ABC’s ‘Will Trent’ sponsors pet adoptions plus an adorable PSA

Betty the Chihuahua from the television program "Wlll Trent"

ABC and its new hit series 'Will Trent' are celebrating National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day by promoting pet adoptions with a new PSA and by covering pet adoption fees from April 28-30 at select Best Friends Animal Society locations.

By Best Friends staff

April 18, 2023

In English

In Spanish

Animal lovers can spot a kindred spirit in character Will Trent from the things he does for his dog, Betty. In the first episode of Will Trent, ABC’s new crime drama, Will finds the tiny dog on the street, apparently abandoned, and can’t bring himself to leave her at a shelter, so he brings her home. Will ends up buying her special food, building a ramp so she can climb up onto the bed, and hiring a dog walker for her.

The storyline of a pet going from rescued to pampered is one that plays out in real life over and over, and it never gets old. And in honor of that, ABC/Will Trent are paying it forward to support pet adoption in a big way.

They are covering adoption fees at Best Friends pet adoption centers from Friday, April 28 through Sunday, April 30 for National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day.

Behind the scenes with Betty

Will Trent is based on the book series of the same name by New York Times best-selling author Karin Slaughter, and that’s where Betty’s character was born. One of the books introduced the storyline of Will’s friendship with a Chihuahua whom he finds, and she has been a staple ever since. So the television show needed to cast a dog to play Betty alongside Ramón Rodríguez, who plays Will Trent.

The right pup for the job was an 8-year-old Chihuahua named Belle. The little black-and-tan dog had the acting chops required for the role — she was one of several dogs to star in the film Cruella recently. Belle’s person works with her to ensure she meets her marks for each episode, and well, let’s just say that she’s a bit of a scene-stealer.

Season 1 of Will Trent wraps up with new episodes airing April 18, April 25, and May 2 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. Viewers can also stream the whole season so far on Hulu.

Thanks to ABC/Will Trent promoting and sponsoring adoptions, more pets from Best Friends will be landing their real-life Hollywood endings.