Story By: Buli Liang, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report
A new Chinese indoor zoo has been slammed for keeping animals in cramped conditions including two tigers and a pair of dogs that are forced to live together in a tiny concrete cell.
The Dudu Island Children’s Paradise in the city of Fuyang in the eastern Chinese province of Anhui opened its doors to the public on 21st December, according to local media.
However, visitors were stunned by the cramped enclosures the animals were forced to live in and one netizen shared images of two tigers living in a concrete cell with a pair of dogs.
In one snap, the tiny room appears just about big enough for the tigers to turn around in.
As well as tigers and dogs, the indoor zoo keeps over 70 species in a 3,000-square-metre (32,291-square-foot) “paradise”.
Other photos show monkeys, foxes, alpacas, snakes and parrots being kept in small enclosures.
PETA Asia press officer Keith Guo told Asia Wire: “A few years ago, we exposed the indoor zoo GrandView Aquarium in Guangzhou where we found the saddest polar bear in the world.
“Now we can see the saddest tigers in the world. This ‘Children’s Paradise’ is a living hell for the animals, kept in cramped conditions with little sunlight.
“These animals are denied everything that’s natural and important to them.”
In response to the criticism, a zoo spokesperson told local media: “The tigers and dogs have lived together since they were very small so they are great friends.
“We don’t need to worry about the tigers attacking the dogs because we feed them well every day.
“Also, the indoor zoo has all the necessary paperwork to open its doors to the public.”
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