A Chinese theme park has triggered social media outrage following a marketing stunt which involved forcing a pig to bungee jump off a 68-meter high tower.
The Meixin Red Wine Town theme park in Chongqing, China, received massive criticism on social media after a video footage surfaced showing a pig being pushed off to bungee jump from a tower. According to local media outlets, the pig was sent to the slaughterhouse following the stunt.
According to the theme park, the stunt was held to commemorate the opening of the new bungee attraction. The online outrage indicates the increasing concern for animal rights among the Chinese.
In response to the public outrage, the theme park released a statement saying that it accepted the "criticism" it had received. It said: "We sincerely accept netizens' criticism and advice and apologize to the public. We will improve [our] marketing of the tourist site, to provide tourists with better services."
The publicity event, which the organizers called the golden pig bungee jump, was held to celebrate the opening of the theme park's bungee attraction. Local reports indicated that the pig, which weighed 75 kilograms, had a purple cape tied around its shoulders.
It was carried by two men to the top of the tower then was pushed off it. One video of the incident captured the squeals of the pig.
While animal cruelty is not punishable by law in China, there has been increased awareness of animal welfare in the country in recent years. While there was a handful of people that defended the stunt, most of the online users condemned the theme park.
One user said: "This is a super vulgar marketing tactic.” Another wrote: "Killing animals for consumption and treating them cruelly for entertainment are two different things. There is no need to torture them like this."
Jason Baker, senior vice-president of international campaigns at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), said: "Pigs experience pain and fear in the same ways that we do, and this disgusting PR stunt should be illegal.”
