PETA mauls Bieber over tiger photo
PETA is yet again asking Justin Bieber to say sorry, this time after the misguided wildlife enthusiast posed at his dad’s gaudy engagement bash with a tiger that the animal rights organization claims shows signs of abuse.
Bieber posted a gentle Instagram snap with a tiger during a Saturday Bridle Path fundraiser that also included opera singers, a Batman impersonator and sushi served on naked women.
PETA believes the animal Bieber posed with is “Robbie,” the Bowmanville Zoo Siberian Bengal cross tiger who featured in Seth Rogen’s caper The Interview and is often trotted out for the public.
That’s relevant, because Bowmanville Zoo owner Michael Hackenberger recently stepped down as the zoo’s director after PETA released a video in which he appeared to repeatedly whip a Siberian tiger. The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has laid five charges of animal cruelty.
Meanwhile, PETA says this incident confirms that when it comes to his treatment of animals, Bieber hasn’t changed his stripes.
“The Biebers should be condemning this organization, not hiring it,” said Brittany Peet, PETA’s deputy director of captive animal law enforcement, Monday. “(This) is just more of the same from Justin Bieber.”
A representative for the Bowmanville Zoo wouldn’t say whether the animal posing with Bieber was in fact the famous Robbie.
“As of April 13, Michael resigned and is no longer involved in the day to day operations,” said executive administrator Lynn Holland in an email. “Since this was not a Bowmanville Zoo event, we cannot confirm nor deny that Robbie was involved.”
But the stripes on every tiger are unique, and PETA compared photos of the tiger at the Bieber bash to images of Robbie, finding identical stripes, a teardrop formation above his eye and that “telltale bald spot on his nose.” Nick Patch