Chinese restaurant offers lion cub cuddling with tea. Say what!
What's the story
A restaurant in China's northern province of Shanxi is drawing attention for its unique offering: cuddling with lion cubs during afternoon tea. The four-course afternoon set at Wanhui, located in Taiyuan city, has gone viral on Chinese social media platforms Wechat and Weibo. Customers have been seen cradling the cubs like babies in photos and videos shared online.
Diverse attractions
A look at the unique dining experience
Wanhui, which opened its doors in June, offers a unique dining experience with not just lion cubs but also llamas, turtles, and deer. The restaurant sells around 20 tickets a day for this unusual experience as part of a set menu priced at 1,078 yuan ($150 or ₹12,870 approximately). However, the service has raised serious concerns about legality and animal welfare among critics online.
Criticism mounts
Many users called the service dangerous and harmful to animals
The restaurant's offering has drawn a lot of criticism online, with many calling it dangerous and harmful to the animals. One Weibo user said, "This is for the rich to play," highlighting the exclusivity of the experience. Another user called for government intervention in such cases, saying "The relevant departments should take care of it."
Past controversy
Similar controversy in June
The controversy surrounding Wanhui isn't an isolated case. In June, a hotel in Chongqing was investigated for offering a "wake-up service" with red pandas. The animals were allowed to climb onto beds to wake up guests, raising similar concerns about animal welfare and legality as the current situation with Wanhui restaurant's lion cub cuddling experience.
Move condemned
PETA criticizes use of cubs for entertainment
Animal protection organisations have strongly opposed this, warning that using young animals for entertainment compromises their well-being. Jason Baker, Senior Vice President of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), criticized the practice, saying it exploited a baby animal that should be with its mother. He also condemned the trend of using animals as props for online content, adding that the cubs were being treated merely as accessories for social media.