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The Print
6 days ago
- General
- The Print
China restaurant offering tea and lion cub hugs criticised by animal groups
Wanhui, which opened in June, sells about 20 tickets a day to customers looking to snuggle with the animals as part of a set menu costing 1,078 yuan ($150). Some customers of Wanhui restaurant in Taiyuan city have posted pictures and video clips of themselves cradling lion cubs on China's WeChat and Weibo platforms. HONG KONG (Reuters) -A restaurant in the northern Chinese province of Shanxi offering hugs with lion cubs while diners have a four-course tea has been criticised by animal welfare groups and drawn condemnation online, however the restaurant says the cubs are well cared for. The restaurant told Reuters that it did have lion cubs at the restaurant and that they were taken care of very well, with specialised carers to tend to them. While some zoos around the world, such as in Singapore or Australia, offer dining experiences near animal enclosures or views of the wildlife, it is rare for a restaurant to have direct physical interaction with wild animals. Besides the cubs, the restaurant also features llamas, turtles and deer on its page on Douyin, China's counterpart to social media app TikTok. Online comments were mostly critical, saying the Chinese restaurant venture was dangerous and not good for the animals. 'This is for the rich to play,' said one Weibo user. Another user urged action by the authorities, adding, 'The relevant departments should take care of it.' 'Tearing lion cubs from their mothers so diners can handle them over afternoon tea is exploitation, not entertainment. These animals are living, feeling beings, not toys,' People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Senior Vice President Jason Baker told Reuters. He added that the animals were 'treated like nothing more than social media props.' Peter Li, China policy expert for Humane World for Animals, said: 'Exploiting wild animals for selfies and marketing gimmicks is not only appallingly bad animal welfare, it's also potentially risky for customers.' 'Even a young lion is capable of lashing out and injuring a human. So, treating wild animals like props is both morally unacceptable and dangerously irresponsible.' Last month, Chinese authorities investigated a hotel for offering a 'wake-up service' with red pandas, state media said. The hotel in the southwestern region of Chongqing allowed the animals to climb onto beds to awaken guests. ($1=7.1806 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Farah Master in Hong Kong and the Beijing newsroom; Editing by Clarence Fernandez, Alexandra Hudson) Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Time of India
6 days ago
- General
- Time of India
‘Exploitation, not entertainment': Chinese restaurant under fire for offering lion cub cuddles to diners; PETA says animals are not toys
AI generated image for representation A restaurant in northern China has sparked outrage after offering customers the chance to cuddle lion cubs while enjoying afternoon tea. Animal welfare groups and social media users are slamming the experience as exploitative and dangerous. The Wanhui restaurant is situated in Taiyuan City in Shanxi province. It allows guests to handle the young lions as part of a four-course tea set, priced at 1,078 yuan ($150). Since opening in June, the venue has been selling around 20 tickets daily for the experience, which also features other animals such as llamas, deer, and turtles. Videos and photos of customers cradling the lion cubs have gone viral on Chinese social media platforms like WeChat and Weibo. Animal rights advocates have condemned the practice, warning of both ethical and safety concerns. 'Tearing lion cubs from their mothers so diners can handle them over afternoon tea is exploitation, not entertainment. These animals are living, feeling beings, not toys,' Jason Baker, Senior vice president at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), told news agency Reuters. Baker also criticised the trend of using animals for viral content, adding, 'The animals were treated like nothing more than social media props.' Peter Li, a policy expert on China for Humane World for Animals, also raised concerns about the risks involved. 'Exploiting wild animals for selfies and marketing gimmicks is not only appallingly bad animal welfare, it's also potentially risky for customers,' he was quoted as saying to Reuters. 'Even a young lion is capable of lashing out and injuring a human. So, treating wild animals like props is both morally unacceptable and dangerously irresponsible. ' Despite the backlash, the restaurant has defended itself, claiming the cubs are in good health and under professional care. 'They were taken care of very well, with specialised carers to tend to them,' a representative told Reuters. This incident follows another controversial hospitality service in China last month, when authorities launched an investigation into a hotel in Chongqing for its so-called 'wake-up service' using red pandas. The animals were allowed to climb onto guests' beds to rouse them in the mornings, drawing similar criticism from animal rights groups.
