Acclaimed film actress Diane Keaton has died in California at the age of 79. The Godfather actress, known for her love for animals, famously supported the Big Cat Public Safety Act.
News of Keaton’s death was first confirmed by People, citing a representative of the family who requested privacy. No cause of death has been made public. A friend of Keaton told the outlet that his health has declined significantly in recent months.
What is the Big Cat Public Safety Act?
The Big Cat Public Safety Act is a US federal law that prohibits the private possession, breeding, and acquisition of big cats such as tigers, lions, and leopards. Recognized zoos and sanctuaries are considered exceptions. The law prohibits public contact with the 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 on December 20, 2022, to end private ownership of big cats as pets and to 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. Privately owned big cats are allowed to continue to be legally bred. For this reason, 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 to the Act applied.
This registration had to be done before June 18, 2023, which was 180 days after the date of enactment.
Diane Keaton was honored by PETA as a true friend of 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 Lang said in a statement to Men’s Journal.
“At every turn, she has used her platform to champion animals, from advocating kindness toward often-ignored animals like pigeons, to championing the Big Cat Public Safety Act, to campaigning against outrageous cub-keeping, to giving up meat and reminding everyone that eating animals is ‘madness.'”
Also Read: Diane Keaton dies: The Godfather actress’ final post featured her beloved golden retriever, Reggie
Diane Keaton was a vegetarian her entire lifestyle
Keaton, who was known for her lifelong support of animal rights, often spoke about her vegan lifestyle. In 2020, she told The Sydney Morning Herald, “I don’t eat meat, I’m vegetarian and I’ve been vegan for 25 years and I’ve also stopped eating fish. I stopped five years ago. I don’t want to eat anything that’s animal.”
His final Instagram post before his death was about his golden retriever, Reggie.
Following the news of his death, tributes poured in from across Hollywood. Her The First Wives Club co-star Bette Midler wrote on Instagram that Keaton was “brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary”. He further said that Keaton was “hilarious, completely original, and completely devoid of guile, or any of the competitiveness one might expect from such a star.”