President Biden Signs ‘Tiger King’ Law Preventing Ownership Of Big Cats

Remember when Tiger King was the only thing the internet could talk about? Well, there’s good news for the tigers and lions featured in the show, as President Joe Biden has signed a bill into law prohibiting private ownership of such big cats. 

According to the New York Times, the legislation hopes to halt the exploitation of these felines by preventing unlicensed individuals from owning, breeding, and transporting them. 

Licensed exhibitors, including many zoos and sanctuaries in the country, will also no longer be allowed to let the public pet or hold the animals. 

Representative Mike Quigley says that thanks to Tiger King, the miserable conditions of thousands of felines were revealed to the world, leading to the establishment of the Big Cat Public Safety Act that will now protect them from such injustices. 

“For too long tiger cubs have been exploited by ‘pay to play’ operators like Joe Exotic and Doc Antle who profited from charging people for photo ops of their children holding these potentially dangerous wild animals,” concurs Sara Amundson, President of Humane Society Legislative Fund. 

She explains that not only would the law put an end to the mistreatment of big cats, but it would also prevent injuries and fatalities from occurring. Since 1990, more than 400 incidents have involved these animals, with five children and 19 adults killed and hundreds left injured. 

[via New York Times and Congressman Mike Quigley, cover image via Nilanjan Bhattacharya | Dreamstime.com]