Donna D’Errico EXCLUSIVE: The Baywatch star, 52, is vegan and admires Joaquin Phoenix

Donna D’Errico has a love for animals that started when she was growing up in Georgia and Alabama as a child.

That has led to the former Baywatch actress to working with Last Chance For Animals and becoming vegan.

Now the 52-year-old siren – who has kept her incredible shape thanks to daily workouts and a healthy vegan diet – has told DailyMail.com exclusively about her goals for the future when it comes helping animals, what type of animal she will adopt next, how to make the best vegan Sausage McMuffins, what she thought of Joaquin Phoenix’s awards show speeches and how she has a close bond with her bird Charlie.

She loves her furry friends: Donna D’Errico has a love for animals that started when she was growing up in Georgia and Alabama as a child. That has led to the former Baywatch actress to working with Last Chance For Animals and becoming vegan. Seen in Malibu

The  pinup has a heart: Now the 52-year-old siren - who has kept her incredible shape thanks to daily workouts and a healthy vegan diet - has told DailyMail.com exclusively about her goals for the future when it comes helping animals

The  pinup has a heart: Now the 52-year-old siren – who has kept her incredible shape thanks to daily workouts and a healthy vegan diet – has told DailyMail.com exclusively about her goals for the future when it comes helping animals

Donna said she grew up in the south where she would hang out by the lake by her home and walk the nearby woods because she didn’t have a ton of friends growing up.

‘I loved watching the animals, they were so beautiful,’ said the blonde bombshell who was on Baywatch and Baywatch Night from 1996 until 1998.

‘If there was a bird that needed help, I would rescue it and return it to the wild.’

As an adult the Kiss The Bride actress started rescuing senior dogs that needed help.

Helper: Donna said she grew up in the south where she would hang up by the lake by her home and walk the nearby woods because she didn't have a ton of friends growing up. 'I loved watching the animals, they were so beautiful,' said the blonde bombshell who was on Baywatch and Baywatch Night from 1996 until 1998

Helper: Donna said she grew up in the south where she would hang up by the lake by her home and walk the nearby woods because she didn’t have a ton of friends growing up. ‘I loved watching the animals, they were so beautiful,’ said the blonde bombshell who was on Baywatch and Baywatch Night from 1996 until 1998

She also posed for Playboy magazine

She also posed for Playboy magazine

‘I always picked the one that was not a special breed or was not the best looking because I knew they needed the help and I was happy to do it,’ said Donna.

‘A lot of people want puppies because they are so cute. But I wanted to help the ones that were passed over. And I think the dogs are grateful, they know they have been helped out, and in return they are very loyal.’

D’Errico said she kept the animals until they passed.

Throughout her lifetime she says she has adopted around seven rescued senior dogs.

One dog came from Linda Blair of The Exorcist fame who runs a rescue herself.

After Donna’s mother died, another family member passed and then a rescue pooch went to dog heaven all within the same year, Donna took a break from bringing in rescue dogs.

Good heart: As an adult she started rescuing senior dogs that needed help. 'I always picked the one that was not a special breed or was not the best looking because I knew they needed the help and I was happy to do it,' said Donna. Seen in August 2019

Good heart: As an adult she started rescuing senior dogs that needed help. ‘I always picked the one that was not a special breed or was not the best looking because I knew they needed the help and I was happy to do it,’ said Donna. Seen in August 2019

‘But now I am ready to get back to it,’ the pinup said, ‘and I want to take in a dog again. I will start looking soon.’

For now, she has the company of her pet bird Charlie. ‘At first I thought she was a boy but when I took her to the vet I found out she was a girl. But I kept the name,’ she said.

‘Charlie is on my shoulder a lot, even when I am in the kitchen, she is fun to have around and she is like an intruder alarm, she knows when someone is coming,’ said the former Playboy model with a laugh.

‘I got her when she was one. The former owners thought she was too much work so I took her.’ 

Her bird friend is a cutie: 'Charlie is on my shoulder a lot, she is fun to have around and she is like an intruder alarm, she knows when someone is coming,' said the former Playboy model

Her bird friend is a cutie: ‘Charlie is on my shoulder a lot, she is fun to have around and she is like an intruder alarm, she knows when someone is coming,’ said the former Playboy model

Donna has worked with Last Chance For Animals and Chris DeRose for a while.

DeRose is an animal rights activist, and recipient of the 1997 ‘Courage of Conscience’ International Peace Award and a former actor. He appeared as a regular on the ABC series San Pedro Beach Bums, General Hospital, Cagney And Lacey, CHiPs, The Rockford Files and Baretta.

‘He is such an inspiring person,’ D’Errico told DailyMail.com. ‘I am happy to work with them to bring awareness for animals.’

Chef Donna: The Brooklyn Nine-Nine guest star also said that cooking vegan can be fun, and there are so many delicious things to make. 'I make the best vegan Sausage McMuffins that have vegan sausage and vegan egg,' sad the 9-1-1 actress. 'And my crab cakes are yummy too. Instead of crab I use hearts of palm and nori'

Chef Donna: The Brooklyn Nine-Nine guest star also said that cooking vegan can be fun, and there are so many delicious things to make. ‘I make the best vegan Sausage McMuffins that have vegan sausage and vegan egg,’ sad the 9-1-1 actress. ‘And my crab cakes are yummy too. Instead of crab I use hearts of palm and nori’

The ex-wife of rocker Nikki Sixx has worked on anti fur campaigns, protesting of bull fights as well as doing PSAs.

Last year, Last Chance For Animals honored her.

She also said that she was inspired by Joaquin Phoenix’s speeches during awards season earlier this year where he encouraged people to go vegan.

‘He was not preachy, the way he put it was smart, he was not in everyone’s face, it was well done. It’s not like he was standing on a soap box. He is the real deal,’ she noted.

A fan of this one: She also said that she was inspired by Joaquin Phoenix's speeches during awards season earlier this year where he encouraged people to go vegan. 'He was not preachy, the way he put it was smart, he was not in everyone's face, it was well done. It's not like he was standing on a soap box. He is the real deal,' she noted. Seen in February

A fan of this one: She also said that she was inspired by Joaquin Phoenix’s speeches during awards season earlier this year where he encouraged people to go vegan. ‘He was not preachy, the way he put it was smart, he was not in everyone’s face, it was well done. It’s not like he was standing on a soap box. He is the real deal,’ she noted. Seen in February

The Brooklyn Nine-Nine guest star also said that cooking vegan can be fun and easy, and there are so many delicious things to make.

‘I make the best vegan Sausage McMuffins that have vegan sausage and vegan egg,’ sad the 9-1-1 actress.

‘And my crab cakes are yummy too. Instead of crab I use hearts of palm and nori.’

As far as keeping her trim figure, she said it’s not luck, but rather working out hard. ‘I work out every day, I really earn it, and I eat right,’ said the star who still looks great in a red swimsuit.

Last Chance for Animals is a US non-profit organization that advocates for animal rights. It is known for its documentary, Dealing Dogs, and for its investigations against the use of animals for testing purposes