Booboo Stewart PETA Ad: Twilight Star Says 'Adopt, Don't Buy' Cats And Dogs (PHOTO, VIDEO)

"Twilight" actor Booboo Stewart is lending his star power to a new ad campaign from PETA that urges people to adopt from animal shelters rather than buy from pet stores.

In a behind the scenes video released in conjunction with the new ad, Stewart poses with his rescue poodle Pookie and urges people to avoid pet stores.

"If you guys are interested in getting any kind of animal, definitely go and adopt," says the 17-year-old actor. "Pet stores just sell their animals."

The "Adopt, Don't Buy" campaign is intended to raise awareness of the more than 7 million dogs and cats that enter animal shelters each year in the U.S. According to PETA, each dog or cat purchased from a pet store "takes away a home from an adoptable animal -- meaning that one more animal in a shelter will die."

By fueling demand for pet stores and breeders, PETA argues that the purchase of pets leads to inhumane conditions for animals, such as those seen in so-called "puppy mills."

"Puppy mills are a well-kept secret of the pet-trade industry," PETA writes on their website. "They supply animals to pet stores and purebred enthusiasts without any concern for the millions of animals who will die in animal shelters as a result. It's standard practice for puppy mills to keep animals in cramped, crude, and filthy conditions without proper veterinary care or socialization."

While this isn't the first time a celebrity has spoken up for the animal rights group, it is a more conservative PETA ad compared to Elisabetta Canalis stripping down for the 'I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur' campaign.

Check out the new ad and video of Stewart below.

Comments

[emily williams81]

01:11 PM on 01/25/2012

Love this! It's so cool that he's getting the word out about the importance of adopting pets from a shelter. If you love rescue dogs, I recommend reading "Rex and the City," by Lee Harrington. It's a great book about how adopting a dog can really change your life. Thanks for the article!

[Amberleigh Jennings]

03:24 PM on 01/12/2012

Adopt at a local animal shelter instead of buy?! The ones at the animal shelter are even more expensive than the ones at the pet store!! Adopting a pet from the Humane Society is like adopting a new Mazda!!! What idiots.

[Kenz300]

04:43 PM on 11/17/2011

Adopt -- there are too many stray cats and dogs being put to death every day.

[littlerabbit]

04:39 PM on 11/17/2011

Can't stand PETA, but BooBoo is cute and clothed!

[Freebird78]

03:59 PM on 11/17/2011

Awww I love Poodles and I just found out how athletic they are in this video I saw: http://www.ilovedogs.com/2011/11/i-love-dogs-presents-the-poodle/

I hope that this ad gets a lot of attention, but so many people still don't adopt. It's so sad that they are the best dogs and so many are put down! I may not agree with PETA but I hope the message gets out there..

[O K Ali]

12:20 AM on 11/17/2011

As many animals they have killed under the premise of finding them good homes, I'm surprised they even endorse pet ownership

[timpak]

12:16 AM on 11/17/2011

While I don't agree with Peta on everything, I will back 'em up on this topic. We have three rescue/shelter cats, and a newly added rescued mutt. All fantastic pets, and saved from "death row" in some cases. If you don't like Peta, that's fine, but don't miss the point that your next best friend is waiting at the pound for you to meet him/her.

[xhawk2]

11:37 PM on 11/16/2011

PETA activists are hypocrites. PETA is against pet ownership. They also pose for anti-fur ads, but have plenty of leather.

[kelzk]

11:12 PM on 11/16/2011

I don't think I'd really call this kid a "star" of Twilight... The only reason I even know he's from Twilight is because he's Native American looking.

[CocoLopez]

10:01 PM on 11/16/2011

petakillsanimals dot com

[AdrianneG]

10:43 PM on 11/16/2011

I was going to post the same thing. Contradictory huh?

[Alexandra Moore]

07:24 PM on 11/16/2011

PETA is terrorist organization and should not be getting our money or time. Pets who are donated to PETA for adoption are euthanized. This is a group that wants us to think of fish as sea kittens and had huge movement to change the name of a town from Fishkill (kill meaning stream in Dutch) to Fish save. And they sponsor eco terrorist groups. PETA wants all animals to be as free as humans. That is worthy goal, but human domestication has shaped many kinds of animals and besides some animals are jerks: Chimps who are closet relatives make war on each other, and commit infanticide. A pig would kill and eat you as soon as look at you. And my only meeting with chickens convinced me to buy more KFC. Now I've met awesome; rats, ferrets, fish, crayfish, cats, dogs, and rabbits. I agree that our food animals should be treated more humanly but come on we evolved to be omnivores! And any nature documentary will show you how that's savage out there. Nature is red in tooth and claw. Humans decided to hunt, eat, kill and raise animals for food. Some animals we bred for companions or to help us work. PETA is denying that and using sick tactics to do it, and lying like rugs. I have no respect for them. They do not deserve our attention.

[MIMom]

04:51 PM on 11/16/2011

Someone please tell the geniuses at PETA that you "buy" dogs at a shelter or rescue, too. Yes, there are some costs associated with care that the organization should be able to recoup, but one rescue I looked into wanted $400 for an adult abandoned dog. That's not care -- that's a breeder's price, as in BUYING.

[Alexandra Moore]

09:41 AM on 11/17/2011

No a good breeder charges more then that, trust me.

[MIMom]

01:07 PM on 11/17/2011

More than what? Please define what you consider a "good breeder".