Remix Team Roots 4 Canine Safety on Holi

One rather sadistic idea of having fun during Holi celebrations is to target colour filled balloons at animals, especially dogs and smear them with colour. And taking up arms against this cruelty are popular teen icons, Tia, Ranveer, Yuvi and Anvesha of Remix fame. Dressed as their canine friends, the four of them are appearing in a PETA campaign, which urges youth to be compassionate towards animals.

"I was a little apprehensive about dressing like a dog but when they told me the context I was game for it. And we looked cute dressed as dogs," says Karan Wahi aka Ranveer.

Karan has no problem with canines but at the same time is not comfortable when they are too close to him. "They are good from a distance," he says. However Karan says he is dead against testing of eye make-up on animals. He says, "This cruel practice that's so rampant must be dis- couraged. It makes the poor animals blind and is the most inhuman thing one can ever do." While Karan is petrified of dogs Raj Singh Arora, aka Yuvi runs away from colours during Holi. So, he understands the plight of animals that are targeted during the festival. "I empathise with animals when they are smeared with colour. When I was approached for the campaign I grabbed the offer whole-heartedly," says Raj.

The girls, Priya Wal and Shweta Gulati, were more than game for the campaign. "We love animals and pamper stray dogs on the sets. It feels so nice to have pets around you all the time," says Priya. Though she is an animal lover, Priya choos es not to keep a pet at home as she hates the "idea of leaving them locked up in the house for hours." Shweta reveals that she loves to be greeted by Fibi, her cocker spaniel after a hard day's work. "My maid attends to its needs when I am not at home. I loved the idea of dressing up as a doggie. I have a huge picture of ours in the costume and I simply love it," she says.