‘Vanderpump Rules’ Lala Kent Slams Tom Sandoval Over Controversial Tiger Encounter in Thailand

Tom Sandoval has once again found himself in hot water, this time in Thailand. In an Instagram Story from Tuesday, the Vanderpump Rules star, 40, documented his travels in Asia — including a visit to a tiger zoo. However, fans and some of his Bravo cast members quickly expressed their disapproval for him supporting the animals in captivity.

The videos, reposted by an Instagram fan account, showed the reality star sitting outdoors with his legs crossed as two zoo employees positioned a large tiger onto his shoulders. As one staffer fed the apex predator from a bottle, the other grabbed its paws to place onto Sandoval. “I would never go to a place like this, …… Let them all run free !! 🐅 ❤️ always found this cruel and so sad,” his Vanderpump Rules co-star James Kennedy wrote in the comment section," as per People. Just a Worm 🪱 without a mustache now 🤦‍♂️……. 😂,” the British DJ, 31, added in a second comment, seemingly referring to his cast member.

Lala Kent, 33, wasn’t the only Bravo personality to slam Sandoval’s actions. Kent also used social media to share her disappointment. "I am appalled by the photo my cast member took with a tiger in captivity. This topic has been close to my heart for many years,” she wrote on her Instagram Story on Wednesday. “What is disguised as ‘fun’ and ‘cool’ is, in fact, animal abuse. It's heartbreaking. I've made noise about educating yourselves, & here I am to tell you again… Do not support places like this,” as per Yahoo.

In the past, Kent, 33, has publicly voiced her concern for captive wildlife. In 2017, Kent and her Vanderpump Rules co-stars Scheana Shay and Ariana Madix starred in a “Free the Orcas” PETA ad. In June, PETA praised Kent for calling on SeaWorld to move the captive orca named Corky to a seaside sanctuary. Sandoval’s recent backlash has not been tied to animal cruelty. In early November, he was booed at BravoCon 2023 after he and Madix, 38, split after nine years of dating. The breakup came shortly after the TomTom co-owner had a months-long affair with their friend and co-star Rachel Leviss. While appearing on Fox's Special Forces: World's Toughest Test in November, he opened up on the toll “Scandoval” took on him. “I had an affair, and it just blew up. People were messaging me paragraphs of just, like, vicious, like, so visceral, like, hatred," Sandoval said.

Fans of the series have also called on the show's frontrunner and executive producer, Lisa Vanderpump—who is also an animal rights activist—to issue a statement condemning Sandoval's latest actions. Currently, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum has not addressed the concerns.