However mean he can be to Karl Pilkington, The Office and Extras star Ricky Gervais is known for being a keen animal lover, whether it's domestic pets or creatures out in the wild.
Now the British comedian's pushing his animal credentials further, by sharing a petition to the UK government to ban pet shops and unauthorised third parties from selling puppies at pet shops.
On his Facebook page earlier today, Gervais shared the petition created by Beverley Cuddy, urging his fans to sign it so it reaches 100,000 signatures.
"Removing puppies for sale from litter and mum often creates sick, traumatised, dysfunctional dogs," the text of the petition reads.
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"Puppies should be seen with their mum and transporting them to a different place for sale harms welfare. Regulating commercial third party sales is ineffective to prevent harm & a ban is therefore necessary."
According to the petition, selling puppies through commercial third-party dealers isn't great for the dogs' welfare, and also creates additional risks for consumers and public safety.
Instead it proposes a 'ban on dealing in puppies for profit', instead encouraging the sale of puppies direct from a breeder or a rescue centre.
At the time of writing the petition's already pushing 20,000 signatures, way over the 10,000 it needs to gain a response from the UK government.
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The 100,000 signatures Gervais is after will almost guarantee the petition will be discussed in parliament, and thanks to his public support you wouldn't be surprised to see the petition smash that target too.
Gervais is forthright in his passion for animal rights issues, having already previously stated that he'll leave his fortune to animal charities and often popping up in promo videos for campaigns to stop animal cruelty.
He has received much recognition for his work, and even awards - winning the prestigious Lord Houghton Award for Service To Animal Welfare from Animal Defenders International last year.
Sometimes Gervais' passion and his comedy career cross paths, such as last year when he piled in on a big game hunter who shot and killed a giraffe in its natural habitat.
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Gervais shared a photo of the hunter 'celebrating' his kill, not forgetting to add his own sarcy reply.
"Yay! I shot a stationary, 14 foot herbivore, with a high velocity rifle for fun!" he wrote on his Facebook page. Needless to say, he wasn't really pleased.
You've got to admire the man for his commitment to animals. Let's see what becomes of this petition.
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: Entertainment, Celebrity, Animal Rights, Animals, Ricky Gervais