Lions and Tigers Aren't Photo Props: Take Action to Protect Big Cats!
Success! This bill has passed the House and the Senate. Ask Biden to sign it! @POTUS
The Netflix docuseries Tiger King seemingly catapulted the issue of big cat exploitation into the public eye. To the horror of many viewers, the show depicted captive tigers who were forced to live in small enclosures, abused and used as nothing more than photo props for oblivious visitors. Now, however, we have a chance to protect tigers and other big cats from this type of exploitation by urging Congress to pass the Big Cat Public Safety Act.
Some states have laws banning the private possession of big cats, while others have weak laws, or none at all, leaving them to suffer in any number of situations that can range from simply not meeting their needs to being blatantly abusive.
In private zoos, young cubs are routinely forced to take pictures with tourists. Each of the young animals, who would naturally be by their mother's side in the wild, are held in small cages, subjected to inhumane conditions, and deprived of everything wild animals need to thrive. Not only are cubs removed from their mothers too soon, and overhandled by the public, these facilities support an endless cycle of breeding to ensure they have crowd-pleasing cubs to keep visitors coming. When they can no longer be managed or they are deemed to no longer be profitable, they are sold for their body parts on the black market or to private buyers which ultimately enables wildlife trafficking.
Private possession of big cats being kept as “pets” also creates a serious public safety issue that puts communities and first responders at risk. Big cats need proper socialization, room to roam, and the freedom to make their own choices. Keeping them confined for people to take photos with for social media is simply unacceptable.
You can learn more about the issues facing tigers by watching this film.
The Big Cat Public Safety Act (H.R. 263) would ban the private possession of lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, cougars, or any hybrid of these species, and make it illegal for exhibitors to allow the public to interact with cubs.
Success! This bill has passed the House and the Senate. Ask Biden to sign it! @POTUS