A group of United States senators designed a bilo which is supposed to make sure that individuals can’t own tigers and other big cats if they don’t have a license. And the bill also wants to stop the zoo’s offering the public pet the animals.
A democratic senator introduced ‘the Big Cat Public Safety Act’ in 2020. but it still hasn’t been on the table to vote for it. The senator introducing the bill said that the support is big on this one and that it will surely be voted on this year.
The bill was introduced again this week along with the statement of senator Ms. Collins which lays a foundation of how important this message is: “Big cats like lions, tigers, and cheetahs belong in their natural habitats, not in the hands of private owners where they are too often subject to cruelty or improper care,”
Apparently the Big Cat Public Safety Act has the support of dozens of sanctuaries, organizations, funds and ZOOs which will make it easier to implement. The whole point behind the bill is that it would be illegal to breed, transport and own big cats by private individuals. Also, exhibitors, ZOOs and organizations that are licensed by a federal facility would be exempt. As we said, they also won’t be able to allow direct contact between the animals and the public.
THE PROBLEM
A lot of breeders and sellers of big cats such as tigers and lions are profitable whenever it comes to photo sessions and petting. And that’s only when they’re young, so once they become too big and look too dangerous, they just get rid
of them. Apparently they are used until they are only 12 weeks old.
Baby cubs are basically being ripped from their mothers JUST so they could be used for petting by the public.
UNITED STATES
The reason why the US is trying to keep this under control is because they have a growing problem of big cats held in captivity by individuals. That’s why some states banned the private ownership of big cats, some states restricted them partially and some didn’t do anything at all. That’s why this is the problem that should be solved on a federal level, which we hope this Act will be able to do.
