The Golden Girls was a hilarious TV series that gave people what they wanted: sharp one-liners, relatable stories and off-the-wall characters we never grew tired of watching.

But the show offered more than silly moments, big laughs and biting humor. Behind the scenes, its stars were also using their platform to support causes they cared about, including animal welfare.

According to a 1989 interview with the Telegram & Gazette, all four of the series' stars, who were over 50 at the time, used their platform to advocate for our four-legged friends and devoted much of their spare time to causes benefiting seniors.

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At the time of the interview, Estelle Getty and Rue McClanahan were promoting a pet adoption program encouraging elderly people to adopt animals from local shelters.

"We're encouraging seniors to adopt a pet from their local anti-cruelty society," Getty said. "It's a great thing for older people. I mean, people who adopt pets have a lower blood pressure, they feel better, they're in better mental spirits all around and their physical health improves as well. I just think cats and dogs are wonderful creatures for older people."

McClanahan certainly practiced what she preached. According to the interview, seven dogs and two cats were permanent residents in her home.

"I'm blessed with very low blood pressure, and I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I have nine animals," McClanahan said. "You know, there are frustrations involved in having so many pets, but they make me laugh so hard and they're so happy and loving and so full of goodness."

And McClanahan's love of animals went far beyond having a house full of furry roommates. She helped recruit her Golden Girls co-stars Bea Arthur and Betty White to appear in an anti-fur public service announcement filmed on the set of the show.

Bea Arthur was also a passionate animal advocate. She joined PETA in 1987 and supported numerous animal welfare campaigns.

And then there was Betty White, who was a longtime animal welfare advocate and worked with organizations including the Los Angeles Zoo Commission, Morris Animal Foundation, Actors & Others for Animals, Farm Animal Reform Movement and Friends of Animals.

In a 1992 interview with the Herald News, White summed up her lifelong devotion to animals simply:

"I'm into animal welfare and animal well-being," White said. "I've been that way since the womb because my folks were as big or bigger animal nuts than I am. I don't get militant about it for the simple reason that you polarize people on both sides. I just try to preach whenever I can get anybody to listen about personal responsibility for animal well-being."

Sometimes, between bites of cheesecake, the girls had something important to say.