Dinah after the death of Allen Ludden
White’s friend, singer Tom Sullivan, shared a few memories of the Golden Girls star with fans on her Instagram following her death. He’s been blind since birth and recounted how his first seeing-eye dog, Dinah, developed cataracts at age 10.
Dinah could no longer lead Sullivan as he needed because she had impaired vision. So, he brought a new guide dog into the home to lead him, and Dinah was retired to being a full-time companion. But without a job to do, she became depressed, crawled under a bed, and refused to eat or even go outside.
Eventually, Sullivan spoke to White about his heartbroken pet. She had something in common with Dinah, as she was also in mourning over the 1981 death of her husband, Allen Ludden.
Though it wasn’t the response Sullivan expected, White asked to take Dinah with her for rehabilitation. “Well, Betty didn’t just rehabilitate a golden retriever,” he shared. “She made Dinah a star.”
Betty White made a dog named Dinah her ‘leading lady’
Sullivan said White took Dinah home and made her a “constant companion,” even taking her along to sets while she worked. Allowing the furry golden girl to feel like she was leading her human counterpart again was seemingly enough to keep her happy. Meanwhile, White integrated Dinah into her family of animals at home.
Together, White and Sullivan eventually told their tale through a book called The Leading Lady: Dinah’s Story. White said she wasn’t in control of her impulses when she asked, “Would you like me to try her, Tom?”
But she added that bringing Dinah home, where she assimilated with “bouncing” enthusiasm, was the “beginning of one of the happiest learning adventures of [her] life.”
Their time together was relatively short considering Dinah’s age, but she inspired White for decades. And in turn, White still inspires others after her death.
Betty White is still influencing help for animals in need in 2022
In Sullivan’s post about White on her Instagram, he shared she donated every year for 20 years to fund the training of a guide dog. She contributed in his name and the memory of their special friend, Dinah. And her compassion and generosity toward animals of all kinds still influence other animal lovers.
After White died in December 2021, fans created the Betty White Challenge to honor what would have been her 100th birthday in January 2022. The viral effort raised $12.7 million on Facebook and Instagram, as reported by Variety. More than 390,000 people participated in fundraisers associated with the challenge.
