An Update on the Big Cat Public Safety Act

Introduction

Exactly 180 days from June 18th, on December 20th, 2022, President Joe Biden signed the Big Cat Public Safety Act into law. This law was first introduced in January 2021 and aimed to address problems in the world of extensive cat handling, highlighted in Tiger King. The treatment of the animals highlighted in this docuseries was questioned after its release, and many animal rights advocates and government officials alike began to question the ethics of such treatment. It was found that the animals in Tiger King faced druggings and beatings, and it was also discovered that many of the tigers were killed after they became too large for the cub petting exhibit. The Big Cat Public Safety Act thus started with a few main goals:

1. the elimination of the handling of big cats, which often resulted in animal abuse

2. prevention of inhumane or inadequate care provided by private owners of big cats

3. preserving the instincts and habits of big cats held in captivity as much as possible by limiting human interaction

4. limit illegal trade extenuated by private ownership of big cats
   

The Process

As animal abuse-related issues were brought to the nation's attention with Tiger King, it was clear that change needed to take place. Thus, in 2020, the Animal Legal Defense Fund proposed the outlines of a new act that would combat much of the animal abuse that came out of private big cat exhibits and commercial petting zoos. This law, the Big Cat Public Safety Act, was then sponsored in Congress by Representative Mike Quigley of Illinois. On July 29th, the act was passed in the House of Representatives with a majority of 278 - 134. The act was then brought to the Senate, where it was not voted on until December 6th. After two years from the act's proposal to the day of Joe Biden's signing of the bill, the issue of inhumane treatment of big cats highlighted in Tiger King was finally resolved - at least in law.

The 180-Day Mark

However, the legality of an issue versus the real-life observance of that issue can be quite different. To address this discrepancy, the act included a set date at which all prior owners of big cats would have to register their ownership under the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The specific date was 180 days after December 20th, 2022: June 18th, 2023.

Under the Big Cat Public Safety Act, the cheetah, mountain lion, clouded leopard, lion, tiger, snow leopard, jaguar, and leopard are all listed as prohibited species, meaning that they can not be a) involved in interstate or intrastate trade, b) breed in private ownership, or c) kept under private ownership in the future. However, all previous owners of big cats are allowed to keep their big cats if they register ownership with the USFWS. If registration was not completed by June 18th, the private owners risk confiscation of their big cat, which would likely be transferred to a big cat sanctuary.

Implications and the Future

Although this act has made exceptional progress in the world of conservation legislation, like all politics, compromises were made, and there are issues to be addressed in the future. Specifically, the Big Cat Public Safety Act allows prior private big cat owners to maintain possession of their big cats. As private ownership often does not have favorable conditions for big cats, this is not ideal. However, the alternative to this would be sending all the previously privately owned big cats to wildlife sanctuaries. This large influx would likely not be very manageable for many already overwhelmed sanctuaries; thus, care would likely decrease for all animals in the sanctuary. Privately owned species of big cats can not be released into the wild, as they are often mixed with other subspecies and thus would not fit into any habitat range of the wild species. They are also domesticated and would not necessarily be capable of hunting in their natural habitat.

However, with the regulations placed on big cat ownership, private ownership will be phased out as time passes, as future possession of big cats is illegal. However, executing the act is more complex. Suitable execution measures have been implemented with the registration form under the USFWS. That being said, the subpoint of the bill prohibiting trade is not properly legally addressed to tangibly suppress the black market, as the black market supplies the majority of illegally imported animals to the United States. Further legislation addressing this illegal trade will be very valuable in protecting endangered animals in their natural habitats.

The Big Cat Public Safety Act went from the idea of a few people who wanted to prevent abuse common with private ownership, to a movement backed by many conservation organizations, to an act successfully passed by the US government and in place across the 50 States. Thus, this act is a testament to the power of our voices and our ability to create change in our community when we take responsibility to make a difference.

Works cited: Animal Legal Defense Fund. “Big Cat Public Safety Act (Federal).” Animal Legal Defense 12345678910Fund, 20 Dec. 2022, aldf.org/project/big-cat-public-safety-act/.

---. “Big Cat Public Safety Act Signed into Law.” Animal Legal Defense Fund, 20 Dec. 2022, 12345678910aldf.org/article/big-cat-public-safety-act-signed-into-12345678910law/#:~:text=The%20bill%20passed%20the%20U.S. Accessed 1 July 2023.

US Congress. “H.R.263 - Big Cat Public Safety Act.” Congress.gov, 2023, 12345678910www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/263/all-actions. Accessed 1 12345678910July 2023.

US Fish and Wildlife Service. “What You Need to Know about the Big Cat Public Safety Act | 12345678910U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.” FWS.gov, 2023, www.fws.gov/what-you-need-12345678910know-about-big-cat-public-safety-12345678910act#:~:text=The%20Big%20Cat%20Public%20Safety%20Act%20was%20enact12345678910ed%20December%2020. Accessed 1 July 2023.