Top 5 Celebrity Animal Activists

You and I are not the only people who love and care about animals and animal welfare. It might be hard to believe, but there are some celebs who are just as passionate about animals as we are and are active animal rights advocates. These animal rights and anti animal testing celebrities come in many varieties. From animal rights activists to on-the-side volunteers, these 5 famous animal rights activists will definitely surprise you!

Ellen DeGeneres

From her guest appearance on premier stages and at exclusive events, to her popularity from successful shows like Ellen and The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Ellen is one of our favorite animal activist celebrities. What you might not know is that as an animal advocate is also passionate about the importance of animal rights activism! Yes, you heard correctly. This talk show star shows her love for four-legged friends by serving as co-owner of Halo Animal Rescue in Phoenix, Arizona, and Halo, Purely for Pets, a company that takes a holistic approach to creating pet products. Ellen also extends her passion for animals to Facebook. In 2012, Ellen created a game called Joy Kingdom, where players can donate to specific animal charities and raise awareness for anti animal abuse.

Russell Brand

Speaking of Ellen, Hollywood's famous Russell Brand is noted for his infamous tweet, stating, “I’m now vegan, goodbye eggs, hello Ellen.” In 2012, United States PETA coined Brand one of the “sexiest celebrity vegetarians” in honor of his devotion to the vegan lifestyle and his support for the prevention of cruelty. The documentary Forks Over Knives impacted Brand profoundly and is cited as one of the main reasons for his switch to veganism.

Betty White

You probably recognize her from her abundant years in television, including roles on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and Golden Girls, but Betty is connected to a new generation with her currents shows, such as Hot in Cleveland, and the prank show, Betty White’s Off Their Rockers. She helps animals by holding several leadership positions in different animal organizations, including the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association. She also worked with the Morris Animal Foundation for over 40 years help fund medical and health research for animals with mistreatment and animal products.

Joaquin Phoenix

Walk the Line and Gladiator both featured show-stopping performances by Joaquin, but in addition to his on-screen fights, he also battles for animal rights, and is a long-time vegan. His work on the documentary, Earthlings, and his assistance to various PETA campaigns helped address issues such as exotic skin trading, animal cruelty, and much more.

Ke$ha

This pop star is known for her many radio hits, including “Tik Tok” and “Die Young.” What you may not know is that in 2013, the Humane Society awarded Ke$ha the Wyler Award. She focuses on cruelty-free cosmetics, advocating for industry changes to eliminate meaningless animal suffering.

These are just a few of the many celebrities who support the animal community. For more information on how you can get involved with animal rights, check out our blog post, 4 Animal Rights Organizations You Can Get Involved With.