Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley adopted a dog from a shelter in June, and now the first-round pick is encouraging others to do the same.

In a video he filmed for PETA, Stanley shared his story of taking home Lola, a 6-year-old female who had been found last month locked inside a room of an empty home with no food, water or fresh air.

"Adopting Lola was one of the most rewarding things I've ever done, and I encourage everyone looking for a dog to consider an older one who might otherwise never get that chance," Stanley said. "There's no better feeling than knowing that Lola's hard days are behind her because she's safe with me."

Stanley is playing catch with Lola in the video, throwing a blue football in his backyard.

"The message to people mistreating their pets would be to look at themselves in the mirror and ask themselves, 'Is that how they would want to be treated if it was the other way around?'" Stanley said.

Stanley joins a growing list of athletes -- Chris Culliver, Tyrann Mathieu, Tony Gonzalez, Stevie Johnson, Brandon Flowers, Jarvis Landry, Lance Briggs -- who've teamed up with PETA to help animals.