Tom Sandoval has once again started a controversy and this time it is regarding animal cruelty. The Television presenter has shared a photo from his last trip in Instagram where he documented his travels in Asia including a visit to the tiger zoo.
However some of his fans and his Bravo cast members quickly expressed their disapproval for him supporting this animal cruelty. The Vanderpump Rules star has been in many controversies till now and this has added the intensity.
Fans criticized Sandoval for taking part in the photograph and shared an article on Thailand’s suggested horrible treatment of tigers. This article mentions these types of photoshoots, including footage of tigers posing for shots with lighters held under their chins.
The tiger also appears to be declawed, which has been judged harsh even for domestic pet cats, let alone large animals. Sandoval also shared a video of the trainer striking the tiger on the head on his stories.
Another video showed the tiger leaping in his cage while Sandoval hung a piece of food on a fork. Even if Sandoval was unaware of the circumstances, posing with a captive tiger is unethical for obvious reasons. It doesn’t take an expert in animal rights to recognize that a wild animal isn’t a property or an accessory.
Some of his cast members have bashed against him for the act. PETA which is People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals also educated Tom about the animal safety and cruelty they have to face in these centers.
PETA educates Sandoval about wild animals
The animal rights organization PETA wrote to Tom Sandoval after video surfaced of him inside an animal enclosure at Tiger World Thailand, where a tiger was seen placing its enormous front paws on his shoulders.
The letter was obtained by TMZ and the organization schooled Tom on why these actions should be avoided. In their letter, PETA lectures Tom on the apparent ignorance behind his little photo session.
They scolded him by saying that
When popular folks like you pose with wild animals, people are moved to support pay-to-play animal experiences, for which big-cat cubs are torn away from their mothers prematurely and denied their freedom as well as anything remotely natural and important to them
PETA also wrote in the letter about tiger’s behavior and how they react with humans. They emphasized that wild tigers are very dangerous and would not want to be around humans. They would want to be in forest or in their habitat peacefully and prefer solitary and reclusive life. While humans find these activities entertaining these can even risk their lives.
PETA pointed out that any human interaction with the big cats poses dangers for both human and there are many cases were the captors and visitors are killed by tigers.
Lala Kent and James Kennedy spoke against Tom Sandoval
Lala Kent bashed against Tom for him posing with tiger during his trip to Thailand. The TV reality show star could not hold the anger and said in her Instagram story that it is not fun and cool to make tigers or any wild animals pose with humans just for our entertainment.
She updated her story in Instagram saying that
She is appalled by the photo her cast member took with a tiger in captivity. She has made noise about educating yourselves, & here she told that Do not support places like this
The animal lover James Kennedy has also showed his disgust at animals being kept in captivity. In response to the tiger photographs, James expressed his disdain for creatures being treated badly. He told that he would never got to such places and suggested to make them free.
Then he revived his famous “worm with a mustache” taunt from the Season 10 reunion. Sandoval is the same, mustache or no mustache, according to James.
Tom has not yet responded to the comments by his cast members. However this will affect Tom Sandoval with his appearance in the VanderPump Rules Season 11.
