Mumbai, Oct 26 (IANS): Actor Shalin Bhanot in 'Bigg Boss 16' revealed that if it hadn't been been for his dog, whom he had rescued during the pandmic, he wouldn't be alive today.

In the footage, a teary eyed Shalin tells Priyanka about rescuing a dog who was abandoned in Mumbai's Ghatkopar. He goes on to say that if it wasn't for his dog that he fondly calls Swag, he wouldn't be able to survive the pandemic.

When Priyanka pushes him further to share his story, he confesses to be in a dark phase of his life when the pandemic started. During the first lockdown when the restrictions were stringent, he sent in an ambulance & made arrangements for the dog to be brought home.

Shalin also said he was never an animal enthusiast to begin with but the fact of living all alone in his big Mumbai house had become very lonely so he got excited to have a new family member and found that in his new pet dog who was in a very poor health condition when brought home.

The actor shared how he looked up on the internet for every minor detail and took it as a responsibility to heal his dog and raise him on his own. He said the dog saved him in ways more than one.