This Is How Many Pets Betty White Had When She Died

As reported by Parade, Betty had one pet at the time of her death, a golden retriever named Pontiac who had originally worked as a guide dog. Betty joked that as soon as she met the sweet pup, she knew she had to keep him.

“You don’t meet a golden retriever and go home to think it over!” she noted in a 2009 interview with TV Guide. According to Page a Day, it is even rumored that Pontiac might inherit up to $5 million from Betty’s will, though this remains unverified.

Pontiac was far from the only pet she loved throughout her lifetime. Though there are no firm sources that can verify exactly how many pets she had over her incredible 99 years, some internet sleuthing suggests that she had well over two dozen animals. In the same interview as noted above, Betty lamented about the recent loss of three pets, which included a “16-and-a-half-year-old Shih Tzu,” a “10-year-old golden,” and an “11-year-old Himalayan kitty.”

In another interview — this time from 1958 — Betty mentioned the three dogs in her care at the time: Bandy, a Pekingese, Stormy, a St. Bernard, and Danny, a miniature poodle, per Woof Republic. Last but not least, Betty admitted to Newsweek that at one point, she owned a whopping 26 dogs.

With such a large heart, it’s little surprise that she had such a lasting impact on Hollywood and the public at large.