#endagered species

’Pet Kingdom’ The fourth floor pet shop inside Harrods is to close at the end of January 2014 after almost 100 years of business, making way for a new women’s fashion floor.

The famous pet shop sold everything from tigers, panthers, elephants and camels. Most famously, Christian the lion cub(pictured)was purchased in 1969, by two Australian backpackers, Ace Bourke and John Rendall for 250 guineas (around £3000 now) they kept the lion in thier flat in Chelsea until he outgrew it and was released into the African wild.

The introduction of the Endangered Species Act in 1976, put an end to wild animals being sold in Harrods and since then the pet shop has focused on selling dogs, cats and small pets, as well as a grooming parlour and expensive accessories for pets.

Many people have since questioned the ethics of the selling of animals on the fourth floor of department store in London, myself included, and after visiting earlier this year I personally am glad to see this outdated, albeit interesting, custom come to a close.