French film legend and global animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot has died at the age of 91. Until a day before news of her death broke, she was urging adoption of rescued animals and stood "on the side of animals" until her final moments.
The Fondation Brigitte Bardot, the Brigitte Bardot foundation for animal welfare and protection that Bardot founded, officially announced Bardot's death to Agence France-Presse on Dec. 28. The foundation did not disclose the time or place of death. Earlier in October, reports said Bardot had undergone surgery for a "serious illness."
The day before her death, the foundation's official Instagram posted a video appealing for adoption of a young Doberman named "Urphé" suffering from severe systemic arthritis. In the video Bardot herself strokes the dog and says it is "affectionate, very loving and playful" and that "it has only lived in shelters until now. It needs to experience life," urging an urgent adoption (SOS).
Two days earlier, a photo was released of her kissing another rescued dog to mark Christmas. The foundation added the message, "Wishing everyone's well-being at the end of the year and the well-being of your pet."
In a condolence post the foundation said, "We announce with deep sorrow the passing of founder and president Brigitte Bardot, who laid down fame and career and devoted her life to animal protection," adding, "Her legacy will continue through the foundation's actions and campaigns."
Bardot's animal rights activism began in earnest after appearing on the French TV current affairs program "5 colonnes à la une" in 1962. She demanded mandatory stunning before slaughter, and in 1977 traveled to the Arctic to take part in efforts to protect baby harp seals. After retiring from acting in 1986 she founded the foundation and devoted the rest of her life to animal protection.
Meanwhile, Bardot was also known for strongly criticizing Korea's dog meat culture as "barbaric" and for advocating boycotts of Korean products. In 1994 she sent a letter to then-president Kim Young-sam asking for a ban on dog meat. However, her criticism was accused of overlooking cultural relativism, and in France she was convicted five times on charges of racism in the course of criticizing Muslim practices related to animal slaughter.
Bardot debuted as a model at age 15 in 1950 and rose to global stardom in 1956 with And God Created Woman. She was later beloved for many works, including Dear Brigitte (1965).
The foundation mourned her as "a special woman who devoted everything to a world that respects animals more." She is survived by her husband and one son.<
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