Mumbai, July 10: Indian tennis player Sania Mirza has donated an autographed Wilson tennis racquet to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, and it is currently being auctioned at ebay.com.

The proceeds will benefit Animal Rahat, supported by PETA India providing working animals with relief.

"The funds we raise from auctioning my tennis racquet will provide comfort to horses forced to pull heavy carts, bullocks who work in sugar mills and donkeys who are forced to labour in the brick kilns," said Sania.

Animal Rahat was founded in 2003 to give relief to horses, bullocks, donkeys and other animals who are forced to work. This programme offers services throughout three districts in Maharashtra and is run by a staff that includes veterinarians, veterinary assistants, animal caretakers and a full-time community educator.

Some of the group's accomplishments include conducting vaccination camps, stopping cruel bullock races, enlisting the help of local police stations in averting animal abuse and confiscating countless whips, nose ropes, barbed-wire goads, horn paring equipment and other cruel devices that add misery to working animals' lives.

IANS