Throwing out pets is horrible, says Imran

Imran has posed with his adopted dog for an advertisement for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) - India in the past. The message was `Tony Changed My Life. You Can Change a Homeless Dog`s Life. Please Adopt`.

Tony, the dog, died recently.

"I care a lot about animals. If I see an injured, sick animal -- essentially any animal I feel I could help in some way, I do that. Often people buy dogs, cats as they see them as toys or fashion accessories. They get bored of them and they throw them out of the house. That is a very horrible thing to do," Imran, who hopes to open his own animal shelter some day, said.

According to PETA, in India, around 25 million homeless dogs struggle to survive on the streets.

The actor says his life was enriched after he adopted Tony and that he would like his fans do the same. After his friend found Tony wandering in the streets, Imran filed a complaint with the police and learnt that the person Tony had been living with had thrown him out.