Mumbai, Dec 2 (IANS): Bollywood actor John Abraham has been named the Person of the Year for 2020 by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

In 2020, John had sent a letter urging e-retailer Quikr to stop trading in live animals. Over the years, he has teamed up with PETA India to push for a ban on animal circuses, speak up for Mumbai's dancing monkeys, and star in an ad-campaign urging everyone not to keep birds in cages. 

He also adopted a community dog, Bailey, urged authorities to stop illegal pig slaughter in Goa and put a football jersey on the auction block to benefit  the organisations work to help animals.

Past recipients of the honour include politician Shashi Tharoor, former Supreme Court Justice KS Panicker Radhakrishnan, cricketer Virat Kohli, and actors Anushka Sharma, Sunny Leone, Sonam Kapoor, Kapil Sharma, Hema Malini, R. Madhavan, and Jacqueline Fernandez.

"John Abraham has been helping PETA India advocate for animals since our inception, and he shows no signs of slowing down. If birds are suffering in cages, puppies are being cruelly sold, or animals are in danger anywhere in the world, we can count on him to come to the rescue," said Sachin Bangera, PETA India Director of Celebrity and Public Relations.