is a big supporter of animal health and welfare. Betty works with a number of animal organizations including her beloved Los Angeles Zoo.
In the above video, Betty is at the Greater Los Angeles Zoo 2015 Beastly Ball held last June. Here, Betty is holding a 7-8 year old Angolan Python named Audrey and talks about her love for animals and zoos.
The Greater Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens opened on November 28, 1966. The Zoo is on 133 acres and home to more than 1,100 mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles with more than 250 different species of which 29 are endangered. In addition, the Zoo’s botanical gardens has over 800 different plant species with over 7,400 individual plants. The Zoo receives over 1.5 million visitors per year and is owned and operated by the City of Los Angeles. The Zoo is credited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
Since its inception in 1969, the Beastly Ball has evolved into one of the premier fundraising events in Los Angeles. Guests stroll throughout the Zoo grounds, enjoying music, visiting the animals, sampling fine cuisine, and bidding on silent auction items. Each year, funds raised by this annual event help the Los Angeles Zoo to achieve diverse goals in public education, exhibit improvement, and local and global wildlife conservation projects.
Betty's love for animals and zoos can be traced down to her parents. They used to take her to the California High Sierras on summer vacations. There, she would ride horseback with mules carrying their camping supplies. It was a wilderness paradise. She learned to love and respect all creatures. Yes, even spiders.
When Betty was young, she wanted to be a forest ranger or a zookeeper. Being a part of the Los Angeles Zoo for over 50 years, Betty has been living a bit of the zookeeper part.
Since 1974, Betty has been a member of the board of directors of the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association. Why would Betty want to be part of zoo? Check out the video below and find out for yourself.