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Joy

The adorable dog from the Betty White Oscars tribute was immediately adopted by John Travolta

via Wikimedia Commons and Wikimedia Commons

John Travolta and Betty White.

The infamous Slap Heard Round the World at the Academy Awards on Sunday night stole all of the event’s headlines but there were some very sweet moments that shouldn’t be overlooked.

The speech by Best Supporting Actor winner Troy Kotsur for his performance in “CODA” was a real tear-jerker. There was also a tribute to Betty White featuring Jamie Lee Curtis, who took the stage with an adorable dog named Mac & Cheese. White was a tireless animal rights advocate who helped countless animals throughout her lifetime.

"Day in and day out for almost a century, she was a woman who cared so much for not just her two-legged friends but for animals just like this," the actor said. "So, the greatest gift you could give Betty White is to open your heart and your home and adopt a rescue dog just like Mac & Cheese from (the nonprofit organization) Paw Works."

Curtis left the theater after the tribute and received a text message with a photo of actor John Travolta holding Mac & Cheese in the green room. “I thought it was so beautiful to see him,” she said of her “Perfect” co-star. Travolta was preparing to hit the stage for a "Pulp Fiction" reunion with Uma Thurman and Samuel L. Jackson.

Evidently, Travolta and Mac & Cheese shared an immediate bond because the next day, Curtis shared a photo of the "Grease" star with the dog along with his 11-year-old son, Ben. After meeting Mac & Cheese at the ceremony, Travolta decided to adopt the pup.

Curtis was overjoyed that Mac & Cheese found a forever home with the Travoltas.

“I thought it was so beautiful to see him with her and then today I found out that he and his son, Ben have adopted beautiful little mac & cheese and are taking her home today. It is an emotional end and a perfect tribute to Betty White,” Curtis wrote on Instagram.

Travolta is clearly an animal lover. His Instagram feed shows that he has two dogs, one of which is a mini pin named Jinx. According to Celebrity Pets, he adopted a cat named Crystal last year. There’s no doubt that Betty White would have been elated to know that she played a role in another dog finding a forever home.

When White passed away on New Year’s Eve last year she left an incredible legacy of caring for animals. She worked for decades championing animal rights, published a book on the subject and starred in the nature show “Pet Set” in 1971.

After her death, she was honored by the ASPCA.

“Betty White demonstrated a lifelong commitment to helping animals in need, including dedicated support for local shelters and animal welfare endeavors, fiercely promoting and protecting animal interests in her entertainment projects, and personally adopting many rescued animals,” Matt Bershadker, ASPCA president and CEO, said in a statement.

Thank you for being a friend, Betty.

From Your Site Articles

Betty White fans have donated more than $12.7 million to animal shelters since she passed

State Farm/Wikimedia Commons

People have donated millions of dollars to animal shelters and rescues in Betty White's honor.

Social media can feel like a mixed bag sometimes, so it's nice to be reminded that our constant connectedness can be used as a force for good.

Fans of the late, great Betty White have proven that point with the overwhelming success of the #BettyWhiteChallenge.

When Betty White passed away on December 31, 2021, the world let out a collective, "Well, damn." Everyone knew it was going to happen sometime—she was 99 years old, after all—but people hoped she'd make it to her 100th birthday, which was a mere couple of weeks away.

After her passing, fans wanted to do something to honor her. White had been an outspoken animal lover—a "zoo nut," as she called herself—and did a lot of work for animal welfare when she was alive. So prior to her birthday, January 17, a campaign emerged on social media to raise money for animal shelters and rescues in her honor. No one knows who started it, but it was dubbed the #BettyWhiteChallenge and it soon spread to all corners of the internet.

On January 21, Variety reported that $12.7 million had been raised via Facebook and Instagram, according to parent company Meta. The money was donated by more than 390,000 people.

Best Friends Animal Society shared a video shared by Betty White's publicist on January 18 with a final message to her fans, writing, "We are so very grateful for all Betty White did for animals in need during her lifetime. We were absolutely blown away by the support we received during the #BettyWhiteChallenge and can’t thank everyone enough for their donations. At last count, we raised over $340,000, which will make a huge difference in the lives of homeless pets across the country. Thank you, Betty White!"

So many Humane Society locations and other animal welfare organizations shared the incredible donations they received in Betty White's name.

From hundreds to thousands to tens of thousands of dollars, animal shelters and rescues received a deluge of donations thanks to Betty White's life of service to animals and reputation for being an all-round delightful human being. She will be missed, but she leaves an incredible legacy, which now includes thousands more animals who are being better cared for thanks to her influence.

