Heroes star Hayden Panettiere cried Saturday night as the Humane Society gave her an activism award for protesting the annual dolphin slaughter in Southwestern Japan last year.

Hayden received the Gretchen Wyler Award, given annually at the Genesis Awards to a celebrity who brings attention to animal causes. Wyler, who founded the awards and was also an actress, presented the first award to Paul McCartney. She died last May from breast cancer.

Hayden’s parents and her boyfriend and Heroes co-star – Milo Ventimiglia were in the audience and watched a video of the actress and others paddling out on surfboards and confronting fishermen, who trap and kill dolphins to protect their fish supply. They then gave a standing ovation as Hayden took the stage.

Save the cheerleader! And she’ll save the dolphins! Kudos to Claire Bennett!

Love dolphins? Visit Dolphin Bubbles and learn more about dolphins.

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