Activism followed Bardot’s early retirement from filmpublished at 10:36 GMT
Image source, Getty Images
After nearly 50 films, Bardot turned heads when she announced that she would be stepping away from the big screen aged just 39 in 1973.
Instead, she announced that she would be dedicating her life to animal welfare.
“I gave my youth and beauty to men, I give my wisdom and experience to animals,” Bardot famously said.
In 1986, Bardot launched her own animal rights charity – the Brigitte Bardot Foundation – which works to protect wild and domestic animals.
The actress later became vegetarian, and in 2013 even threatened to apply for Russian citizenship in protest against plans to kill two sick elephants in a French zoo.
Her activism had international scope and was wide ranging: in 2001, Bardot celebrated success after signing a deal with the mayor of Bucharest to save about 100,000 stray dogs from death.
According to its website, Bardot’s foundation now has “more than 70,000 donors worldwide, nearly 300 employees and more than 500 volunteer investigators and delegates”.
Image source, Getty Images
