MAKE IT A LAW: Big Cats Are Not Pets

Ira Fischer is an attorney, now retired, who devotes his retirement to the cause of animal welfare through advocacy. His Web site is irafischer.com

• This article is annotated and commented (see Appendix)

The Big Cats and Public Safety Protection Act (S. 1381) was introduced into the U.S. Senate this past month by Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). The Bill is aimed at prohibiting private ownership and breeding of exotic cats such as lions, tigers and other dangerous wildcats.

The Bill is in large measure a response to repeated tragedies between humans and captive big cats, such as the episode in Zanesville, Ohio two years ago when the owner of a menagerie of exotic animals released his “pets” from their cages, leaving first responders with little choice but to shoot and kill 49 lions, tigers, bears and other exotics to protect public safety.

Fortunately, no people were killed or injured in this incident. However, since 1990, numerous dangerous incidents involving big cats have occurred in the U.S., including 21 human deaths, 246 maulings and 143 wildcat deaths. These tragedies underscore that these apex predators are simply not suitable as pets.

These tragic events are not limited to the harboring big cats as pets by individuals. Traveling zoos, petting farms and other commercial entities that keep wildcats captive also demonstrate that tragedies inevitably occur when unqualified people possess these animals. Last year, the Humane Society of the United States released the results of an investigation into GW Exotic Animal Park, where multiple dangerous incidents, resulting from allowing patrons to interact with wild predators, were recorded.

Apart from the threat to public safety, the Big Cats and Public Safety Protection Act is also a response to the welfare issue of the wildcats that are held captive – the victim of their exotic beauty. It has been estimated that upwards of 10,000 big cats like lions, tigers and cougars are held captive in private hands in the U.S. These animals oftentimes suffer from severe physiological and psychological health defects due to their captivity.

These magnificent creatures are trapped in a cycle of misery that begins with captive breeding by dealers, who strip the infant cubs from their mothers. The all too common scenario is that the owners discard these wildcats when they become too big, aggressive, or expensive to keep, or when the novelty wears-off. The cycle often ends with these animals living in pseudo-sanctuaries, such as unaccredited petting farms, since overburdened accredited sanctuaries (Accredited sanctuaries, such as Big Cat Rescue, do not permit commercial trade, propagation or direct contact between the public and the wildlife) seldom have the financial means to provide lifetime care. Many are shipped off to hunting ranches to be shot for trophies, while others are killed for their remains (primarily fur, food or Asian medicine). Such is the fate of many privately owned exotic cats that in some ancient cultures were revered as though they were gods.

Currently, there is a myriad of state and local laws that govern the harboring of exotic cats, which makes it difficult to enforce public safety and to protect the welfare of these animals. Reason suggests that a comprehensive federal ban is needed to address this nationwide problem, which too often spells disaster for humans and almost always results in a lifetime of misery for the innocent victims of the bizarre American subculture that callously disregards the laws of nature for their own self-aggrandizement.

According to Senator Blumenthal, “The Big Cats and Public Safety Protection Act is a common-sense solution to a situation that has spiraled out of control. Thousands of dangerous big cats are kept in deplorable conditions as backyard pets and in roadside zoos across the nation. This bill would alleviate the threat these animals pose to the general public.”

The Bill would ensure that these endangered creatures do not threaten public safety or end up living in small cages, or chained, in someone’s backyard, basement or garage. Passage of this legislation would also help to prevent the undermining of wildlife conservation, resulting from private ownership of big cats, which contributes to illegal international wildlife trade.

The Bill, if penned into law, would close the sad chapter on the dual threats to public safety and the welfare of captive big cats that are victimized by being held captive as pets or commodities. The time is long past due to ensure public safety and to put an end to the suffering and abuse endured by these majestic animals and to respect their birthright to be wild and free.