The Irish Sun
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Chinese restaurant slammed for offering cuddles with LION cubs – and they're not the only wild animals diners can pet
A CHINESE restaurant has been slammed for offering lion cub cuddles alongside afternoon tea - and they are not the only wild animals diners can pet. Patrons at Wanhui Tower, based in Taiyuan city, offers a luxury tea service that includes a "mascot interaction" with lion cubs for a hefty price tag of £124. 7 A Chinese restaurant offers tea time and cuddles with lion cubs for £124 Credit: Xiaohongshu/Daling 7 The eatery has sparked fierce backlash from animal activists Credit: Xiaohongshu/Wanhui 7 The restaurant, named Wanhui Tower, is based in the northern Chinese city of Taiyuan Credit: Getty Patrons have been posting selfies cradling the cubs on Chinese social media platforms like WeChat and Weibo, with some boasting they were also able to pet alpacas, deer, llamas and turtles – all while enjoying dessert. But the restaurant's bold move has triggered a flood of criticism and now a formal probe by the Shanxi Provincial Forestry and Grassland Bureau. Although Wanhui Tower was granted a licence to breed and display two African lions, authorities said that close human-animal contact is prohibited and that the matter is being handled "urgently" – a phrase in China that often signals looming legal trouble. But the restaurant, located in northern China's Shanxi province, is doubling down. The eatery claimed in a defiant statement: "We operate like zoos – why can't lions be used commercially?" Major animal rights groups have since pounced. Jason Baker, Senior Vice President of PETA, said: "Tearing lion cubs from their mothers so diners can handle them over afternoon tea is exploitation, not entertainment. "These animals are living, feeling beings, not toys." Most read in The US Sun He added the cubs were being "treated like nothing more than social media props." Peter Li, China policy expert for Humane World for Animals, warned the stunt was "not only appallingly bad animal welfare, it's also potentially risky for customers." China zoo slammed for painting donkeys black and white to look like zebras in ANOTHER 'fake animal' gaffe 'Even a young lion is capable of lashing out and injuring a human,' he said. 'So, treating wild animals like props is both morally unacceptable and dangerously irresponsible.' The controversy adds to a growing list of bizarre and troubling wildlife gimmicks at entertainment venues across China. Earlier this year, police in Thailand raided a 'lion café' in Phuket, arresting two Chinese nationals for illegally running a similar pet-a-cub scheme. Guests there could snap photos with lion cubs for £12–£23. Closer to home, a hotel near Chongqing drew fire after offering a 'red panda wake-up call,' where guests could have the wild animals brought into their rooms and allowed to crawl into bed with them. China's zoos, too, are under the microscope. 7 Another Chinese zoo was slammed by visitors after dyeing dogs to look like pandas Credit: Social media 7 Another zoo admitted to painting donkeys to look like zebras Credit: AsiaWire In March, a 'very big cat' incident sparked fury after footage of a shockingly obese black panther at Chengdu Zoo went viral. The panther, aged 16, could barely walk, and social media lit up with criticism over her bloated condition. One commenter quipped: 'I thought she was pregnant, but it turned out that she was overweight. Please ask her to exercise more.' Another zoo in Zibo, Shandong province, was caught painting donkeys with black and white stripes to pass them off as zebras – a stunt staff described as a 'marketing strategy.' Read more on the Irish Sun Earlier this year, staff at Taizhou Zoo in Jiangsu Province dyed chow chows to look like tiger cubs in a brazen attempt to fool visitors. The same zoo previously painted puppies to look like pandas. 7 Chengdu Zoo, also in China, was slammed after videos surfaced showing an obese panther 7 Footage shows dogs painted as tigers in the Taizhou Zoo Credit: AsiaWire
Scottish Sun
6 days ago
- General
- Scottish Sun
Chinese restaurant slammed for offering cuddles with LION cubs – and they're not the only wild animals diners can pet
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A CHINESE restaurant has been slammed for offering lion cub cuddles alongside afternoon tea - and they are not the only wild animals diners can pet. Patrons at Wanhui Tower, based in Taiyuan city, offers a luxury tea service that includes a "mascot interaction" with lion cubs for a hefty price tag of £124. