I absolutely love it when celebrities speak out about animal rights and causes; their fame allows them to bring crucial attention to important issues. It would be amazing to meet each of the following famous actors (and one supermodel, one hip-hop mogul and one singer/songwriter) and thank them personally for supporting the animals of this planet. To brighten your day (and warm your heart), here are some inspiring quotes about animals from our favorite celebrities:
“The only creatures that are evolved enough to convey pure love are dogs and infants.” —Johnny Depp
“You can always tell about somebody by the way they put their hands on an animal.” —Betty White
“She was the love of our lives. She completed us as a couple. I don’t have children of my own, so she was my everything—my light, my love, everything that a dog encompasses in a household.” —Howard Stern on Bianca, the beloved bulldog he and his wife, Beth, lost in 2012
“Where there are dogs and music, people have a good time.” —Emmylou Harris
“Pets are humanizing. They remind us we have an obligation and responsibility to preserve and nurture and care for all life.” —James Cromwell
Ian Somerhalder (photo copyright Gage Skidmore, via Wikimedia Commons)
“Animal cruelty is one of the most unfortunate and barbaric demonstrations of human beings manipulating ill-conceived notions of ‘power’ over other species.” —Ian Somerhalder
“Being vegan truly is the secret to my life’s joy and peace. I feel physically and spiritually better than I could have ever imagined knowing that I am doing everything I can to reduce animal suffering with simple lifestyle choices like being vegan, never wearing any products made from animals (like wool and leather), and buying only from companies that NEVER test their products or ingredients on animals.” —Alicia Silverstone
“I have always felt that the way we treat animals is a pretty good indicator of the compassion we are capable of for the human race.” —Ali McGraw
“We need to realize that these are beings that suffer the same as we suffer, they want freedom the way we want freedom.” —Russell Simmons on the movie Blackfish
“I don’t wear fur and I understand their cause. I am the biggest animal lover in the world. I have four dogs and two horses, and I have rescued animals all my life.” —Gisele Bündchen
“People get offended by animal rights campaigns. It’s ludicrous. It’s not as bad as mass animal death in a factory.” –Richard Gere
“Every year tens of thousands of animals suffer and die in laboratory tests of cosmetics and household products … despite the fact that the test results do not help prevent or treat accidental or purposeful misuse of the products.” —Woody Harrelson
“I have always been an animal lover. I had a hard time disassociating the animals I cuddled with—dogs and cats, for example—from the animals on my plate, and I never really cared for the taste of meat. I always loved my Brussels sprouts.” —Kristen Bell
Which animal-loving celebrity inspires you most?