“Show business is no business for wild animals — it’s disappointing to see Justin Bieber yet again posing with a wild animal despite the welfare concerns and the cruelty involved in stunts like this. Lions belong in the wild, where their needs can be fully met, not in captivity for use as entertainment or photo props.

"People posing with wildlife don’t realize that a ‘once in a lifetime’ photo for them means a lifetime of misery for the animal. To be used for entertainment, lions are forcibly removed from their mothers as cubs, trained to perform, and often suffer for the rest of their lives in captivity. They are also highly unpredictable, with people around the world having been mauled or attacked when posing or interacting with these animals. To people with huge influence like Justin Bieber, our message is simple: lions are wild animals, not entertainers.”