The teenage daughter of boxing champion Tyson Fury has found herself at the centre of an online storm after sharing holiday photos posing with baby tigers in Thailand.
Holiday Snaps Draw Criticism
Venezuela Fury, 16, who is engaged to boyfriend Noah Price, posted images to Instagram from a park in Pattaya, on Thailand's eastern Gulf coast. In the pictures, she is seen smiling while wearing a white crochet two-piece outfit next to the tiger cubs.
The post quickly attracted a wave of criticism from followers concerned about animal welfare. Many comments alleged that the tigers are routinely exploited for tourist interactions. One user wrote, 'This is awful! Please be aware that they drug the animals for photos with tourists.' Another stated, 'They drug and sedate the tigers so photos like this can be taken. It's terrible.'
The Dark Side of Tiger Tourism
The backlash highlights growing scrutiny of wildlife entertainment venues, which are popular tourist attractions in countries like Thailand. Animal rights organisations have long condemned the practice.
Elisa Allen, PETA vice president of UK programmes and operations, explained the harsh reality behind such photo opportunities. She said handling by the public subjects animals to stress and risk of injury. Furthermore, the cubs are 'prematurely torn away from their mothers' and 'forced to work all day without food, water, or rest'. Tragically, when they grow too old for photos, many are reportedly slaughtered.
This aligns with findings from the animal rights group Lady Freethinker (LFT), which reported evidence of cruelty against 'photo-prop' animals during visits to 11 Thai zoos.
Family Context and Wedding Plans
The controversy comes as Venezuela has been in the public eye following her engagement to Noah Price, which was announced at her 16th birthday party last October. In a recent Instagram Q&A, the teen revealed she is trying to organise her wedding for May or June this year, and plans to remain in her parents' home until she is married.
Her mother, Paris Fury, has publicly defended her daughter's engagement, noting she herself was 17 when she got engaged to Tyson. Paris described Venezuela as 'very mature for her years' and said she would support her happiness.
The Fury family is currently enjoying a trip to Asia together. The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Venezuela Fury for comment on the tiger photo backlash.
