Mumbai, Dec 17 (IANS): Actress-entrepreneur Shilpa Shetty Kundra has been honoured with a 'Hero to Animals' Award by animal rights organisation PETA for speaking out against the cruelty of circuses; signing a petition asking the government to uphold the ban on jallikattu, bull races, and bullfights; and adopting a stray kitten.

Shilpa's compassion towards animals was recognised here on Saturday night by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

"Shilpa is beautiful inside and out and has a golden heart that beats for animals. We thank her for standing up for animals through her work and other actions," Sachin Bangera, PETA Associate Director of Celebrity and Public Relations, said in a statement.

Other recipients of PETA's Hero to Animals Award have included Zareen Khan, for rescuing a cat from the streets; Cyrus Broacha, for refusing to perform a stunt that involved riding a bull; Rani Mukerji, for helping a dog in distress on her film set; Asin, for saving a dog hit by a car; Imran Khan, for stopping a dog trainer who was smacking a dog on a film set; Sadha Sayed, for helping a puppy who just missed being hit by a car during a rainstorm; and Dia Mirza's production house, Born Free Entertainment, for showing that homeless animals make wonderful additions to families.