Hayden Panettiere: Saving the World, One Stray Animal at a Time

Hayden Panettiere has proved that she possess extraordinary abilities not only in the NBC acclaimed hit series Heroes, but in her already lengthy list of accomplishments.  In Heroes, Panettiere plays Claire Bennet, a high school cheerleader who discovers that she has the capability of self healing.  Panettiere is no stranger to show business. She started acting in commercials at the young age of eleven months and has grown up in front of the camera. In addition to being an actress, the stunning blonde can add, commercial spokes model, singer, songwriter and of course animal lover to her resume. Panettiere has graced both the big and little screen with her presence in hit movies such as Remember the Titians, Racing Stripes, Bring it on: All or Nothing and television shows, Malcolm in the Middle, Alley McBeal, and Guiding Light. She has also lent her voice to several roles in animated films like Kingdom Hearts, Dinosaur, and A Bug’s Life. In addition Panettiere earned a Grammy nomination for Best Spoken Word Album for her work in A Bug’s Life Read-Along storybook. At seventeen, it seems as if nothing can hold this ambitious actress back who still manages to spend time with her heroes, her pets.

Animal Fair: Tell me about your doggies.

Hayden Panettiere: They are both rescues. One is a rescue from the? east coast, an east coast shelter. One is a rescue from Much Love which ?is an organization that rescues dogs from shelters and they have them?down in Venice beach every Sunday I think and we got her down there.?The east coast one’s name is Penny Lane and the west coast one’s named Madison.

AF: Both girls?

HP: Both girls. Penny Lane is a Chocolate Lab, Water Spaniel mix and?Madison is a Terrier mix I think. They are pretty low-key dogs. They? like their bones and they just want to run around and have fun. They?get along for the most part.

AF: Who did you get first?

HP: I had Penny Lane first. I got Penny Lane for Christmas. I’ve?always wanted a dog and I didn’t really grow up with dogs so I was? always begging and finally we got one. And then my mom was talking ?about, you know, having a furry animal here cause we have cats and …

AF: Oh, you have cats??? HP: I have two cats. One just passed away.

AF: What are your kitties’ names??? HP: We had Marmalade who just passed away, Jam and Rolley.

AF: So, right now you have Jam and Rolley?

HP: Now I have Jam and Rolley. Rolley, actually, I pulled out from ?behind the dryer at the Oakwood Apartments years ago, on my mom’s? birthday. This tiny little kitten had gotten its foot stuck and its mom? had abandoned it so I pulled him our and took him home. And he was dirty ?and I’m sort of allergic to cats But I still love them so I suffered ?through it. And then there is Jam. My dad used to be a fireman, so it?was a fire house cat. One of the cats had kittens and he took one. And?then Marmalade was rescued as well.

AF: Who do you like better? Do you hang out with the cats more or the?dogs?

HP: See, I like the dogs because I am allergic to cats. But Rolley is? like a big fat cat with so much hair he doesn’t know what to do with it? and I just want to hug him all the time and then I sit there and sneeze? for hours afterwards. The cats are sort of… they sleep all day. And the?dogs run, jump, play.

AF: Tell me about their quirky personality traits. What is Penny Lane?like?

HP: Penny Lane is like a dog with ADD. I swear to God. Constantly?running around, constantly jumping. Always happy: she’s a very happy ?dog. But she’s very strong. She always wants to run off and do her own? thing. She practically has heart failure every time we take her out of ?the apartment. She’ll do ten laps up and down my hallway, as fast as?s he can she will sprint to the elevator then she will sit there and she? will stare for a second. Then I will say, “Penny.” Then she’ll come ?running back. She’ll run again. Then she’ll run back. She’ll eventually? get into the car, but trying to hold her before she gets into the car ?is just completely pointless. She likes sticking her head out of the? window.

AF: You are like zero pounds. Does she drag you everywhere when you?walk her?

HP: Yeah. I thought Madison was bad to walk because she sort of?weaves in and out of your feet and she barks at everything that? breathes, and try’s to attack everything. I think she was abused by a?guy so she is not a big fan of a lot of guys, but Penny. She loves?everybody. She walks me, she is really strong.

AF: Where do your dogs sleep?

HP: Anywhere they want. They sleep with my parents, they sleep…?Madison likes to sleep in the laundry basket. She does. Any time you’re? looking for her she’s lying in, this little laundry basket on the?floor, and there is Madison amongst the clothes. She sleeps there, and ?then Penny you just hear scurrying back and forth back and forth until?she finally settles.

AF: Do you believe there is a such thing as puppy love with a person?

HP: I thinks so. I think it’s possible, yeah. I’ve gone through it.

AF: Are you dating right now?

HP: Yeah.

AF: What breed of dog is your boyfriend?

HP: He’s a chocolate lab. He’s crazy and very loveable. Labs are good?dogs.

AF: What do you when you are not hanging out with your dogs?

HP: I’m working really hard on an NBC show, called Heroes. It airs in? September on Monday nights. It’s a story about the evolution of ?mankind. People all over the world discover that they have these? abilities… With my character, I have the ability to heal myself. I love? it. We’ve got an incredible cast.

AF: What’s your favorite part about acting??? HP: I love meeting new people and traveling. I also get such an?adrenaline rush when I see the finished product. It’s so fun to portray ?different characters and roles.

AF: Is it hard having a love interest on camera?

HP: Oh yeah, really hard. (laughs) It depends if you have a boyfriend? or not. I do right now. It’s really a different frame of mind. It’s?work. I say that until my boyfriend has to do “work” and then I’m like,?“hey!”

AF: If you weren’t acting, what would you be doing?

HP: I would work with animals. I love animals. I lived in Africa and? I raised baby zebras. Played with lion cubs. We had tons of animals, it? was great. I’m also recording a record as well. I signed with Hollywood? records and I’ve been co-writing my songs. It’s been going really well.? I love singing, I’ve been singing since I was little. My music is a?little bit of rock!

AF: Best piece of acting advice?

HP: Always listen to what’s being said to you. No matter how many ?times you do the scene, listen to what the person is saying. My mom was? my coach. She taught me well.

AF: What are your hobbies?

HP: I love sports. I was always big athlete. I love hanging out with? my friends. Snowboarding rocks. I like being in the sun. I like? talking, obviously! Traveling is the best. Italy was really cool. Africa was amazing. I went on a safari, and that was a great ?experience.

 

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