CORONATION Street star Helen Worth, who plays Gail in the soap, met Leyton's MP at a parliamentary event.
Harry Cohen met the actress, who supports animal charity Born Free, along with representatives of the RSPCA at a meeting of the Associate Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare, of which he is a member.
A report produced by both charities explores the abuse and exploitation of wild animals in some circuses and calls for an end to such cruelty through the Animal Welfare Bill.
Mr Cohen said: "Animal welfare is important to me. As a pet owner myself, I appreciate how vulnerable animals can be and think it is important that we have firm guidelines in place to prevent cruelty and exploitation." The MP has also signed an early day motion which condemns the sale and use of remote electric shock collars to train and control dogs.
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