PETA Smacks Down Plan To Put Tiger Cubs In Porsche Dealerships

Exclusivity. Luxury. Opulence. Cocaine. When you want to communicate these things to your customer base, nothing works better than baby tigers. Unfortunately, PETA took issue with a plan to use the cubs to promote the new Porsche Macan crossover.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that at least one Porsche dealer in Florida was using 3-week-old tiger cubs in promotions for the Macan, a vehicle whose name is derived from the Indonesian word for tiger.

But then the animal rights group complained the tiger cubs were "schlepped around" for photo opportunities, which could cause them to become stressed, malnourished, and possibly burdened with a lifelong desire to eat Porsche owners. (The last one is mine but you know it's true.)

After hearing PETA's concerns, Porsche put the kibosh on these plans and told them not to use tiger cubs in their promotions. One dealer in Atlanta had to cancel plans to put a grown tiger in their shop, the AJC says:

"I had plans to have a 500 pound tiger in attendance, not baby tiger cubs," Mark Venti, general manager at Hennessy Porsche North Atlanta, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Monday. He was referring to sales launch events planned this week for the luxury crossover SUV. "Due to the concerns brought up by PETA and Porsche Headquarters we have decided to abandon those plans," Venti said in an email.

Yes. An actual, 500 pound, adult tiger. In a car dealership. There is no way that could have ended badly at all.

It's not clear whether the tiger plans came from Porsche themselves or just from individual dealers, but it looks like it won't be happening again. You'll just have to find some other way to get eaten by tigers, Porsche buyers.