Petra Ecclestone is slammed by PETA for 'shameful and dangerous' video of family trip to animal sanctuary where they petted tigers and played with orangutans in Dubai

Petra Ecclestone has been criticised by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals for taking her children to see orangutans dressed in clothes and bottle-fed tigers at an 'animal sanctuary' in Dubai. 

The socialite, 37, shared a video montage of herself and her children enjoying a visit to Animalia in the United Arab Emirates.

In the clip, Petra and her children were seen petting a tiger who was being bottle-fed and an orangutan was dressed in a green shirt and jean shorts as it led children around the grass.

In a statement, PETA's Vice President of Programmes Elisa Allen said: 'Putting cheetahs on leashes, bottle-feeding tigers, or dressing orangutans in clothes pushes the shameful and dangerous idea that wild animals exist for human amusement. 

'These animals are not docile props. Without heavy tranquillisation, they are fully capable of maiming or killing a child – ask the survivors of big-cat attacks, or the families of those who didn't survive. 

'Social media posts like this normalise reckless, inappropriate human-wildlife interactions and fuel demand for exploitative attractions that treat animals as living 'playthings.' 

'We will be writing to Petra to urge her to delete this post and instead support genuine rehabilitation programmes that protect wild animals in their natural habitats, where they belong.'    

The post also drew swift condemnation from Petra's social media followers who wrote: 'How can you think this is right if you are an animal lover/supporter?'

'Can't believe you would encourage your children to call this fun, what an example.'

'Why would anyone dress an animal like that?'

'Please do not support these places. I can't believe these places still exist.'  

'Those tigers must be drugged.. you're lucky enough to be able to take your children anywhere in the world & you do this.'

According to Animalia's YouTube channel, it is a 'beachside sanctuary' owned by Sheikha Fatima bint Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum. 

The channel states: 'Sheikha Fatima holds a lifelong passion for wildlife, protects all the creatures in her care and ensures her animals enjoy the best possible lives.' 

Daily Mail has contacted a representative of Petra Ecclestone and Animalia for additional comment. 

Petra is mother to twin boys James and Andrew, 10, and Minnie, four, with her husband Sam Palmer. She also shares daughter Lavinia, 12, with her ex-husband James Stunt. 

Petra and Sam recently insisted they have no regrets about relocating from Los Angeles to Dubai.

Parents of four Petra and Sam have fled their £65million mansion in LA, the city which Petra called home for 14 years after relocating from London, and started the new year with a new life in the United Arab Emirates.

After complaining about gun crime, homelessness and drugs in California, they posted about the sense of safety they feel in their new home and the relaxed lifestyle in the sunshine.

Former Essex estate agent Sam hit back at 'negative' comments he's received, doubling down on his love for Dubai in an update shared in January. 

'The amount of negative messages I get about the weather is unreal. Yes I understand that it's a desert but it's also equipped with air conditioning,' he insisted as he lounged around in the sunshine.

'Take your negativity away from me, I don't want to hear it anymore, I'm very much enjoyng Dubai. Stick that in your pipe, I'm off to go and do something fun.'

A day earlier he shared another update from the golf course as he enthused: 'It feels absolutely unbelievable to be here. My mood is up. I dropped the kids off at school, come to the golf course, had a bit of breakfast.'

'The school briefing yesterday took about twenty minutes, not three hours, loads of questions, it was absolutely awesome. I'm really, really happy I've made the move, everywhere's spotless, everyone has rules.'

The couple were living in a £31million mansion in Los Angeles, while retaining their £170million mansion in Chelsea, west London.

But over the past year they increasingly complained about how their life in California had deteriorated.

'The crime in America is awful and we want a safe environment for our kids,' Petra explained last month, adding: 'It's the gun crime and the shootings.

'We ice-skated with our kids just before Christmas, and a homeless person dropped dead next to us. And seeing people smoke crack is not an environment we want to be in.'

Petra divorced her first husband, socialite James Stunt, the father of her eldest three children, in 2017 after six years of marriage.

Speaking in the capital, she said: 'I do love London, but we won't move back here for personal reasons.'

Her sister Tamara's Kensington home was raided in 2019 by foreign thieves, who stole £26million of jewellery. Three of the burglars were deported after repaying just £37,000 of the proceeds.

Tamara said: 'I have not received any compensation for the burglary but no amount could ever compensate for the aggressive home invasion we suffered.

'My children are in fear that thieves could return to the house while they are sleeping. There will never be any justice for that.'