8 Celebrities and Their Rescued Dogs

By Linda Cole

Celebrities have one advantage the rest of us don't: fans and paparazzi who watch their every move. That may not seem like an advantage to those of us who have no desire to live life under a photographer's lens. However, the attention gives celebrities an opportunity to speak out for causes that are important to them. Dog loving celebrities not only speak up for shelter dogs, many also rescue dogs from shelters.

Sandra Bullock

Not everyone is emotionally capable of caring for a disabled dog, and most special needs dogs in shelters will never find a forever home. Sandra Bullock is not only an advocate for special needs dogs, she adopted three from shelters. Poppy is a three legged Chihuahua/Pomeranian mix that Bullock adopted in 2005. Ruby is a two legged Chihuahua born without front legs. She walks around standing up straight on her back legs. BeBe, Sandra's third special needs dog, is a one eyed Chihuahua.

Orlando Bloom

I have been a fan of Orlando Bloom for a long time. He is also a huge dog lover, and actually rescued his dog off the streets of Morocco while on location during the filming of Kingdom of Heaven. Sidi is a Saluki mix, and he goes everywhere with his famous owner.

Drew Barrymore

In 1998, a fire devastated her Beverly Hills home. Drew credits Flossie, her rescued Chow/Lab mix, with saving her life and her then husband, Tom Green. Flossie barked frantically and alerted them to the fire. Flossie crossed over the Rainbow Bridge in 2010 at the age of 16. Drew also has a 2½ year old mixed breed named Douglas, rescued from a shelter when he was six months old. He had been surrendered to the shelter when he was only two weeks old. Her other dog, a shepherd mix named Oliver, had been left in a box with his siblings outside a shelter in Los Angeles. Barrymore isn't the only actress that has been in Oliver's life; his foster home was with Nikki Reed of Twilight fame.

Jake Gyllenhaal

Gyllenhaal proudly named his two shelter dogs after characters in his favorite book, To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus Finch is a German Shepherd, and Boo Radley is a Beagle/Pug mix. Atticus is Gyllenhaal's running partner. An advocate for shelter pets, Gyllenhaal recently helped an animal rescue organization in Mississippi raise money.

JK Rowling

In 2007, the author of the Harry Potter series surprised a local Greyhound rescue when she stopped in to check out the retired racing dogs in their care. Rowling fell in love with a 6 year old female named Sapphire. The woman who operated the shelter didn't recognize Rowling until she gave her a signed check for ₤1,000 to cover the ₤30 donation requested by the shelter. Sapphire joined Rowling's other dog, Butch, a Jack Russell terrier.

Jennifer Aniston

The Friends actress is well known for her love of dogs. Her Welsh Corgi/Terrier mix, Norman, passed away last year at the age of 15. Aniston described him as “My baby boy.” Norman went everywhere with Aniston and he continues to be with her always, not only in her heart but on her person, since she had Norman's name tattooed on her leg in his memory. Aniston also rescued a Pit Bull/Boxer mix puppy named Sophie, and her fiancé Justin Theroux adopted a Pit Bull that had been living on the streets of New York. When he was found, there was a heavy chain around his neck.

Bradley Cooper

Cooper adores his dogs, and has given notice to women everywhere that he and his dogs come as a package deal. His adopted German Shorthair Pointer, Samson, was the love of his life. Samson had been rescued from a kill shelter just in the nick of time. He was 13 years old when he passed away in 2010. Cooper's newest addition to his family is a Chow/Retriever mix rescued street dog named Charlotte. She must have had a tough time while living on the street – Charlotte has no bottom teeth.

George Clooney

When Clooney saw a dog advertised online, he immediately called the shelter and expressed interest in a rescued Cocker Spaniel mix, or as Clooney put it, “part Cocker Spaniel or something.” He was told it was up to the dog to decide if he liked someone or not, and if there wasn't a connection between man and dog, they would keep searching for a home. Clooney began to worry that the dog wouldn't like him when he met him, so he rubbed turkey meatballs all over his shoes, just to make sure there would be a connection! Obviously, the dog gushed over him during that crucial meeting and George Clooney walked away with Einstein, his pride and joy.

Read more articles by Linda Cole