Katherine Heigl defends participating in dog rescue fundraiser at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago: 'Ani...

The elusive &34;Grey's Anatomy&34; star courted controversy for her appearance at the charity event hosted at the president's Palm Beach club. Katherine Heigl defends participating in dog rescue fundraiser at Donald Trump's MaraLago: 'Animals don't vote' The elusive &34;Grey's Anatomy&34; star courted controversy for her appearance at the charity event hosted at the president's Palm Beach club. By Ryan Coleman :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/RyanColemanauthorphoto0081ce8f0254478080f35972c433877b.

The elusive "Grey's Anatomy" star courted controversy for her appearance at the charity event hosted at the president's Palm Beach club.

Katherine Heigl defends participating in dog rescue fundraiser at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago: 'Animals don't vote'

The elusive "Grey's Anatomy" star courted controversy for her appearance at the charity event hosted at the president's Palm Beach club.

By Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman is a news writer for with previous work in MUBI Notebook, Slant, and the LA Review of Books.

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March 11, 2026 10:20 p.m. ET

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Katherine Heigl attends a dog rescue fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., March 8. Credit:

Manny Hernandez/Getty

- Katherine Heigl is defending her decision to attend a dog rescue fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago, the exclusive Palm Beach club owned by Donald Trump.

- "Animals don't vote. The only room they don't like is the euthanasia room at a shelter," the actress shared in a statement.

- Heigl has long advocated for pets' rights, establishing the Jason Heigl Foundation for animal welfare with her mother Nancy in 2008.

Katherine Heigl is hitting back at criticism over her recent attendance of a charity event held at Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump's exclusive Palm Beach club.

The *Grey's Anatomy *star was one of hundreds in attendance on Sunday at the 2026 edition of Wine, Women & Shoes, an annual fundraiser benefitting Florida's Big Dog Ranch Rescue, the nation's largest no-kill dog shelter. The event was held this year at the sprawling, 17-acre estate that serves as Trump's primary residence, as well as plays host to a wide variety of weddings, galas, and other special events.

Heigl has become an elusive star since the height of her fame in the late 2000s and early 2010s, and the rare red carpet appearance March 8 attracted a good deal of attention. Much of that attention has been critical due to the association with the sitting president, whose approval rating has been plummeting amid the ongoing war against Iran.

Never one to shy away from controversy, Heigl finally addressed her decision to the attend the event, which she contended existed in an entirely separate sphere from politics.

Katherine Heigl on 'Grey's Anatomy'.

Randy Holmes/ABC

"Animals don't vote. The only room they don't like is the euthanasia room at a shelter," the actress said in a statement shared with Page Six on Wednesday. "They are completely at the mercy of us, and they have no voice of their own."

"This event was about animal advocacy — something that has always been deeply personal to me... Anyone who knows me knows that protecting animals is one of my greatest passions," she continued.**

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* *did not immediately hear back from representatives for Heigl.

Heigl's advocacy for the cause of animal welfare is long running and well documented.

The actress and her mother Nancy established the Jason Heigl Foundation for animal welfare and advocacy in 2008 in honor of their late brother and son, who died in a car accident. The Heigls have raised "more than $8 million" since the organization's inception in order to support animals in need, according to its website.

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The three-day gala benefitting Big Dog Ranch Rescue raised $5.5 million in pursuit of its goal to open facilities in Alabama, Texas, California, and North Carolina, according to *The Palm Beach Post*.

The event was co-chaired by Lara Trump, the president's daughter-in-law, and was attended by other figures in his extended circle, like Fox News host Jeanine Pirro, whom the president appointed United States Attorney for the District of Columbia back in August.

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