Born Free USA and animal advocates around the nation have cause for celebration today as the Big Cat Public Safety Act was signed into law by President Biden. After 10 years of persistent work by organizations, individual citizens, and champions on Capitol Hill, the bill, which was first introduced in 2012, spells the end of the cruel trade in big cats as pets, as well as the damaging cub petting industry.
Said Angela Grimes, CEO of Born Free USA: “We have worked ceaselessly towards this victory for a decade and are delighted that future generations of big cats will be protected from suffering in the exploitative, dangerous pet trade and the cub petting industry. Today’s long-fought win would not have been possible without the unrelenting determination of so many people, championed by Representatives Mike Quigley (D-IL) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Susan Collins (R-ME), Tom Carper (D-DE), and Richard Burr (R-NC). Their indefatigable commitment to the protection of big cats and the public—alongside the voice of millions of Americans—pushed this bill across the finish line. No big cat belongs in a backyard and no newborn cub should be callously removed from their mother so that bad actors can profit from their misery. Those simple, obvious truths are now finally codified in federal law, making today a huge win for animal welfare and public safety in the United States.”
The federal Act will supersede the patchwork of state legislation across the country which has been ineffective in curbing both the pet trade and the cub petting industry. Existing big cats kept privately will be “grandfathered,” meaning that they can continue to be kept if they are registered in line with the new law. Cub petting and other public interactions with big cats will end immediately.
Grimes continued: “Born Free USA is one of two organizations that have been part of this legislative process since the beginning. We are immensely grateful to our supporters who, like our team, never lost faith that we would win this, and have been unfailing in their support for big cats over the last decade.”
