Theo Rossi and His Rescued Pup Are PETA Pinups in New Pro-Adoption Ad

Luke Cage Actor Tells Fans to Save a Life by Adopting From Your Local Animal Shelter

For Immediate Release:
September 19, 2018

Contact:
Moira Colley 518-466-6815

Cuddling up to his 15-year-old rescued dog Benito in a new ad for PETA, Luke Cage star Theo Rossi urges fans to consider the millions of animals waiting at shelters rather than buying one from a pet store or breeder, proclaiming, “I Think, Therefore I Adopt.” The actor adopted Benito when he was a puppy—and years later, the dog saved him from choking to death and inspired him to turn his life around.

“Once we brought Benito home, there was an immediate understanding that he was one of us, part of the family,” says Rossi, whose son Arlo Benjamin is named in the pup’s honor. “Benny literally saved my life one time, and he’s more special than words can ever describe. When you adopt an animal from a shelter instead of buying from a breeder or pet store, you save a life just like he saved mine—and who doesn’t love that?!”

Not every pup is as lucky as Benito. Every year, more than 6 million dogs and cats end up in U.S. animal shelters, and half of them have to be euthanized because there aren’t enough good homes for them all. Countless more end up on the streets, where they may starve, freeze, be hit by cars, or face abuse.

That’s why PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—encourages caring people to adopt from local animal shelters and never buy from breeders or pet stores, which only exacerbate the homeless-animal overpopulation crisis.

Rossi is part of a growing list of celebrities—including Tom Hardy, John Stamos, Liev Schreiber, Gillian Anderson, Taraji P. Henson, Edie Falco, Joaquin Phoenix, Penélope Cruz, and Charlize Theron—who have teamed up with PETA to promote kindness to animals.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.