It takes an army to get Shilpa Shetty Kundra’s fur babies to pose with her. Just when her dog, Truffle, finally gives in and settles in her lap, her cat Simmba decides to take off! As the actor sits with us for a special National Pet Day shoot, she recalls how Truffle entered their lives.

“We surprised Viaan (her son) on his 10th birthday with a miniature poodle. She is everything I manifested in a pet. She is disciplined and fitness conscious like me. In the morning, she always needs her badams,” the Indian Police Force actor tells us, adding, “She’s quite human-like, but human beings don’t love as unconditionally.”

Kundra has had furry companions since she was a teenager. “Initially, my father didn’t want a pet. I remember Shamita (Shetty, sister-actor) was so fond of animals that we would sneak in abandoned dogs, storks and all kinds of little creatures. Once, our father found three kittens in the attic and threatened us by saying, ‘Either the pet or me’. My mother, Shamita and I just looked at each other and said, ‘The pet!’ That’s something we laugh about till date,” the 48-year-old shares, right before her daughter Samisha chimes in to keep Truffle in check.

“Behave, Truffle, otherwise I won’t talk to you,” the four-year-old says, and we all burst out laughing!

The actor believes it’s impossible to not get attached to these precious furballs. “My father, who didn’t even like animals that much, cried the most when we lost our first pet. He even organized a send-off ceremony. That’s just how pets are; they end up creating that space in your life,” she wraps up.

For Amit Sadh, his three pets aka “four-legged people”, as he prefers to call them, are an “immeasurable” part of his life. On National Pet Day, Sadh opens up about what these pets mean to him and why.

The fact that the actor isn’t comfortable calling them ‘dogs’, and often sends them away to his mountain home to relieve them from claustrophobic indoors, only shows his unparalleled love for his furry companions.

Introducing Tango and Mike as energetic young pups, and Cocca, the wise elder member of the pack, the actor shares, “Tango and Mike are the youngest members of the troop, being only eight months old. Cocca, on the other hand, is 12 years old now. He is the most gentle and polite of the three.” He adds, “They are madly obsessed with me, and I, with them.”

Reminiscing about his past companions, Brando and Liam, the actor gets emotional and shares, “I lost Brando last year, and I lost the love of my life, Liam in 2020. I am grateful for the love they brought into my life.”

As a pet parent, the 44-year-old further shares how a major part of his daily routine is planned around his pets. “If I’m away for a shoot, I compensate for this by spending time with them once I am back. Especially with the big ones (dogs), if you don’t engage, their mental health gets affected, and they might end up feeling bored and depressed. I have a feeling they have taught me how to be a good father,” he quips.

When it comes to pet care, Sadh’s approach is rooted in respect and understanding. “It is my aim that they should not fear that they will be beaten. They might not have a voice, but still have a way of communication. Humans have so much to learn from their loyalty and affection,” Sadh wraps up.