Katherine Heigl Teams Up with Pup My Ride

Katherine Heigl is seen by millions every week portraying Izzie Stevens on “Grey’s Anatomy,” but Access Hollywood got a look at a lesser-seen side of the actress when we visited her as she worked to help give some dogs loving homes.

Heigl and her mother, Nancy, teamed up with Pup My Ride, an animal rescue program from the Best Friends Animal Society, to rescue a host of beautiful, healthy dogs from shelter life.

“Over 600 dogs have been saved and adopted,” Heigl told Access Hollywood. “Up in Utah and Arizona and some of these states around California, they have waiting lists for small dogs, people wanting to adopt and here we have an overwhelming number in the shelters,” Heigl said.

As a result, Best Friends drives the dogs, which would otherwise be put down, to new, out-of-state homes. “Today is the transport day,” Heigl smiled during Access’ visit. “I think [the dogs] are either excited or terrified. I’m not sure.”

But, before getting in the van, the eager little pups had some doggie business to attend to. “We make them go to the bathroom,” Heigl noted. “It’s a 12-hour [drive]. There’s no pulling over.”

Animal lover Heigl, a serial doggie-adopter, hinted she was tempted by the animals’ little faces on moving day. When asked how many dogs she’s taken home over the years, Heigl revealed she has six.

“I think my husband’s ready to kill me,” Heigl said of her husband of one year, Josh Kelley. “But you know what? The last one was his idea.” Kelley was compelled to take the sixth one on when he and Heigl found a puppy in a trashcan in Mexico.

“Someone had literally thrown him out, and he was probably at the time, three or four weeks old,” she said. “He was just this teeny tiny, fit-in-the-palm-of-my-hand, and Josh said, ‘I think we should take this one home,’ and I said, ‘OK! I’m dying for a puppy.’ But now I cam blame him for it too. I’ll be like, ‘This puppy was your idea, you get up with him at 7!’”

Neither Heigl or her mom, Nancy, were afraid to get their hands dirty when Access visited the women as they helped pack up the pups. “I don’t have to go into work until late,” Heigl said, referring to her day job playing Izzie Stevens on “Grey’s Anatomy. “I’m gonna have to shower though, before I go back to my scrubs.”

[Source: msnbc]