Diane Keaton was recently awarded this year’s Golden Globe award for Best Actress for her work in the successful romantic comedy Something’s Gotta Give. Her achievement was not only wonderful news for her fans, but also for animals. Like other celebrities with kind hearts, Keaton supports various charities. For over five years now, she has used her star status for the goodwill of four-legged friends by lending her name and support to the Helen Woodward Animal Center. The center is a private, non-profit organization founded in 1971 in Rancho Santa Fe, California. It has established a very successful pet adoption drive called “Have a Heart: Home 4 the Holidays,” which originated in 1999 initially for the shelters in the San Diego County area. “When I first got involved in ‘Home 4 the Holidays’ in 2001, we had a simple and sincere focus – to save the lives of dogs and cats,” said campaign spokeswoman Keaton.
Since then, the campaign has gone global. With more than a quarter million pets adopted and a goal of finding homes for more than 300,000 animals this year, this may be the most successful adoption campaign ever. “It’s remarkable and rewarding to realize this is now the most successful pet adoption drive in history, but our focus remains the same and there is plenty of work remaining,” said Keaton. The Helen Woodward Animal Center will team up with Diane Keaton, over 1,300 shelters nationwide and the Iams Company, to encourage prospective pet parents to adopt a homeless pet during the holiday season. The Iams Company will make a donation of $100,000 to participating adoption centers and will award each new adopting family with a starter kit containing food samples, coupons and important tips on pet care, behavior, training and nutrition.
Diane Keaton’s advice for adopting a pet is: “Educate yourself about what it is to raise an animal.” She stresses the importance of avoiding impulse buying just because the animal is cute. She also impresses upon the importance of making a visit to your local animal shelter to adopt a furry companion and learn about the pet educational programs offered there. Currently, Keaton is working on her own pet project that she is financing. “It’s about the perils of this man and woman who find themselves in love with each other while grappling with their own version of creating an animal shelter adoption facility in the middle of nowhere,” she said. The script will be adapted from the David Martin novel Crazy Love.” She plans to direct the movie.
Currently single, Keaton keeps company with her twelve-year-old Corgi-Shepherd-Basset mix named Red. She brought Red home after she spotted him running alongside of a busy thoroughfare. Even after many more of Red’s wandering ways, he remains safe and sound at home with Diane. “Just petting an animal and just being quiet for a minute is reflective,” she noted.
Prospective pet parents can learn more about the “Have a Heart: Home 4 the Holidays” adoption drive by calling 1.800.566.5038 or visiting www.home4theholidays.com or www.iams.com.