Glee star Charlotte Ross, who plays Judy Fabray, the uptight mother of Quinn on the show, is a lifelong animal lover and the spokesperson for the L.A.- based organization Blankets of Love.

“They are kind of like the Red Cross for homeless animals, giving towels, blankets, toys, and transport to animals in our local county and city shelters and rescues,” says Ross. “People don’t realize how something so seemingly small can make such a profound difference. These locations don’t have any funding to publicize and few people come to their local shelters to adopt, so when a potential adopter walks by, it may be an animal’s only shot at being rescued. If they are warm and maybe even playful with a toy, their chances rise dramatically. These animals have everything working against them, so we try and give them as much of a shot at survival as possible.” For more information go to operationsblanketsoflove.org.

Nudity or Fur?
“I loved being a part of PETA’s I’d Rather be Naked than Wear Fur campaign. Shooting that campaign was a blast. I was nervous about the nudity at the time, but, now, in hindsight, it seems tame. I have a feature film coming out in February opposite Nick Cage called Drive Angry where I play a Southern woman covered in tattoos who becomes his girlfriend. I did full frontal nudity for the first time in my life. And…it’s 3D! AND, I’m not young anymore. It was a challenge and I had so much fun. I’m not sure if I have the guts to watch myself on screen, though!”

One thing you’d love for people to know?
“That our local city and county shelters are in desperate need of help. Please bring a blanket, towel, or toy and make the day of an animal and maybe even raise their chances of survival.”

Lea Michele, who stars in Glee as sweet-voiced keener Rachel Berry, is putting her pipes to good use, raising her voice—for animals. As a vegetarian who has rescued dogs and cats she found on Glee’s Hollywood set, she’s committed to animal welfare. And she’s calling on all “Gleeks” to rid their closets of fur. In a new public service announcement for PETA, “If You Wouldn’t Wear Your Dog, Please Don’t Wear Any Fur,” Michele urges her fans to leave fur where it belongs—on animals.

 

Hi there! Glee star Jane Lynch, who plays the sharp-tongued cheerleading coach, Sue Sylvester, on the series, strolls in sunny L.A. with her wife, Lara Embry, and 10-year-old Lhasa Apso, Olivia, named for Olivia Newton-John. The Glee actress recently took time out of her busy schedule to appear in a new PETA ad to talk about a topic close to her heart: spaying and neutering pets. In the video, Lynch quips: “The good folks at PETA asked me to say a few words about the importance of good posture and personal hygiene—but I don’t want to talk about that. I want to talk about the 4 million dogs and cats who are euthanized every year because there aren’t enough homes for all of them.”

 

Mark Salling, aka Glee’s heartthrob “Puck,” not only has a Blue Heeler named Hank, but also helps promote spay and neuter efforts. In December, he participated in Collars for a Cause, an event in support of the Spay-Neuter Assistance Program of Texas, by designing a collar for the event’s auction. Seems the Glee set is a haven for animal lovers. “A lot of the cast [members] bring their dogs, which is hysterical,” Heather Morris, who plays cheerleader Brittany on the show, told People. “They’re just running around!”

 

 

Glee star Romy Rosemont plays Carole Hudson, Finn’s widowed mother and girlfriend to Kurt’s wellmeaning dad, Burt. We asked her a few questions about her real-life best buds, Purdy and Bazooka Joe.

How did you find your dogs?
Both my dogs are rescues. I was searching for a dog on PetFinder.com when I saw Bazooka Joe’s picture. He was perfect. He hadn’t quite grown in to his head and it was huge and one ear flopped over and the other stood straight up. He looked like a cartoon dog. I fell in love. My friend showed me a picture of Purdy and told me she needed to be adopted ASAP. She’d been in the pound in South Central Los Angeles for six weeks so it was a 911 situation. I was told she would have been put down within a week if we hadn’t have rescued her. Personally, I think she was waiting for us.

What breed/cross are they?
The rescue where I got Bazooka Joe told me he was a Lab/Golden Retriever/Beagle mix, although I think he has Shepherd and Pit Bull as well. In my eyes he’s a California mutt and he’s 100 percent handsome. A friend of mine calls him the Steve McQueen of dogs. To the best of my knowledge, Purdy is a Basenji mix. What else she’s mixed with, I have no idea, but I think she’s a cross between a little bit of cute and a whole lot of trouble.

Your ideal day spent with them?
It sounds corny but every day I spend with them is ideal. I love hanging with my dogs. There are days when I’ll just throw them in the car and do errands. It’s not exciting but it makes going to the market and dry cleaners a lot more fun.

Characteristics you share with your dogs?
Purdy loves the morning. She pops up and she is ready to go, go, go. Unfortunately for my husband, I’m the same way. I would also say that Purdy and I both have very curious and mischievous natures.

What I love best about my dogs is…
The smile on their faces when I walk in the door. Their whole bodies shake and they howl as if announcing to the neighbourhood, “SHE’S HOME, SHE’S HOME, EVERYONE, SHE’S HOME.” I love their enthusiasm, their curiousity, and their patience when I tell them we’re going for a walk but we don’t actually leave the house for an hour. I have cool dogs and I’d rather hang with them than just about anyone else, except maybe my husband. My husband is welcome to join me and the dogs any time he wants.

If you were a dog, what breed would you be? Why?
That’s a really hard question. There’s a hybrid breed called a Whoodle, which is a cross between a Wheaten Terrier and a Poodle. The name just makes me laugh. I have the energy of a Wheaten and the hair of a Poodle. These dogs are known to be energetic and playful, they’re people oriented, and very eager to please. They have a strong work drive but tend to get bored easily and are really good at finding trouble. Did someone just describe me?

If your Glee character were a dog, what breed would she be?
Cocker Spaniel—cheerful, gentle, sweet, devoted.

If Glee character Sue Sylvester were a dog, what breed would she be?
A Rhodesian Ridgeback. These dogs are regal and amazing. They’re intelligent, strong-willed, and loyal. They also like to raise a little hell.

Lessons learned from your dogs?
I’m always learning from my dogs. They’ve taught me patience and unconditional love. They have taught me to relax. I’m still not that great at it but I try every day. They’ve taught me to enjoy the simple things in life, a good meal, a good long walk, and an afternoon siesta. When I grow up I definitely want to be more like my dogs.