Hayden Panettiere’s final powerful act before her death aged 36 comes to light

One of Hayden Panettiere’s final acts was to be a voice for animals, as she fronted a PETA campaign weeks before her tragic death.

The shocking passing of the 36-year-old Heroes star was announced on Sunday (16 August) by her father Skip, who told ABC News in a statement: “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her - and to the millions who watched her onscreen."

Officers responded to a call made by an acquaintance reporting that the actress was ‘unresponsive’ and in ‘cardiac arrest,’ at her home in Greenville, South Carolina, however, her cause and manner of death have not yet been confirmed.

Now, one of her last on-camera projects has come to light - a video campaign for PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) that was shot in late July to protest against dolphins being held in marine parks like SeaWorld.

In light of Panettiere’s passing, the organisation shared the video on Tuesday (18 August), in which the actress was lying in a bathtub.

She said in the video: “Imagine spending your entire life in a bathtub. That’s what it’s like for dolphins and whales in tiny tanks at marine amusement parks. We can end this - you and me.

“In their ocean homes, dolphins swim up to 60 miles a day, free to be with family and other pod members.”

The actress continued: “They can dive deep, escape the hot sun and enjoy the rain on their back. All of that is taken from them when they’re confined to small tanks. Can you imagine their frustration, their trauma, their depression?

“All that’s important and crucial for their wellbeing is ripped away. They swim in endless circles day after day, year after year, in front of gawking, screaming spectators, often being poked and prodded.”

She urged: “Vow today never to go to a marine park that keeps dolphins in extreme captivity. Together, we can end this cruelty.”

The animal advocacy continued Panettiere’s work that began when she was 18 and paddled into the blood-stained waters of Taiji, Japan, and confronted dolphin hunters during an annual slaughter - this moment was captured in the Oscar-winning documentary The Cove.

The actress was a proud animal rights activist (Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)

As per PETA, in 2015, Panettiere signed a 'friend of the court’ brief supporting the National Marine Fisheries Service’s denial of a permit for the Georgia Aquarium to import 18 wild-caught beluga whales from Russia.

And in 2019, the actress appealed to President Vladimir Putin to release nearly 100 belugas and orcas slated for transfer to marine parks, with the Russian government returning the cetaceans to the sea and banning their capture the same year.

PETA wrote in their tribute: “Panettiere’s compassion didn’t stop at marine animals. She was a cheerleader for other species, including when she halted filming on the set of Heroes to save a flock of birds from a crewmember blasting them with a leaf blower.

“She was never afraid to call out cruelty wherever she witnessed it, and we hope her legions of fans will honor her legacy by refusing to be silent when animals are suffering.

“The world has lost a kind soul and the animals a fierce ally, and everyone at PETA holds her memory close.”