Animal Welfare On The Price Is Right

No Comments | June 6th, 2007 | Trackback

At the age of 83, Bob Barker is retiring from The Price is Right.

But what does he have to do with volunteering? As an animal lover and past animal shelter volunteer, I associate Bob Barker with his message which he religiously seemed to give at the end of every show: Have your pets spayed and neutered.

While it is perhaps questionable what role an unrelated one-line signoff can play in bringing about social change, it is nice to me to see someone make an effort to raise awareness, even in a small way, for a cause they care about. And in contrast to some other celebrities, where people question if the motivation for their involvement is more tied to publicity than anything else, I think we can rest assured that Bob Barker wasn’t after sensational headlines with this one.

According to Wikipedia, his interest in animal welfare was sparked by his wife and after she passed away he continued to promote this cause. Among other things, he convinced CBS not to give fur coats as prizes in the 80’s (so this was a celebrity for a cause back in the day alongside the Chicago Bears!). He also started the DJ&T Foundation, which makes grants to grassroots spay and neuter programs in the United States.

So, Bob Barker, come on down to receive a Volunteer Logue pat on the back for being one of the earlier celebrities with cause…