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 A Chinese restaurant offers tea time and cuddles with lion cubs for £124 Credit: Xiaohongshu/Daling 7 The eatery has sparked fierce backlash from animal activists Credit: Xiaohongshu/Wanhui 7 The restaurant, named Wanhui Tower, is based in the northern Chinese city of Taiyuan Credit: Getty Patrons have been posting selfies cradling the cubs on Chinese social media platforms like WeChat and Weibo, with some boasting they were also able to pet alpacas, deer, llamas and turtles – all while enjoying dessert. But the restaurant's bold move has triggered a flood of criticism and now a formal probe by the Shanxi Provincial Forestry and Grassland Bureau. Although Wanhui Tower was granted a licence to breed and display two African lions, authorities said that close human-animal contact is prohibited and that the matter is being handled "urgently" – a phrase in China that often signals looming legal trouble. But the restaurant, located in northern China's Shanxi province, is doubling down. The eatery claimed in a defiant statement: "We operate like zoos – why can't lions be used commercially?" Major animal rights groups have since pounced. Jason Baker, Senior Vice President of PETA, said: "Tearing lion cubs from their mothers so diners can handle them over afternoon tea is exploitation, not entertainment. "These animals are living, feeling beings, not toys." He added the cubs were being "treated like nothing more than social media props." Peter Li, China policy expert for Humane World for Animals, warned the stunt was "not only appallingly bad animal welfare, it's also potentially risky for customers." China zoo slammed for painting donkeys black and white to look like zebras in ANOTHER 'fake animal' gaffe 'Even a young lion is capable of lashing out and injuring a human,' he said. 'So, treating wild animals like props is both morally unacceptable and dangerously irresponsible.' The controversy adds to a growing list of bizarre and troubling wildlife gimmicks at entertainment venues across China. Earlier this year, police in Thailand raided a 'lion café' in Phuket, arresting two Chinese nationals for illegally running a similar pet-a-cub scheme. Guests there could snap photos with lion cubs for £12–£23. Closer to home, a hotel near Chongqing drew fire after offering a 'red panda wake-up call,' where guests could have the wild animals brought into their rooms and allowed to crawl into bed with them. China's zoos, too, are under the microscope. 7 Another Chinese zoo was slammed by visitors after dyeing dogs to look like pandas Credit: Social media 7 Another zoo admitted to painting donkeys to look like zebras Credit: AsiaWire In March, a 'very big cat' incident sparked fury after footage of a shockingly obese black panther at Chengdu Zoo went viral. The panther, aged 16, could barely walk, and social media lit up with criticism over her bloated condition. One commenter quipped: 'I thought she was pregnant, but it turned out that she was overweight. Please ask her to exercise more.' Another zoo in Zibo, Shandong province, was caught painting donkeys with black and white stripes to pass them off as zebras – a stunt staff described as a 'marketing strategy.' Earlier this year, staff at Taizhou Zoo in Jiangsu Province dyed chow chows to look like tiger cubs in a brazen attempt to fool visitors. The same zoo previously painted puppies to look like pandas. 7 Chengdu Zoo, also in China, was slammed after videos surfaced showing an obese panther
NBC News
6 days ago
- General
- NBC News
Chinese restaurant offering tea and lion cub hugs criticized by animal rights groups
A restaurant in the northern Chinese province of Shanxi offering hugs with lion cubs while diners have a four-course tea has been criticized by animal welfare groups and drawn condemnation online, however the restaurant says the cubs are well cared for. Some customers of Wanhui restaurant in Taiyuan city have posted pictures and video clips of themselves cradling lion cubs on China's WeChat and Weibo platforms. Wanhui, which opened in June, sells about 20 tickets a day to customers looking to snuggle with the animals as part of a set menu costing 1,078 yuan ($150). The restaurant told Reuters that it did have lion cubs at the restaurant and that they were taken care of very well, with specialized carers to tend to them. While some zoos around the world, such as in Singapore or Australia, offer dining experiences near animal enclosures or views of the wildlife, it is rare for a restaurant to have direct physical interaction with wild animals. Besides the cubs, the restaurant also features llamas, turtles and deer on its page on Douyin, China's counterpart to social media app TikTok. Online comments were mostly critical, saying the Chinese restaurant venture was dangerous and not good for the animals. 'This is for the rich to play,' said one Weibo user. Another user urged action by the authorities, adding, 'The relevant departments should take care of it.' 'Tearing lion cubs from their mothers so diners can handle them over afternoon tea is exploitation, not entertainment. These animals are living, feeling beings, not toys,' People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Senior Vice President Jason Baker told Reuters. He added that the animals were 'treated like nothing more than social media props.' Peter Li, China policy expert for Humane World for Animals, said: 'Exploiting wild animals for selfies and marketing gimmicks is not only appallingly bad animal welfare, it's also potentially risky for customers.' 'Even a young lion is capable of lashing out and injuring a human. So, treating wild animals like props is both morally unacceptable and dangerously irresponsible.' 'wake-up service' with red pandas, state media said. The hotel in the southwestern region of Chongqing allowed the animals to climb onto beds to awaken guests.
