Oscar Pic Raises $3 Million for Animal-Welfare Organization

Ellen DeGeneres’ star-studded Oscar selfie has the Internet atwitter. Samsung, whose Galaxy phone was used to capture the image that shows the host surrounded by Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, and Kevin Spacey, is donating one dollar to charities of DeGeneres’ choice for every one of the 3 million retweets the image received, and DeGeneres has allocated $1.5 million to animal-welfare group the Humane Society of the United States. The Ellen Show host has been a strong proponent of HSUS and its campaigns in the past, such as in 2008 when the organization was pushing the landmark Proposition 2 bill to be passed in California, and its recent battle against ag-gag legislature. According to HSUS president Wayne Pacelle, the funds will be divided among the organization’s Pets for Life, Shelter Pet Project, and the Animal Rescue Team programs.