Latest news with #Wanhui
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Restaurant Scolded for Offering Cuddle with Lion Cubs on Its Menu
NEED TO KNOW Social media users and local leaders are calling out a restaurant in China for allowing customers to play with lion cubs Wanhui restaurant in Taiyuan city reportedly charges 1,078 yuan ($150) for the experience One official said the animals were "treated like nothing more than social media props'A restaurant in China is facing international criticism after the option to play with live lion cubs was added to its menu. Wanhui restaurant in Taiyuan city, located in the northern Chinese province of Shanxi, became popular after its June opening thanks to an unusual dining experience — a four-course tea where customers can cuddle with lion cubs for 1,078 yuan ($150). They reportedly sell about 20 tickets a day for the experience, according to Reuters. Footage of the unique tea was shared on China's WeChat and Weibo platforms, which are used for instant messaging and blogging. On Wednesday, July 16, a spokesperson for Wanhui restaurant told Reuters that the lions are well taken care of, with a special staff that tends to them. Additionally, the restaurant also offers llamas, turtles and deer for guests on its Douyin page, China's counterpart to the social media app TikTok. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Other exotic animals such as alligators and meerkats are also advertised on Wanhui restaurant's Dazhong Dianping profile, which is a restaurant listings app, The Guardian reported. Both news outlets noted that some zoos do offer dining experiences where customers can eat within eyeshot of animal enclosures, but that the option to play with the cubs has left many locals outraged. 'They're putting profit above consumer safety – it's way too dangerous,' one Weibo user reportedly wrote. Another added, "This is for the rich to play." What's your sign? Subscribe to to get your unique weekly horoscope delivered straight to your inbox. In a statement to Reuters, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Senior Vice President Jason Baker 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." Baker added that the animals were "treated like nothing more than social media props." Peter Li, China policy expert for Humane World for Animals, also weighed in on the discussion. "Exploiting wild animals for selfies and marketing gimmicks is not only appallingly bad animal welfare, it's also potentially risky for customers,' Li said. He concluded, "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." Read the original article on People
The Guardian
17-07-2025
- The Guardian
Restaurant in China criticised for putting baby lion cuddles on menu
A restaurant in northern China has been criticised by animal welfare groups for offering an unusual item on the menu: lion cub cuddles. According to a screenshot of a menu circulating on social media, Wanhui – a restaurant in Taiyuan, the capital of Shanxi province – has a four-course set afternoon menu costing 1,192 yuan ($166/£124) that includes playtime with the in-house animals. The restaurant's profile on Dazhong Dianping, a popular restaurant listings app, shows pictures of the lion cubs alongside other animals, such as deer and alligators. The menu on the Dianping page does not include lions in its list of animals but says customers can play with llamas, turtles and meerkats. Several photos show customers snuggling the baby lions. In one review posted this month, a customer sits with a lion cub on her lap, holding the its paw to wave to the camera. The woman's review reads: 'I can pet a cute little lion in a small shop! 🦁 It's called Simba, and looks so good. There are staff to guide you, so you don't have to worry about safety issues!' While some influencers have jumped at the chance to post eye-catching photographs on social media, the reaction of Chinese people online has been mostly negative. 'They're putting profit above consumer safety – it's way too dangerous,' wrote one Weibo user. Chinese media reported that the Shanxi forestry and grasslands bureau was investigating the matter, adding that this kind of human-animal contact was prohibited. Peter Li, a China policy expert for Humane World for Animals, told Reuters: 'Exploiting wild animals for selfies and marketing gimmicks is not only appallingly bad animal welfare, it's also potentially risky for customers.' It is not the first exotic animal welfare scandal in China. Last month, tourists visiting a zoo in Liaoning, in the north-east, were condemned for reaching through a metal grate to pull tufts of hair off a tiger. A hotel in Chongqing, a city in south-west China, recently attracted scorn for offering a 'wake-up service' delivered by red pandas, which could climb into guests' beds. Contact between humans and exotic animals has also been highlighted by experts as a potential risk for the spread of zoonotic diseases, such as Covid-19. Staff at Wanhui repeatedly hung up the phone when called by the Guardian. According to Reuters, the restaurant said the lion cubs were well cared for by specialist staff. Additional research by Lillian Yang
The Guardian
17-07-2025
- The Guardian
Restaurant in China sparks concern after putting baby lion cuddles on menu
A restaurant in northern China has been criticised by animal welfare groups for offering an unusual item on the menu: lion cub cuddles. According to a screenshot of a menu circulating on social media, Wanhui – a restaurant in Taiyuan, the capital of Shanxi province – has a four-course set afternoon menu costing 1,192 yuan ($166/£124) that includes playtime with the in-house animals. The restaurant's profile on Dazhong Dianping, a popular restaurants listing app, shows pictures of the lion cubs alongside other exotic animals such as deer and alligators. The menu on the Dianping page does not include lions in its list of animals but says customers can also play with llamas, turtles and meerkats. Several photos show customers snuggling with the baby lions. In one review posted this month, a customer sits with a lion cub on her lap, holding the its paw to wave to the camera. The woman's review reads: 'I can pet a cute little lion in a small shop! 🦁 It's called Simba, and looks so good. There are staff to guide you, so you don't have to worry about safety issues!' But while some influencers have jumped at the chance to post eye-catching photographs on social media, the reaction from Chinese people online has been mostly negative. 'They're putting profit above consumer safety – it's way too dangerous,' wrote one Weibo user. Chinese media reported that the Shanxi forestry and grasslands bureau was investigating the matter, adding that this kind of human-animal contact was prohibited. Peter Li, a China policy expert for Humane World for Animals, told Reuters: 'Exploiting wild animals for selfies and marketing gimmicks is not only appallingly bad animal welfare, it's also potentially risky for customers.' It is not the first exotic animal welfare scandal in China. Last month, tourists visiting a zoo in Liaoning, in the north-east, were condemned for reaching through a metal grate to pull tufts of hair off a tiger. A hotel in Chongqing, a city in south-west China, recently attracted scorn for offering a 'wake-up service' delivered by red pandas, which could climb into guests' beds. Contact between humans and exotic animals has also been highlighted by experts as a potential risk for the spread of zoonotic diseases, such as Covid-19. Staff at Wanhui repeatedly hung up the phone when called by the Guardian. According to Reuters, the restaurant said the lion cubs were well cared for by specialist staff. Additional research by Lillian Yang
The Print
17-07-2025
- 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.
Deccan Herald
16-07-2025
- General
- Deccan Herald
Lion cub cuddles on offer with afternoon tea in China
Teatime revels in China now include hugs with lion cubs in a four-course afternoon set offered by a restaurant in the northern province of Shanxi, drawing widespread attention online and fuelling concern for the animals' welfare. Customers cradled the lion cubs as if they were babies in pictures and video clips posted online on China's Wechat and Weibo platforms. The Wanhui restaurant in Taiyuan city features llamas, turtles and deer in addition to the cubs on its page on Douyin, China's counterpart to social media app TikTok. 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 state-run Shanghai Daily said on its official Wechat page. "The service has raised serious concerns about legality and animal welfare," the English-language newspaper added. Reuters was unable to independently contact Wanhui. Online comments were mostly critical, saying the venture was dangerous and not good for the animals. "This is for the rich to play," said one Weibo user. "Ordinary people even can't afford to drink." Another user urged action by the authorities, adding, "The relevant departments should take care of it." The incident comes just after authorities investigated a hotel in June for offering a "wake-up service" starring red pandas, state media said. The hotel in the southwestern region of Chongqing allowed the animals to climb onto beds to awaken guests.
