By Subhash K Jha

Of late Bollywood has become extremely pet friendly.

"They're far more reliable than human companions," jokes Sushmita who has half a dozen dogs of various exotic breeds in her home, all looked after like royalty. Rani and Urmila dote on their dogs like their own children.

Dogs are the No. 1 soul-providers in Bollywod. As soon as Abhishek Bachchan was gifted an over-sized canine by a friend, he found his choc-a-block schedule being governed entirely by his pet's moods.

Even a sneeze makes Abhishek paranoid about his over-sized baby. While leaving for his honeymoon Abhishek's main worry was his dog...Would it be looked after well in his absence?

Veteran actress Raakhee looks after her canine Pari as though she were her second daughter. Full-fledged domestic servants are employed for Pari to be walked, fed bathed and oput to bed. Raakhee's husband Gulzar's pet dog Pali has been his most constant companion for years.

A young sexy actress who, after a messy break-up got herself a poodle after much deliberation is over the moon. "Why do we insult dogs by calling men dogs? I've realized my new companion is far more reliable and giving than my boyfriend used to be."

Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali admits his life changed ever since some friends gifted him a dog on his last birthday. Sanjay has named his dog Happiness and admits that's the quality that the canine has brought to his life.

Randeep Hooda who had a pet cat that died recently, has decided to be different in his choice of pets. He's acquiring himself a companion from the animal kingdom that one else in the industry can claim to have one of those.

Laughs Randeep, "I don't know about that. But yes, I'm heavily into outdoor sports. And I own horses and camels."