“Betty always put the animals first. In the 1990s, she suggested pain management should be an area of future research and funded the first few studies,” said Dr. Rob Hilsenroth, former Morris Animal Foundation Executive Director and a longtime friend of Betty White. “Today, if a veterinarian performs an elective surgery, like a spay or neuter without using pain management, she/he could face a malpractice charge. You can thank Betty White for that revolutionary change in the way we practice all phases of veterinary medicine today.”