Betty White Gets Flash Mob Surprise for Her 93rd Birthday (VIDEO)

It’s probably not the best idea to throw any kind of surprise party for someone almost halfway into their 90s, but beloved animal lover Betty White, one of the youngest-at-heart nonagenerians in show biz, could definitely handle it.

Yesterday, a day shy of her 93rd birthday, White’s “Hot in Cleveland” co-star, Dave Foley, drove her to the soundstage in a golf cart equipped with video cameras.

“Is tomorrow your birthday?” Foley asks her. “I think there might be a little bit of a celebration.”

As they pull up to the soundstage, a solo hula dancer greets them. “Every day on set, Betty is greeted by her assistant with a hula,” according to the description for the video.

But the hula dancer is soon joined by dozens more — including White’s co-stars Valerie Bertinelli, Wendie Malick and Jane Leeves — who are all bedecked in Hawaiian shirts, grass skirts and leis. (They perform a country line dance, the macarena, etc., rather than a traditional hula, but whatever.)

Finally, crew members bring out a big banner saying, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY BETTY.”

White is visibly moved by the performance. “At 93, you shouldn’t be doing this!” she shouts.

In keeping with the theme, a big tropical cake was waiting for White inside the set, Yahoo News reports. White blew out all the candles (the story doesn’t mention if there were 93 of them). Wow.

Happy Birthday, Betty!

Photo via YouTube

Florida Dog ‘Wins’ $3 Million Lottery Jackpot

For stocking stuffers last month, Bill Kelly of Ococee, Fla., bought three scratch-off lottery tickets for his family, including their dog.

Turns out the ticket in the dog’s stocking was a winner, to the tune of $3 million.

“Giving Florida Lottery Scratch-Off tickets as Christmas gifts is one of my holiday traditions,” Kelly said in a press release.

“I always hope to at least win my money back and I play to win, but I never expected this.”

Kelly opted to receive the winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $2,351,433.02. He didn’t say how much of that windfall would be going toward treats for his lucky dog.

Last month, when Bryce Vucekovich of Dallas won $500 from a scratch-off ticket, he spent all of it on food and supplies for Dallas Animal Services.

Just sayin’, Mr. Kelly.

Photo via Facebook

Milwaukee Brewers’ Mascot Hank Wins Top Honor at World Dog Awards

Hank the Dog — the formerly scruffy stray who became an internet sensation after he wandered into the Milwaukee Brewers’ spring training facility in Phoenix last February, was rescued by the team and then became its unofficial mascot (he’s named after the legendary Hank Aaron, who’s posing with him in this photo) — won the top honor at the first-ever World Dog Awards, which aired on The CW Thursday.

“Hank has been working his magic over the past few months, and has touched people in ways you can’t imagine, and other dogs he has single-handedly — single pawedly? — helped find homes for,” said Marti Wronski, Hank’s dog mom and the Brewers’ vice president and general counsel, in her acceptance speech. “We promise to keep taking good care of him so he can keep everyone smiling. Please remember to keep looking into dog rescue and adoption.”

The other nominees for Dog of the Year included Duke, the canine mayor of a village in Minnesota; Peanut, a burn survivor who was crowned the 2014 World’s Ugliest Dog; Sky, winner of Best in Show at the 2014 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show; and Wacha, a hound mix rescued by Bravo TV’s Andy Cohen.

For a show that promoted dog rescue and adoption, it was disheartening that the Dog of the Year award was presented by Paris Hilton, who recently paid $25,000 for two teacup Pomeranian puppies. Really, World Dog Awards?!

Pet parents who, unlike Hilton, opted to adopt instead of shop were asked to share their own rescue stories on social media using the hashtag #dogtales. Some of the posts will be featured on The CW’s Dog Tales web page.

Nearly 2 million viewers watched the World Dog Awards last night, according to Deadspin Hollywood. The show was produced in conjunction with and for the benefit of the ASPCA and the PEDIGREE Foundation.

Photo via Twitter

‘In Dog We Trust’ Mistakenly Printed on Florida Sheriff’s Office Rugs

JAN. 21, 2015 UPDATE: Great news — the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office auctioned off the rug and will donate all the proceeds to Canine Estates Inc., a local non-profit adoption and sanctuary facility. The winning bid? A whopping $9,650!

Oh, my dog! Not that I think there’s anything particularly wrong with it, but…

“In Dog We Trust” was erroneously printed on two new rugs in the lobby of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office in Largo, Fla.

What’s even more amusing is that it took several weeks for anyone to notice the mistake, according to WFTS.

After a sheriff’s deputy spotted it yesterday, the rugs were rolled up and put away, doggone it.

A sheriff’s office spokesperson blamed the error on the rugs’ manufacturer, American Floor Mats, which has promised to replace them.

The spokesperson didn’t say what would happen to the rugs. On its Facebook page, ABC Action News – WFTS/TV suggests putting them in the K-9 unit office. Not a bad idea, but I think it would be great if they were auctioned off to benefit a local animal shelter or rescue.

Photo via OnlineAuction.com

Cool or Cruel? Black Lab Boards Bus Alone to Visit Dog Park

Eclipse, a 2-year-old Black Lab, is a regular on a Seattle bus that makes a stop at a local dog park, where she, uh, disembarks.

There’s nothing especially newsworthy about that — except for the fact that Eclipse usually makes the journey alone.

“All the bus drivers know her. She sits here just like a person does,” bus rider Tiona Rainwater told KOMO News yesterday. “She makes everybody happy. How could you not love this thing?”

Eclipse is not homeless. She lives near a bus stop with her dog dad, Jeff Young, who told KOMO News, “She gets on the bus without me, and I catch up with her at the dog park. It’s not hard to get on. She gets on in front of her house and she gets off at the dog park, three or four stops later.”

Young said his dog’s solo rides began when she became too impatient waiting for him to finish a cigarette at the bus stop. When the bus arrived, Eclipse hopped on board by herself.

“She’s been here the last two years, so she’s been urbanized, totally,” Young said. “She’s a bus-riding, sidewalk-walking dog. Probably once a week I get a phone call. ‘Hi. I have your dog Eclipse here on 3rd and Bell.’ I have to tell them, ‘No. She’s fine. She knows what she’s doing.'”

A Metro Transit spokesman told KOMO News, “She would be much safer in the world if she had her owner on a leash.”

I have to agree with that spokesman, which is what puts this story in the “Grrr” category instead of “Awww.”

As Robert Pregulman writes on his Seattle Dog Spot blog, “While I think Eclipse is an incredibly smart dog to have figured out how to get to the dog park safely by herself, Young should have her on a leash and ride with her to the dog park, not just because it’s the law, but more importantly, it’s just not safe for her to be alone in the middle of a major city.”

To ensure Eclipse doesn’t get hurt or stolen — and to avoid a fine for breaking Seattle’s leash laws — here’s hoping Young starts joining his dog on her bus rides.

Photo via Facebook

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