Hilary Swank Stands Up For 'Man's Best Friend' Amid Thanksgiving

Hilary Swank's love for dogs has been obvious for a long time!

The star is known to be a believer in adopting dogs and is also a proud pup parent to four rescue dogs named Kai, Sufi, Teddy, and Moon. She has shared that she has a lifelong love of dogs, and, to that effect, she took to her page to take advantage of the Thanksgiving mood to remind everyone that dogs deserve love all year round, not just when it is convenient. 

The actress could not resist stirring the hearts of people to the furry pets this holiday season as she reposted a collage picture from "@taoanimalrescue" to her Instagram story that showed a contrast in dog treatment with time.

In the first image, a cute white furry dog could be seen leaning happily on the head of a couch as he let his tongue hang out with the words "His first Christmas" written above. The second was the same canine but a more somber version sitting sadly behind a cage with the words "His second Christmas" written.

It indicates that the dog had probably just been adopted for a holiday and returned, which was confirmed by the caption on the picture, which read, "Furiendly Reminder.. A dog is for life, not just for Christmas!" 

This is not the first time the 48-year-old is standing up for the rights of her furry friends, as The Blast reported that the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" guest actress is also in the habit of reuniting lost pets with their owners. 

The movie producer did this when she helped rescue a dachshund dog named Blue in New York City. It was reported that the owner Chelsea Blackwell was distraught after losing her dog of over fifteen years and went on a solo search party for him.

She noted that she spent over an hour driving around before seeing a spot filled with patrol cars and cameras near the Greyhound bus station in Albany. Becoming curious, Blackwell decided to look in on the scene she stumbled upon, which happened to be a movie crew as she also decided to ask if they had seen her dog.

Not long after, a gray car pulled up, and she saw Blue resting on the lap of the award-winning actress. Definitely shocked, she welcomed her dog with open arms before thanking the "You're Not You" star and posing for a picture together. Recounting the event, the New Yorker wrote:

"I'd stopped and asked if someone had seen a little brown dog? A man walked over to my car and said, Yes, this woman picked him up."

The happy owner mentioned that Blue's presence was crucial to her as her best friend, especially after suffering the loss of her mother and another family member within months of each other.

She also noted that her pet did not have the physical capability to run long distances, swim strenuously, or leaping. Blackwell then disclosed that he was a bit stubborn but loving and sensitive, with a penchant for attention and a unique appearance that won her heart.

The "Million Dollar Baby" star has a foundation dedicated to rescuing dogs called Hilaroo, which is a combination of her name and the name of her adopted dog, Karoo. Their mission is to find these pets who they believe "have been given up on by society" and match them to kids willing to give them a new and safe home. 

The actress announced her pregnancy in October and, according to The Blast, was pretty excited at the idea of being a mother. The "Logan Lucky" actress also disclosed why her baby's due dates were sentimental to her.  During her interview on "The Drew Barrymore Show," she shared that their day of birth was the same as her father, Stephen Michael Swank, who passed away a year ago.

The show's host stated, "You just announced that your father passed away one year ago, and this miracle is happening," as the two-time "Emmy Award" winner agreed that it was indeed a miracle for them to be born on the same day. 

The "Screen Actors Guild Award" winner had also just posted a remembrance message to her father with a clip showing different moments of his life after announcing her pregnancy. She captioned the post, "I can't believe it's been a year since you've transitioned. You are missed beyond measure and forever in my heart."