A company in China is offering people the chance to hold lion cubs while drinking tea at a restaurant. The venture has sparked wide debate and criticism online.

The restaurant has opened in Taiyuan in Shanxi province, where guests can cuddle the lion cubs as part of a four-course set menu. Many people have raised concerns about animal welfare and legality.

Videos and photos circulating on the Chinese social media platforms WeChat and Weibo show guests holding and petting the cubs.

The restaurant, called "Wanhui", opened in June. According to its Douyin account (the Chinese version of TikTok), it also has llamas, tortoises and deer besides the lion cubs.

State-run media outlet Shanghai Daily reported that the restaurant sells about 20 tickets a day. The menu, priced at 1,078 yuan (about $150), gives guests the chance to pet the animals. It said the service had raised serious concerns over legality and animal welfare.

Reuters could not independently contact the restaurant. Most comments online were critical, with many calling it "dangerous" and "cruelty to animals".

One Weibo user wrote that it was a plaything for the rich, when ordinary people cannot even afford a cup of tea. Another wrote that the relevant authorities should look into it.

The case comes after a hotel in China's Chongqing region faced an investigation in June, when state media reported that red pandas were placed on guests' beds to wake them up.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.