Two facing charges after lion cub seen cruising city's streets in Bentley convertible

Animal protection agencies all over the world have condemned footage of a lion cub being driven around the streets of Thailand in a luxury Bentley convertible, saying "the incident underscores the urgent need for governments to act" and "protect wildlife from cruel profiteers".

Late last week, shocking footage emerged on social media showing a Thai man cruising through the streets of Pattaya, a tourist town in the country's Chonburi province, with the cub wearing a fluorescent yellow collar and draping its paws over the vehicle's edge.

The juvenile lion can be seen looking confused and stunned as its toured around the busy city streets staring at the many other motorists nearby. It later emerged the man seen in the footage was a Sri Lankan national, who has since left the country.

Thai authorities to press charges

He is believed to be a friend of local woman Sawangjit Kosoongnern, who admitted to owning the animal. Sawangjit claimed to have bought the lion from a Thai man in Nakhon Pathom province, who transported it to Pattaya.

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Though it's not illegal to own a lion in Thailand, it needs to be officially registered — something Sawangjit failed to do, making both the transfer and ownership illegal. She now faces up to a year in prison and fines worth several thousands of dollars.

Police had also reportedly attempted to charge the Sri Lankan man, who had kept the lion in his rented pool villa, but were unable to find him. He was due to be charged with bringing a controlled wild animal into public places, which carries jail time of up to six months and a fine of 50,000 baht (A$2,125)

Since the footage went viral on social media, wildlife activists from all over the globe slammed the footage, saying it highlights the need for stricter laws surrounding animal cruelty.

Wildlife advocates speak out

Ben Pearson, Country Director World Animal Protection Australia, told Yahoo Australia this incident is a clear example of a vulnerable lion cub who has been traded into an industry which exploits millions of wild animals every year.

“Whether it’s legal or illegal, wild animals belong in the wild and should never be kept as pets," he said.

"In a home, there is no way to meet the complex needs of a wild animal such as a lion cub or replicate the space and freedom he would have in the wild. The sad reality is that these wild animals suffer at every step of the journey destined to people’s homes."

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