Gary Barg sat down
with Ed to talk about his love of family
and respect for his four-legged friends.
Gary Barg: I am a real fan of
your work with the Humane Society of
the United States and trying to
promote the idea of pet trusts.
Ed Asner: Well, I think it
is cruel not to make plans for what
happens to your pets when you die.
When I was married, we had three
kids. We had a vast menagerie
of animals: three big dogs, four or
five cats, turtles, fish, birds, you
name it. We even had a lab rat
that got loose. The animals
filled our lives and were a
wonderful glue to bind us together.
Then eventually my wife and I
divorced and for 26 years, I went
without an animal. I had 26 years
without a cat in my life and it is
night and day for me to have them in
my life now.
GB: Animals are so very
important. I have a friend, Dr. Bill
Thomas, who created the Eden
Alternative and that is where there
is a whole plan in place for
facilities to actually incorporate
pets and plants; it brings back the
people from the edge because now
they have something to love and
something to take care of.
EA: That is lovely. That
is really lovely.
GB: In another light, I know you
were involved in the elder abuse
prevention video called “Saving Our
Parents.” I just thought your first
words in that really hit home.
You said, “If you do not care for
your senior loved ones, people with
less than loving intentions will be
more than happy to lend a hand.”
And I think that nothing is truer
and nothing is sadder.
EA: Well, yes.
GB: I wonder if you have
thought about how someone can
protect themselves and their loved
ones from all the scams, frauds,
Internet crimes and identity thefts
out there.
Ed Asner is well known for his
Emmy-winning role as Lou Grant on “The
Mary Tyler Moore Show” and it’s spinoff
series, “Lou Grant.” Asner took part in
a nationwide campaign for the Humane
Society of the United States that posed
the question: “What would happen to your
pet if you were not here?” Its purpose
is to encourage people to provide in
advance for their pets in case of a
serious illness, death, or an emergency
which suddenly takes the owner away. He
also hosted a video program on Elder
Abuse Prevention. This is an extremely
important issue for all family
caregivers.