Dylan McDermott Says Adopting Dog Was ‘Greatest Day of My Life’ (Exclusive)

Dylan McDermott is spreading the word about the joys of pet adoption.

The FBI: Most Wanted actor and his rescue dog Otis are the stars of PETA‘s new pet adoption campaign, which urges animal lovers to “Adopt, Don’t Shop” to ensure that every needy pet gets “a Hollywood ending.”

PEOPLE has an exclusive first look at the campaign, which features a video of McDermott, 63, and Otis howling together.

The clip opens with the pair letting out an enthusiastic howl before McDermott says, “Maybe the greatest day of my life is when this guy came into my life.”

Otis and his dog dad have easy chemistry onscreen, perhaps because the pair have acted side-by-side before. The scruffy pup has appeared alongside McDermott in FBI: Most Wanted and LA to Vegas.

“In both instances, he was terrific,” the pet parent gushes.

McDermott believes his bond with Otis and the pet’s professional success shows how many amazing animals are waiting to be adopted from shelters and rescues.

“There are so many animals in need out there, who really want a home, who need a home. There’s no reason to go to a pet store and buy an animal,” McDermott says in PETA’s new adoption campaign.

The American Horror Story star also uses the clip to share Otis’ astounding rescue story. Before his adoption, the dog was hit by a car and had to undergo an operation as part of his recovery.

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“When I saw him, I was floored. I sat in my car in the parking lot, and I was just like, ‘I can’t leave this guy,” McDermott says. “And thank God I rescued him, and he rescued me.”

McDermott and PETA hope this new pet adoption campaign inspires animal lovers to rescue their next pet and help the over 70 million homeless animals in the U.S. searching for a forever home right now.

The actor is one of numerous celebrities who enthusiastically support pet adoption. Bachelorette alum Katie Thurston recently shared that she and her fiance, Jeff Arcuri, adopted a puppy.

“It was important for us to #adoptdontshop, so after visiting our local shelters, we landed at [Best Friends Animal Society in NYC] where we found our little mixed #rescue,” she wrote in the caption of her Instagram post introducing the dog.