Top fashion designer Sanjana Jon loves desi dogs – she has four of them! The leather-free designer recently hosted a star-studded event in New Delhi to support PETA and Friendicoes SECA and to encourage anyone with the time, love and resources to adopt a homeless Indian (desi) dog rather than buying an animal from a pet shop. Actor Nasir Abdullah, Ramola Bachchan, politician Alka Lamba and fitness expert Vesna P Jacob were just a few of the celebrities who came out to support the "Paws for a Cause" event, walking, playing and posing for photographs with homeless dogs from Friendicoes' animal shelter.

L-R (Sanjana Jon, Benazir Suraiya, Arpita Mona Bansal, Vipul Gupta)

Dogs from Friendicoes

Alka Lamba & Executive Director of The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa, Vipul Gupta

Sanjana explained that the loveable, personable dogs at Paws for a Cause "are just a fraction of the dogs in India who need the right person to come along and make them part of the family. If you're ready to make a lifelong commitment, I hope you will consider visiting your local animal shelter – you might just find your new best friend".

You can make a difference by opening your home and your heart to a homeless dog or cat). Every time someone buys a dog from a breeder or a pet shop, a dog on the streets or in an animal shelter loses his or her chance at finding a good home. And please help stop animal homelessness at its source by always sterilising your animal companions.

Photo Courtesy: Monica Dawar

What goes best with fashion? Compassion! Top leather-free designer and renowned human rights activist Sanjana Jon kicked off Hyderabad International Fashion Week with a star-studded fashion show aimed at helping encourage those who have the time, love and resources to adopt a homeless Indian (desi) dog brimming with personality, rather than buying a dog "off the rack" from a pet shop or breeder.

Stars such as Bindu Madhavi, Vijay Yesudas, Ashwini Ponnappa, Sana Khan, Rupali Fulsunge, Sowmya, Chaitanya Krishna and Naren were part of the show while male models walked the ramp wearing PETA's "I ♥ Desi Dogs: Don't Shop, Adopt" T-shirt. Sanjana Jon, models and stars also wore the T-shirt at a news conference following the show.

You can help too! Just open your heart and home to a homeless dog if you're looking to welcome an animal into your life. And be sure to sterilize your animal companion since there are currently too many homeless dogs and not enough good homes.