Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; February 9, 2015)

Salman Khan’s love for dogs is almost legendary — on reel as well as in real life. So when he received news about his pet dog Sandy being unwell, he apparently decided to put the shoot of Bajrangi Bhaijaan on hold and fly back home for a day. Director Kabir Khan has been shooting with Salman and Kareena Kapoor in Mandawa, a town in Rajasthan.

A source says, “When Salman got to know that Sandy was ill and not eating, he wasted no time in flying down to Mumbai on Saturday morning. He spent the entire day by his pet’s side and flew back to Rajasthan late evening. Though he is away, he has constantly been enquiring about his dog’s health.” Before Sandy, the actor had two Bull Mastiffs — Myson and Myjaan. After Myson’s death in 2009, Myjaan took ill a few months later and passed away. It is said that his debut production venture, Chillar Party, was a tribute to his own dogs. The film was centered on a bunch of kids doing unbelievable things to save their society dog from the clutches of the municipal corporation.

In 2011, Salman donated a photograph with his two pets to the Bombay Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BSPCA) to spread awareness about animal welfare.