Chinese theme park forces screaming pig to bungee jump from 223ft sparking outrage: 'Animal cruelty at its worst'
Warning: Distressing content
In a display of criminal insensitivity against animals, a new Chinese theme park has come under fire for forcing a pig to bungee jump in order to market the celebratory opening of the amusement park for the public.
The heart-breaking video that has caused massive outrage on social media with netizens calling it a "vulgar marketing" tactic, features a pig, tied, being carried up the stairs by two men amidst screaming noises, only to be suspended from a harness and thrown off the 223 ft ledge.
The video has gone viral on the internet as reactions pour in from across the spectrum, criticizing the gross stunt to garner publicity.
The incident occurred on January 18 at the Meixian Red Wine Town theme park in Chongqin in South Western China and was named as the 'golden pig bungee jump'.
Post the outrage from animal lovers and animal rights groups, a spokesperson from the park authorities has shared an apology on social media claiming to "accept the criticism" they have received. "We sincerely accept netizens' criticism and advice and apologize to the public," it said. "We will improve [our] marketing of the tourist site, to provide tourists with better services," the park said.
While the fate of the animal post the incident remains hard to ascertain, numerous local media outlets have claimed that the pig, that weighed 75 kgs (lbs), was sent to a slaughterhouse later, as reported by BBC as well.
Meanwhile, animal cruelty in China is not punishable by law, but healthy awareness of animal rights has gained momentum within the last few years.
PETA (People For Ethical Treatment of Animals), one of the world's largest animal protection groups, has called the incident "animal cruelty at its worst".
Despite the barbaric attempt to create entertainment was highly criticized by most, a handful of internet users have reacted differently and have compared the incident to being no different from 'animal slaughter' for food.