Cow's Escape Nudges Barbara Walters Toward Vegetarianism

Renowned journalist and TV personality Barbara Walters was touched by the story of Molly, a cow who escaped from a New York City slaughterhouse and was sent to a farm sanctuary. On The View yesterday, Walters apparently said that the incident helped push her even more toward vegetarianism. According to DawnWatch, Walters also said that she plans to take her own veggie burgers with her to an upcoming function in Washington, D.C.

"I am more and more becoming a vegetarian. This broke my heart," Walters was quoted as saying on A Country Mom's Blog. Walters allegedly added, "When you really start to think of them [animals], you know, as having feelings and stuff, I find it very hard …"

Walters does not have a strong Jewish identity, but she was born Jewish. A 2006 Newsweek article noted that her father, an atheist, owned a popular nightclub but came home on Friday nights for Shabbat. Walters added that her mother "never gave [religion] much thought, though we did make a point, once in a while to light candles on Friday nights."