New Delhi, Mar 20 (PTI) PETA on Wednesday said that it has "rescued" 150 animals from families reliant on them for their livelihood and gave them e-rickshaws so that they have a "better source of income".

The People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), India distributed 24 e-rickshaws to people in exchange of livestock owned by them, which included cows, bulls and horses.

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The keys of the e-rickshaws were distributed by Aam Aadmi Party councillor Shivani Panchal during an event here.

PETA is an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) that advocates for animal rights.

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"Our initiative aims to provide e-rickshaws in exchange of animals to not just save animals from cruelty but also help owners of these livestock to get a better source of income," Poorva Joshipura, director of PETA, told PTI.

She said some of these animals also carry diseases and pose a threat to human life. The organisation has rescued a total of 150 livestock across Delhi since 2018, she added.

Joshipura said the first animal that was rescued under the programme by the NGO was a horse.

Ram Prasad, who exchanged his horse during the event, told PTI: "This is a great opportunity for me as now I have a better source of income. I used to feel bad for my horse but I had no choice because I had to earn for my family."

"I was dependent on a bullock cart for my family's survival and it was hard for us to sustain with the income. So I exchanged my bull for an e-rickshaw last year," said Kalicharan.

According to the NGO, the rescued livestock are sent to various shelters homes in different states, including Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)