Mumbai,  Television actor Mahika Sharma has urged people not to adopt pets just to follow a trend. On the occasion of National Pet Day, the actress said that 'you need to be responsible for your pet'.

"Pets in the country are now a mode of showing off fashion trends and a sign indicating that someone enjoys a high profile status. But I feel this is a negative gesture and cruelty towards innocent animals and birds. People should only adopt a pet once they are ready to take up their expenditure. And can be responsible towards them," she says.

Mahika, who is known for her roles in shows like "F.I.R", "Tu Mere Agal Bagal Hai" and "Police Factory" is also working for the welfare of street dogs and wildlife. The actress has earlier stood for One-Horned Rhino in her home state Assam.

"It's sad that in the first phase of Covid, people abandoned their dogs and other pets because they were scared. Not only in such situations but in Mumbai, actors get a pet dog home but once after they can't make it big on the workfront, they return to their hometowns, abandoning the pet on the street," she says.

Mahika has also appeared in Bollywood films like 'Mr Joe B. Carvalho' and 'Chalo Dilli'.