Imran Khan Asks Fans To Follow His Lead – Adopt A Dog, Don’T Buy!

For Immediate Release:
31 May 2011

Contact:
Sandra Smiley 0207 357 9229, ext 229; [email protected]

London – Posing with his adopted dog beside the caption “Tony Changed My Life. You Can Change a Homeless Dog’s Life. Please Adopt”, Bollywood hunk and softie for animals Imran Khan appears in a brand-new ad for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India. Khan – who took the Indian film industry by storm in Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na – says adopting the late Tony was a turning point in his life. The ad was shot by top photographer Avinash Gowariker.

In an exclusive interview with PETA India, Khan talks about how he has always tried to help animals in need. Says Khan, who would like to open an animal shelter one day: “I care a lot about animals. If I see an injured animal, a sick animal and, essentially, an animal I feel I could help in some way, I do that”.

Every year, a staggering number of stray and abandoned dogs are picked up off UK streets by local authorities – more than 100,000 between 2008 and 2009 – and that doesn’t include those surrendered to animal shelters. Each year, thousands of highly adoptable dogs are killed in UK animal shelters because there are not enough good homes. Other animals are abandoned on the streets, where they starve to death, get injured or killed by vehicles or fall prey to cruel people. PETA UK and its affiliates urge people who are thinking about bringing a companion animal into their lives to adopt from a shelter – and never buy from breeders or pet shops. People can also help minimise the number of homeless cats and dogs by ensuring their animals are spayed or neutered.