Actress Katherine Heigl made a rare red carpet appearance at an animal rescue fundraiser hosted at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, the private resort owned by President Donald Trump.
She added that the fundraiser aligned with causes she has supported for years. “This event was about animal advocacy—something that has always been deeply personal to me,” Heigl said. “Anyone who knows me knows that protecting animals is one of my greatest passions. My mother, Nancy, and I have spent years advocating for animals through the Jason Heigl Foundation. As a society, we should all come together to protect the voiceless and the innocent.”
The three-day fundraising event raised about $5.5 million for Big Dog Ranch Rescue, supporting the nonprofit’s mission to rescue and rehome dogs. The organization describes itself as the largest no-kill dog rescue in the United States.
Big Dog Ranch Rescue founder Lauree Simmons said the event marked a milestone for the organization’s outreach and fundraising efforts.
“Our biggest goal right now really is to diminish the number of unwanted litters coming into this country, which is what is overcrowding our shelters,” Heigl said.
The actress added that misconceptions about shelters can obscure the scale of the problem.
“We hear the word ‘shelter,’ and we think these animals are safe there, and they are not,” she said, noting that overcrowding is often tied to large-scale breeding operations.
Heigl rose to prominence in the mid-2000s through her role as Dr. Izzie Stevens on the medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy” and later starred in several romantic comedies, including “Knocked Up,” “27 Dresses,” and “The Ugly Truth.”
In recent years, she has largely stepped back from frequent public appearances while continuing philanthropic work focused on animal welfare.
