Peter Dinklage issues heartbreaking plea to 'Game of Thrones' fans

You may know actor Peter Dinklage as the ever-so-hilarious Tyrion Lannister on HBO's Game of Thrones, but the actor turned serious for a moment to acknowledge an issue that's near and dear to his heart.

A long time animal lover and humanitarian, he's sending a message to his fans.

Since the show's premiere in 2011, animal shelters have seen a surge in the abandonment of Huskies. The breed, which bear a striking resemblance to the fictional direwolves, are sought-after by Thrones fans, who only later realize "how much work and commitment are required to care for them."

Dinklage has recently teamed up with PETA, for the second time, to address these issues and encourage his fans to truly consider the responsibility required to care for a dog.

“Please, to all of Game of Thrones many wonderful fans, we understand that due to the direwolves’ huge popularity, many folks are going out and buying Huskies,” he said.

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"Not only does this hurt all the deserving homeless dogs waiting for a chance at a good home in shelters, but shelters are also reporting that many of these huskies are being abandoned—as often happens when dogs are bought on impulse, without understanding their needs. Please, please, if you’re going to bring a dog into your family, make sure that you’re prepared for such a tremendous responsibility and remember to always, ALWAYS, adopt from a shelter,” he vowed.

The animal rights group has seen similar cases of breed-specific adoption -- and later abandonment -- as the result of different shows. 101 Dalmatians and Legally Blonde are just two examples that "caused massive spikes in sales of the featured dog breeds, and many of these dogs were later abandoned at shelters by their ill-prepared guardians."

You can find more information on his campaign here.

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