With over 40 years of a distinguished career in cinema, Hollywood actress Michelle Pfeiffer has become legendary for her Oscar-nominated portrayals of various characters. Despite what the Academy believes, we contend Pfeiffer’s most unforgettable performance — to animal and comic book lovers alike — is that of Catwoman. Perhaps that’s why we’re so doggone delighted to learn Pfeiffer has accepted a new role as a dog mom to a rescue pup.
From Catwoman to cat lady
It’s been over three decades since Pfeiffer donned her iconic catsuit for the role of Selina Kyle in 1992’s “Batman Returns.” The image of her as Catwoman is not one we can forget, making it difficult to associate her with any animals other than our feline friends. (Except for maybe a bird, if you rather unfortunately have the scene where Catwoman swallows a live one permanently etched in your memory.) Pfeiffer herself plays into the persona, with an Instagram bio reading “Cat Lady.” Of course, the words are likely a double entendre because she is, indeed, a lady with a cat.
In January of 2019, Michelle Pfeiffer even shared an Instagram post captioned, “It runs in the family 😉 Meet Bella Blue, the catwoman in our house.” The video shows a long-haired cat licking Pfeiffer’s face. The second clip included in the post is from the memorable scene where Pfeiffer, as Catwoman, is licking Batman’s face.
Catwoman Michelle Pfeiffer rescues small dog
Earlier this week, Michelle Pfeiffer took to Instagram again to share the news of her new rescue pooch, Dot. The picture posted by Pfeiffer shows her sitting on a sun-soaked lawn, cross-legged, kissing and cuddling a petite, white-haired puppy. The picture-perfect pup is a Terrier and Chihuahua mix. In the caption, Pfeiffer wrote, “Say hello to Dot, Bella’s new little sister. Thank you @tobiessmalldogrescue for this very special girl.”
We think Pfeiffer missed an opportunity to once again play up her pop culture cred. Personally, we would’ve opted for the familiar Vance Joy “Riptide” lyric in our caption: “I swear she’s destined for the screen. Closest thing to Michelle Pfeiffer that you’ve ever seen.” Given the pooch is clutched in the star’s hands, it’s perfect. The verse seems tailor-made for an actress who knows a thing or two about delivering a line.
The actress found her pooch at the Los Angeles-based Tobie’s Small Dog Rescue. The non-profit prides itself on their process of matching the perfect family to a dog in need. The Rescue requires meet-and-greets, as well as a home inspection. Tobie’s Small Dog Rescue prioritizes ensuring both the dog’s compatibility and safety with their new parents. Their website also notes that adoption fees range between $200 – $600. The cost helps to cover spay/neuter services, vaccinations, and microchipping the pups.
Tobie’s Small Dog Rescue updated their Instagram to reflect Dot’s adoption. Formerly called “Sailor,” the 1.5 pound pup is described as a fearless furball who is ready to offer endless love and companionship. The pint-sized pooch is so adorable that it’s easy to see how even cat lovers could fall head over heels in puppy love.
Michelle Pfeiffer’s family full of pets
Dot isn’t the first dog to find a home with our eternal Catwoman. Other pooches have had long, happy lives with Pfeiffer, who rightly sees her pets as members of the family.
Last year, on National Dog Day, Pfeiffer paid homage to her three departed dogs: Bear, Fred, and Lucy.
It wasn’t the first time Pfeiffer’s Poodle Fred made an appearance on her social media. Two years prior, when Freddie — as she affectionately called him — died at the age of 18, he was honored in another post. Pfeiffer was reportedly wracked with grief. According to People, the loss hit her harder since it came at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was at a time when the actress was already missing her children, as everyone was isolating from one another in those early days.
Celebrities adopt, don’t shop
Perhaps we have social media to thank for the trend in more and more celebrities choosing to adopt rather than shop for their new fur-ever friends.
Recently, Grey’s Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo — a known animal lover — was featured on another L.A.-based rescue’s Instagram. In their post, Pompeo was posing with her newest pooch, a chihuahua poodle mix named Tom. Earlier this month, Emmy-nominated actress Millie Bobby Brown also took to social media to share images of her two adopted pups in a dog stroller.
Whatever the motivation, we’re just thrilled to see rescue dogs find homes. If you’re hoping to change the life of a rescue pup like Michelle Pfeiffer and her fellow celebrities have, there are great organizations near you looking for foster and adoptive dog parents. Before you begin your search, be sure to check out our guide to find the right animal shelter.