From Your Site Articles

10 things that made us smile this week

@ownedbyahoula/TikTok, Betty White/Facebook

A round-up of delights from around the internet this week.

Hey all!

Welcome to Upworthy's weekly roundup of delights from around the internet. This week's list features a little of everything—gorgeous music, cute kids, adorable animals, hope for the planet and a brand new video message from the late and great Betty White.

That's right, Betty White left us a message of gratitude shortly before her passing. It's brief, but how lovely to see and hear her speak to her millions of fans one last time. Few celebrities are as universally beloved as Betty White was, and though we knew she couldn't live forever, it would have been fun to see her celebrate her 100th birthday. Now, at least, we get to experience her joy and warmth with a few last words.

Hope these 10 things make you smile as well:

Kid's parents have a stuffed toy made from his drawing and his reaction is everything.

Children's artwork is precious. There's nothing like seeing the unique imagination of a child take form in the real world, so having something they created in 2D be transformed into 3D is so cool.

This puppers desperately wants this statue to play fetch, and now I need a puppy.

I'm a cat person, but I want to take this dog home and give them all the peanut butter and let them sleep on all the furniture all the time, thankyouverymuch.

Cellist plays a 12-part cello piece solo, and it's absolutely stunning.

Music already seems like magic. But the things people can do with technology these days is incredible—and so very appreciated during the pandemic, when playing in groups isn't always safe. This performance is just beautiful in every way.

Surfer offers to write the names of strangers' lost loved ones on his surfboard so they can ride 'one last wave.'

I loved writing this story and hearing about what made Dan Fischer decide to do it. Such a great example of the power of one person doing something with what they have to bring whatever comfort they can to their fellow humans. Just wonderful. Read the full story here.

Nurse treats patient's Big Bird stuffy, illustrating how nurses really are superheroes.

This patient has Cohen syndrome—a genetic disorder that can cause developmental delay, intellectual disability, small head size and weak muscle tone—and his nurse taking the time to treat Big Bird to comfort him is so compassionate and caring.

Six-year-old cheerleader breaks down in tears, but the crowd's support helps her rally.

Oh, this sweet baby girl. She was so nervous and overwhelmed, but she stood her ground and–with the help of a supportive crowd—gathered her wits about her. Well done, everyone.

Zoologist captures 1,000 fin whales in one spot—a ray of hope for the endangered species.

Conor Ryan describes himself as a "whale nerd," which is literally true. He's a zoologist, photographer and expert on whales, and even his mind was blown on seeing this many fin whales in one spot. The endangered species nearly went extinct last century, so this is a hopeful sight. Read the full story here.

Bird researcher turns herself into a human bird feeder (wait for it…).

Oh, when her patience and stillness paid off! Her face tells the whole story.

TSA dog gets a perfect surprise on his final bag search before retirement.

It's doggo happiness raining down from the heavens.

Betty White's publicist shared her final message to her fans this morning.

Betty White's publicist shared the video on White's official Facebook page this morning. "When we recorded her special message to fans who attended the movie, we also recorded one that we had planned to put on social media on her birthday," she wrote. "She was using the occasion of her 100th birthday to celebrate YOU - her fans. She knew how lucky she was; she felt the love, and she never took it for granted."

Hope that brought some joy to your heart! Come back next week for another roundup of timeline cleansers.

From Your Site Articles

betty white

The adorable dog from the Betty White Oscars tribute was immediately adopted by John Travolta

Betty White fans have donated more than $12.7 million to animal shelters since she passed

10 things that made us smile this week

Kid's parents have a stuffed toy made from his drawing and his reaction is everything.

This puppers desperately wants this statue to play fetch, and now I need a puppy.

Cellist plays a 12-part cello piece solo, and it's absolutely stunning.

Surfer offers to write the names of strangers' lost loved ones on his surfboard so they can ride 'one last wave.'

Nurse treats patient's Big Bird stuffy, illustrating how nurses really are superheroes.

Six-year-old cheerleader breaks down in tears, but the crowd's support helps her rally.

Zoologist captures 1,000 fin whales in one spot—a ray of hope for the endangered species.

Bird researcher turns herself into a human bird feeder (wait for it…).

TSA dog gets a perfect surprise on his final bag search before retirement.

Betty White's publicist shared her final message to her fans this morning.

Comedian's viral video perfectly nails how each generation arrives at someone's house

Woman who was pressured to quit her job to raise stepdaughter's baby makes a bold decision

Man attempts to rescue stray kitten and quickly discovers he got more than he bargained for

5 things that made us smile this week