Cara Delevingne was thrilled to take part in a photo call with a wild lion cub. Some of the rest of us aren’t so pleased.
First it was Beyoncé and now model Cara Delevingne has come under fire for posing with a wild animal. She’s the face of TAG Heuer’s new campaign and her co-star on the publicity shoot was a lion cub.
In a statement to MailOnline on behalf of World Animal Protection, wildlife expert Dr Neil D’Cruze said: “Lion cubs are not photo props. Their health and wellbeing should not be compromised. They belong in the wild, not draped over a celebrity just to sell a designer watch. When you look behind the scenes, advertisements like these support an industry that relies on animal cruelty. Our concern is that such high profile adverts will legitimise these cruel encounters with wild animals. I am sure that both advertisers and consumers alike would think twice about the commercial use of wild animals if they were aware of the suffering involved behind the scenes.”
More:Cara Delevingne’s Chanel project with Pharrell was a lot less controversial
During the photo call for Paris Fashion Week Delevingne fed the wild animal, put her finger in its mouth and cradled it in her arms like a baby.
She posted several pictures of her furry companion on her Instagram account, describing the animal as her “dream date”.
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Photo credit: Cara Delevingne/Instagram
View this post on Instagram
Photo credit: Cara Delevingne/Instragram
According to Jean-Claude Biver, CEO of TAG Heuer, the brand chose Delevingne because they “needed someone disruptive yet elegant […] to open our minds to the brashness and boldness of today’s youth.” However, the young people of today who care about the wellbeing of wild animals may not be completely on board.
More:Beyoncé was also criticised for getting up close and personal with a wild animal
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