Justin Bieber condemned by PETA for posing with captive tiger at a party

Peta said the star was lucky not to have been attacked by the big cat

Justin Bieber ( Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Justin Bieber has been criticised by Peta for posing with a tiger at a birthday party.

On Sunday, Bieber shared a picture of him stroking the big cat which has a collar and lead around its neck. The photo, which has been liked two million times, was apparently taken at a party for his father, Jeremy, in Toronto to celebrate his engagement.

However, the picture has provoked criticism from the animal rights group Peta (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) who wrote a letter to the singer claiming the tiger belongs to Bowmanville Zoo, of which the owner was recently charged with animal cruelty.

A spokesperson for Peta told the Independent they suspected the tiger to be a veteran tiger at the zoo and had their suspicions “confirmed” by experts.

In a blog post Peta also criticised the party for using animals for “entertainment”. “Exotic animals used for entertainment are usually torn away from their mothers at a young age, beaten into submission by trainers, and forced to live in cramped enclosures,” they wrote. “They may even be fed sedatives so that they’re docile during events and parties like the one Justin attended […] Justin and other guests are lucky that they weren’t attacked by the wild animals. In similar situations, animals have been known to lash out because of the stress of their miserable lives.

“We’re calling on Justin and his family never to use animals as selfie props or party entertainment again.”

Despite being liked two million times, the 22-year-old’s Instagram picture has also attracted some negative response. One commenter wrote: “Oh Justin what are you doing??? […[] This is a terrible example of animal exploitation you should not be promoting this. Please do your research.” Another wrote: “Do not support this.”

A representative for Bieber did not immediately respond to a request for comment.