The Royal Society for the Protection of Animals (RSPCA) has criticised the Chelsea defender Ben Chilwell after a video emerged of him playing tug-of-war with a tiger at a zoo in Florida.
The RSCPA said the activity, in which Chilwell and a group of friends pulled on one side of the rope while the tiger, who was behind a chain fence, pulled on the other end, does not “promote respect” for animals.
The ‘Tiger Tug’ attraction at the theme park in Busch Gardens, Tampa has been advertised to customers as a challenge to test their strength against the big cat, and has been in operation for several years.
Video of the incident emerged on social media on Monday, leading the RSCPA to make a statement condemning the activity.
“We don’t feel this activity promotes respect for these wild animals and should not be marketed for public entertainment,” the group said.
“Zoos often state that their aim is to educate the public and have a positive influence on visitor behaviour in ways that will directly benefit conservation.
“While we understand zoos which do this may feel that a ‘tug-of-war’ provides physical enrichment for big cats, there are many alternative ways of doing this.”
Chilwell is on holiday in Florida while the Premier League is on pause due to the international break. The left back is out for the season after suffering a knee injury and undergoing surgery last November.
