Plight of cubs shocks readers

Dubai: When Matt Toogood saw a lion cub gazing soulfully out of a photo on the front page of Gulf News yesterday, his first reaction was: "It's so cute."

That reaction soon changed to shock and disgust, when he read the little creature was struggling to walk and was up for sale for Dh35,000.

A Gulf News investigation yesterday revealed that two lion cubs were being sold on the black market. They were allegedly brought into the country as part of a circus and are malnourished.

"It is abhorrent to someone like me that this is allowed to happen," said Toogood, a New Zealand national in Dubai.

"I was horrified to think they are being mistreated so badly."

While Toogood was "completely disgusted", Nazneen Khwaja, an Indian national in Dubai, burst into tears when she read the story.

"I really cried early morning. The face, his eyes, are really painful to see."

She urged the authorities to take immediate action by fining and punishing the owner.

"Lion cubs should not be kept as pets," Khwaja said.

Sujatha Dhilipkumar, an Indian homemaker in Dubai, said action must be taken to stop the trade in exotic pets.

She said she was angry after reading about the "pathetic situation" of the cubs, and said it reminded her of a previous Gulf News investigation involving Harry, the baby Nile crocodile, which was being sold illegally.

Stern action

"Many of these illegal things go unnoticed," Dhilipkumar said. "If it is highlighted, the authorities will take stern action."

One reader, posting a comment on gulfnews.com, said "[the photo] brought tears to my eyes, an ache in my heart and entirely ruined my day."

Others wrote of their anger after reading about the "cruelty" meted out to the cubs and hoped the animals would be rescued.

Meanwhile, Toogood felt putting the cubs down would be a better option.

"If nobody is able to provide them with the care they need in a suitable environment, then I think [putting them down] is the better option," he said.

"I would hate to see them suffer."