The Exorcist star Linda Blair has broken her silence hours after 70 law enforcement officers reportedly raided her property.
“I just wanted to check in because we got a really big surprise visit,” Blair, 67, began a Friday, July 31, Instagram video, addressing the reports. “As it turns out, there is nothing but some paperwork and some new diagrams and things. But, as everybody knows, I have been trying to move for the last two years, really. It’s imperative to my health and trying to help more animals.”
TMZ reported earlier on Friday that approximately 70 members of various law enforcement and animal agencies were issued an investigative warrant to search her property for any violations and count how many animals that Blair houses on the premises. The outlet claimed that Blair has a permit to keep 60 dogs, though authorities found 200 canines living there. None of Blair’s animals were immediately removed from her care.
As for the actress, she stressed that she is alright.
“I’m fine [and] the animals are fine,” Blair said in her Friday update. “We just have some paperwork that has to be dealt with, and that’s all this was all about. I don’t know why mail isn’t used more often to notify somebody, just saying.”
Blair founded her eponymous nonprofit, the Linda Blair Worldheart Foundation, in 2003 to rescue and rehabilitate abused, neglected or abandoned animals.
“With, as busy as we all are in animal rescue and saving lives from the hot deserts and abandoned animals and shelters, everyone’s emails and social media are overloaded!” Blair captioned her upload. “Turns out, we just have some paperwork to do and some diagrams but as everybody knows, I’m looking to move so I can be more educational and help more animals. I’d rather move forward. I always say you know a good old-fashioned letter of contact always works. Be safe; safe lives support animal rescue ‘cause we’re all fighting to save lives.”
Amid her acclaimed Hollywood career, Blair launched her nonprofit to help animals in need.
“I started rescuing in 1997 [and promoting] animal welfare since 1984,” Blair wrote via Instagram late last month. “I am hands-on in my foundation. I am the main rescuer, hands-on, preventative care, healer, behaviorist, trainer and matchmaker for [potential] adopters.”
She continued at the time, “We have a pet overpopulation crisis in the world! … We need help with this $5000-plus bill to get all these dogs, spayed, neutered, microchip and rabies. If you can help, please do!”
