CANELO ALVAREZ’S daughter has been slammed for showing off her pet lion cub on social media.
Emily Alvarez, 19, is the eldest of boxing champ Alvarez’s four kids and is an aspiring show jumper.
She is a star on social media, boasting over a million followers.
But Emily appears to have landed in hot water after sharing images of her pet lion cub at the family home in Guadalajara, Mexico.
The cute creature can be seen snuggling up to a fluffy lion toy while dozing in one picture.
While another shows the lion cub being swaddled like a baby while being carried around.
READ MORE IN BOXING
A further clip, captioned “Rough Love”, has the lion chewing on Emily’s thumb and hair.
And media reports from Mexico claim Emily has come under fire from some social media users for having a wild pet in unnatural conditions.
However, Mexican law states that it is not illegal to own exotic animals as pets — provided they are bred in captivity by an authorised breeder and are not endangered in the wild.
Further wildlife regulations add the creatures must be kept privately with permits, while also living in safe and appropriate conditions.
Most read in Boxing
But a spokesperson for PETA US told SunSport: “Young animals, such as tiger and lion cubs, sold into the ‘exotic pet’ trade are usually torn away from their mothers when they’re just days or even hours old and subjected to extreme stress and often physical abuse.
“Wild animals belong in their natural habitat, not in captivity to be used as props for social media clout.
“PETA is ready to ‘step into the ring’ and help Emily Alvarez find a new home for the lion cub at an accredited sanctuary, where he or she can enjoy some semblance of a natural life.”
A spokesperson for the RSPCA also told SunSport: “The RSPCA does not believe that wild cats such as lions should be kept as pets. They have extremely complex needs which cannot be met in a household.
“Lions are wild animals that live in the African savannah, and hunt large prey such as gazelles and zebras.
“They grow to be large, powerful animals and need secure enclosures in captivity with enough space and complexity so they can live as close as possible to how they would live in the wild.
“Providing an environment that meets the needs of these large cats is likely to prove impossible in an average family home, whether it’s in Mexico or the UK.
“The RSPCA believes that animals should only be kept in captivity if good welfare can be assured.”
Meanwhile, Emily’s dad Alvarez — who is reportedly worth £250million — is eyeing up his next fight in the ring.
Last month saw him extend his record to 62 wins from 66 fights with victory against Edgar Berlanga in Las Vegas.
The win saw Alvarez retain his WBA, WBC, WBO and ring super-middleweight belts.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
And he has since been tipped to go to light-heavyweight to fight undisputed ace Artur Beterbiev.
Alvarez enjoys a somewhat flamboyant lifestyle himself, owning £10m-worth of luxury cars while also boasting a mega-mansion and a jet-set lifestyle.
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
