Katherine Heigl has responded harshly to several comments criticizing her participation in a dog rescue event at Mar-a-Lago.
The “Grey’s Anatomy” alum attended the Big Dog Ranch Rescue fundraiser in support of Wine, Women and Shoes on Sunday at Donald Trump’s mansion in Palm Beach, Florida, marking her first red carpet event in two years.
The fundraiser was co-chaired by Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, and Heigl posed for photos with former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro, Dog Whisperer dog trainer Cesar Millan and others at the event.
After receiving backlash for participating in a fundraiser citing his ties to Trump, Heigl said in a statement obtained by Page Six that animal welfare has nothing to do with politics.
“Animals don’t vote. The only room they don’t like is the shelter’s euthanasia room,” the statement said. “They are completely at our mercy and have no voice of their own.”
“This event was about animal advocacy. It’s always been very personal to me,” she continued. “Anyone who knows me knows that saving animals is one of my greatest passions.”
Heigl noted that she and her mother, Nancy, who accompanied her on Sunday, have spent years helping animals through the Jason Heigl Foundation. The charity, named after her late brother who died in a car accident, aims to rescue, treat and rehome animals while fighting cruelty and overpopulation.
Heigl said the event at Mar-a-Lago raised more than $5 million for animals in need.
“As a society, we must come together to protect the voiceless and the innocent,” she said. “This should not be a polarizing issue.”
However, some social media users still criticized Just Jared’s Instagram post regarding comments bashing the actress, and Heigl directly responded to several questionable comments.
The 47-year-old “Knocked Up” star responded to one mean comment: “Who the hell is she?”
Heigl wrote, “It doesn’t matter. Do you care about animals? If so, please donate! Time! Money! Attention! Your voice! It doesn’t matter who I am, only what I do, and you do too! Animals may not be your thing, but you care deeply about the things that matter! Do your part! Don’t waste your time scrolling or commenting!”
One critic criticized Heigl’s harsh past, writing, “She was hated on Grey’s. That’s why she can’t get a real job. It’s difficult. She doesn’t think her ideas will stick.” To which Heigl responded, “You’re an idiot… What is a ‘real job’ in your educated opinion? 😂😂😂.”
Heigl also clapped back at a user who brought up her Grey’s Anatomy character Izzie Stevens.
“So Alex Karev cheated on me with Olivia 😏😂,” one user wrote, to which Heigl responded: “Does this make you smile? Do you make lame jokes when the animals in this country are suffering and I’m doing everything to stop their suffering?”
She continued, “‘Let me ask you… do you do anything that really matters other than commenting on someone’s Instagram? Do you really think it really matters? Does it make any difference? Seriously… I’d like to know your thoughts on what doesn’t serve you.’
Heigl denied making money from the event in response to a comment that claimed her outfit “screams Republican.”
“Sounds like tough times. Looks like she’s going to make a deal no matter who’s offering it,” an Instagram user mused, to which Heigl responded, “Really? So what am I using animal advocacy for? To line my own pockets? Interesting… It seems like there’s more money at stake than I can afford. But that’s okay. At least my parents taught me to give more than I get. You seem to have a lot of meaning in today’s society. Just keep shouting about your virtues without doing anything that really matters. ”
Heigl later hit back at a user who wrote, “I thought it was impossible for her to become even less likable and even more irrelevant.”
The actress retorted, “Sorry, who are you?”
Heigl told the Palm Beach Post on Tuesday that she supports Big Dog’s mission to “solve the problem of pet overpopulation” in the United States.
“Our biggest goal right now is to reduce the amount of unwanted trash coming into this country, which is what is causing our shelters to be overcrowded,” she said. “We hear the word ‘shelter’ and think the animals there are safe, but that’s not the case. It’s not the shelter’s fault, it’s not the shelter staff’s fault. Our country is full of puppy mill breeders.”
