In memory of Bob Barker and his dedication to animal rights
Television personality, Bob Barker, was certainly an iconic figure in the realm of game show TV.
He can definitely be mentioned as a father of the early game show era. The Price Is Right is still a staple of North American TV and is now hosted by comedian Drew Carey, and has been for a while since Barker’s retirement, which came back in 2007.
He also hosted Truth or Consequences, you may remember. In addition to all of this, he made many appearances across the annals of TV history and definitely left his mark, dear readers.
But as it turns out, it was also the realm of animal rights that he left his mark on; his advocacy for the rights of animals everywhere was indeed a focal point of his life and now, reports are coming through as to just how dedicated he was to the cause.
What ties did Bob Barker have to animal rights?
As a report at CTV News suggests, even after he retired, he was still at it in terms of helping animals across the globe.
Judy Stearns and her husband Roger, who are from Stonewall, Manitoba, were intent on starting a black bear rescue in which cubs without mothers would be housed and rehabilitated for the purpose of releasing back into the wild. In order to do that, a partnership with a Canadian organization known as Zoocheck was necessary.
Barker had actually worked with the organization before, specifically for the reason of freeing animals in captivity, and when he found out about the black bear rescue attempt, he stated that he wanted to help. And so he did.
He ended up donating $50,000 to the cause.
He once stated about his advocacy and the reasons for it:
"“I got to give away televisions and refrigerators for a living, and there was no more fun job than that, and it was these very people that made that possible for me to have that great job, so I’m just grateful for them.”-via CTV (link above)"
Other popular quotes spoken by the legend in regards to animals worth putting here include:
"“A person who has never owned a dog has missed a wonderful part of life.”"
And…
"“I can tell you that I’d rather be kissed by my dogs than by some people I’ve known.”"
And who can forget this golden nugget he was quite famous for saying?
"“Help control the pet population. Have your pets spayed or neutered.”"
His dedication to the world of animals as a whole and his honest opinion about the food, circus and zookeeper industries alerted many to what was happening around them, and his words caused many to stop and listen—even to do something about the issues at hand.
"“I’d like to see animals removed from the entertainment business. Chimpanzees and apes won’t perform unless you beat them. Circuses keep elephants in chains 90 percent of the time. Elephants need freedom of movement. In circuses, they live in cramped quarters, which is not the life intended for them by nature. Some are beaten daily, forced to do ridiculous tricks and robbed of every shred of dignity. ”-Quotes via AZ Quotes (Transcription)"
Next. The first-ever cat café in Minnesota closes its doors. dark
He passed away on August 26, 2023 at the age of 99. Rest in peace, Bob Barker. We thank you for your many contributions to the animal rights cause.