Hôtel Plaza Athénée Adopts Policy: No More Wild Animals

PETA France Contact Luxury Hotel After Shocking Images of a Muzzled, Chained Bear Surface on Social Media

Paris – The iconic Hôtel Plaza Athénée, part of the Dorchester Collection group of international luxury hotels, have introduced an immediate ban on the use of wild animals at events held on their premises. PETA France fired off a letter to the five-star hotel after seeing distressing images of a chained bear who was used as a prop at a New Year's Eve party hosted by the luxury hotel. After learning how captive bears and other wild animals in the entertainment industry are denied everything that is natural and important to them, the hotel – which was famously featured in the final season of HBO's Sex and the City – pledged to implement an immediate ban, responding to PETA France, Thank you for making us more sensitive to animal suffering".

"Bears belong in nature, where they can forage for food, build nests and splash in fresh water – not chained up in a hotel lobby", says PETA UK Director Mimi Bekhechi. "PETA look forward to seeing more establishments follow Hôtel Plaza Athénée's lead and adopt policies against using animals for entertainment."

Bears are naturally shy animals who shun contact with humans – photo ops are stressful, confusing and unnatural to them. Behind the scenes, these animals may also be beaten, whipped or electrically shocked to force them to obey, and when they're not on display, they're locked in barren enclosures. Putting these frustrated wild animals in close contact with humans also poses a risk to members of the public.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk.