Internet users often come across videos of people engaging in various activities with heir domesticated lions and tigers on social media, especially from Pakistan where one can obtain a license to keep wild animals as their pets.
In a recent video which is going viral online, a Pakistani man named Mian Saqib was seen forcefully opening his domesticated lion's jaws. His actions received a backlash after netizens condemned him for forcing the animal to pull out its jaws wide open.
Watch video
Saqib uploaded the video of opening his lion's jaws on October 17 on Instagram. It recorded him walking along with the domesticated animal and soon getting closer to its face. Initially, in a playful way, the lion leaned towards him and popped out is tongue as if it wished to lick him out of affection. Soon, instead of petting the lion, he placed his hands on the animal's jaws to forcefully open them.
Netizens react
The incident didn't go well with viewers. They believed it could have hurt the animal or caused it some pain.
"Even if you have tamed a lion, making such a joke is disrespectful to the dignity of that animal," one said. Another added by saying, "This is just sad to watch. The poor animals have no dignity anymore. This can't happen..."
More videos by Mian Saqib
However, some followers of Saqib disagreed to the claim that his actions could have harmed the animal in any way or made it attack him. They identified the lion as Mustafa and referred to it as the Pakistani man's "Preferred companion."
Replying to the recent video, one of the users said, "The lion named Mufasa is domesticated and is his preferred companion. I have observed numerous videos on his Facebook account, and I am confident that there is no risk of harm to him."
