Imran Khan awarded for standing up against dog abuse

Mumbai: Actor Imran Khan has been awarded by animal rights organisation People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India for stopping a trainer from hitting a canine on his film set.

Imran was reportedly shooting for ‘Gori Tere Pyaar Mein’ when he saw the dog trainer smack a dog. He immediately walked up to the trainer and pushed him in order to stop the abuse. PETA has now sent Imran a Hero to Animals Award and a basket full of dog-shaped vegan gourmet chocolates prepared by Pune`s Ambrosial Chockies as a mark of appreciation for his deed. "This dog would have been terrified and endured more abuse were it not for Imran`s compassionate and quick action," PETA India manager of Media and Celebrity Projects Sachin Bangera, said in a statement. "We encourage everyone to stop and speak up for animals who are subjected to pain or suffering, because if you don`t, maybe no one else will," Bangera said. Imran, whose ‘Gori Tere Pyaar Mein’ released Friday, has earlier appeared in a PETA ad urging people to adopt homeless animals. Other recipients of PETA`s Hero to Animals Award include Zarine Khan for rescuing a cat from the streets, Cyrus Broacha for refusing to perform a stunt that involved riding a bull and Rani Mukerji for helping a dog in distress on her film set.