Bollywood actress Dia Mirza has posed as a snake to raise her voice against animal skin trade in an ad for animal rights organisation People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

The caption of the ad reads: "Face It: Exotic Skins Kill. Wild Animals Belong in the Wild, Not in Your Wardrobe."

Dia said: "Skinning animals alive or beating them to death for a pair of boots or a purse cannot be justified."

"By choosing widely available fake snake and mock croc, you can pay tribute to these animals' beauty without stealing their skins and killing them," she added.

Dia is "bloodied" in the ad to make it look as if she was skinned alive, which is the case for many snakes used in the skin trade. The ad is shot by ace photographer Jatin Kampani.

According to PETA, snakes, alligators and other exotic animals suffer greatly before their skins are turned into shoes, bags and other products.

PETA India had recently honoured Dia's production house, Born Free Entertainment, with a Hero to Animals Award for promoting the adoption of homeless dogs in the company's film "Love, Breakups, Zindagi".