Katherine Heigl attended a dog charity fundraiser at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, drawing backlash for the location. The actor responded by emphasizing the event's focus on animal advocacy. She stated that animals do not vote and urged unity on protecting the voiceless.
Katherine Heigl appeared on her first red carpet in two years at the Wine, Women & Shoes annual fundraiser on March 8, held at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida. The event, co-chaired by Lara Trump, Donald Trump's daughter-in-law, supported animal welfare and raised $5.5 million for Big Dog Ranch Rescue, described as the country's largest no-kill dog rescue.
Social media users criticized Heigl's attendance, associating the Mar-a-Lago venue with support for the MAGA movement. In a statement to outlets including Page Six and JustJared, Heigl addressed the outrage: “Animals don’t vote. The only room they don’t like is the euthanasia room at a shelter. They are completely at the mercy of us, and they have no voice of their own.” She added, “This event was about animal advocacy—something that has always been deeply personal to me. 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. This should not be a polarizing issue.”
Heigl also engaged directly with critics on Instagram. Responding to a user who said animals would have better judgment than her if they voted, Heigl wrote: “Just curious…what do you do that really matters…do you think comments on an Instagram post matter to animals who have had humans pour gasoline on them and set them on fire? Who have had humans vote conservative or liberal but have been left to starve and suffer? Seriously…I’m very curious what you truly think matters to the voiceless and innocent…actions or just instagram posturing?”
To another commenter suggesting alternative ways to help without attending such events, Heigl replied: “How are you so sure about that…have you been to any? Have you donated a significant part of your income to anything? Anything you claim to care so much about? Have you done anything more than comment on what someone else is doing or not doing to your standard? Just curious…”
Heigl, an Emmy winner for her role in “Grey’s Anatomy,” has maintained a lower profile since her Netflix series “Firefly Lane” ended in April 2023.
