Betty White is not going to be idle when she celebrates her 99th birthday on Sunday.
The television legend, who was born Jan. 17, 1922, in Oak Park, Illinois, will be in quarantine but also will be paying attention to animals.
“You probably didn’t ask, but I’ll tell you anyway,” White told “Entertainment Tonight.” “What am I doing for my birthday? Running a mile each morning has been curtailed by COVID, so I am working on getting ‘The Pet Set’ re-released, and feeding the two ducks who come to visit me every day.”
“The Pet Set” was White’s 1971 show that co-starred her husband, game-show host Allen Ludden, who also produced the series. The show, which had 31 episodes, included appearances by such stars as Vincent Price, Andy Williams, Bob Crane, Rod Serling, Jim Nabors, Doris Day, Della Reese, Mike Connors and others.
The stars spoke about their pets, including a wide range of animals such as bears, cougars, elephants, gorillas, kangaroos, tigers and zebras. The animals were spotlighted in the studio and on location, Entertainment Tonight reported.
The show will be re-released digitally and on DVD on Feb. 23, in time for the show’s 50th anniversary, “Today” reported.
Before she became an actress, White wanted to become a forest ranger, People reported. However, women were not allowed to be rangers at the time, the website reported.
The U.S. Forest Service made White an honorary forest ranger when she was 88, according to People.
White won five Emmy Awards and was nominated 21 times as she starred in some of television’s most iconic series, including Sue Ann Nivens in “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and Rose Nylund on “The Golden Girls.”
“I am blessed with good health,” White told People. “So turning 99 is no different than turning 98.”
White said a sense of humor keeps her on an even keel.
“Don’t take yourself too seriously,” White told People. “You can lie to others -- not that I would -- but you cannot lie to yourself.
“Just looking at the positive side and not dwelling on the downside. Takes up too much energy being negative. Also, having a good agent who keeps me busy all the time.”
Cox Media Group