Diane Keaton, the acclaimed film actress, died at the age of 79 in California. The Godfather actress, known for her love for animals, famously supported the Big Cat Public Safety Act.
The news of Keaton’s death was first confirmed by People, which cited a family representative who requested privacy. No cause of death has been made public. A friend of Keaton told the outlet that her health had taken a sharp downturn in recent months.
What is the Big Cat Public Safety Act ?
The Big Cat Public Safety Act is a US federal law that bans the private possession, breeding, and acquisition of big cats such as tigers, lions, and leopards. Acredited zoos, sanctuaries, are considered exceptions. The law prohibits public contact with big cat, and requires registration for existing owners. The law also strengthens the government’s ability to fight wildlife trafficking.
According to fws.gov, “The Big Cat Public Safety Act was enacted December 20, 2022, to end the private ownership of big cats as pets and prohibit exhibitors from allowing public contact with big cats, including cubs. It placed new restrictions on the commerce, breeding, possession, and use of certain big cat species. In order to continue to legally possess privately owned big cats, the Act required individuals or entities to register any big cats) that were in their possession before the date of enactment with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), unless another exception of the Act applies.”
This registration had to occur no later than June 18, 2023, which was 180 days after the date of enactment.
Diane Keaton was honored by PETA , calling her a true friend to animals.
“Diane Keaton’s impact as a brilliant and talented actor is undeniable, but PETA will always remember her as a true friend to animals,” PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange said in a statement to Men’s Journal.
“At every turn, she used her platform to champion animals, from advocating kindness toward animals often overlooked, such as pigeons, to taking on abusive cub-petting operations by endorsing the Big Cat Public Safety Act, to ditching meat and reminding everyone that ‘it’s nuts’ to eat animals.”
Also read: Diane Keaton death: Godfather actress’ final post featured her beloved Golden Retriever, Reggie
Diane Keaton was vegetarian throughout her lifestyle
Keaton, who was known for her lifelong support of animal rights, often spoke about her vegetarian lifestyle. In 2020, she told The Sydney Morning Herald, “I don’t eat meat, I’m a vegetarian and I’ve been a vegetarian for 25 years and I’ve stopped even eating fish. I stopped five years ago. I don’t want to eat something that was an animal.”
Her final Instagram post before her death was about her Golden Retriever, Reggie.
Following news of her passing, tributes poured in from across Hollywood. Bette Midler, her co-star in The First Wives Club, wrote on Instagram that Keaton was “brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary.” She added that Keaton was “hilarious, a complete original, and completely without guile, or any of the competitiveness one would have expected from such a star.”
