Chicago City Wire

Washington, D.C. – On April 19, 2023 , U.S. Representative Mike Quigley, the lead sponsor of the Big Cat Public Safety Act, applauded the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) announcement of the first deadline related to the implementation of his big cat protection legislation. FWS has announced that owners of big cats such as lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, cougars, or hybrids of these species must register them by the end of the day June 18, 2023.

“I am very proud that my years of work in Congress are now having a measurable impact on the welfare of big cats and communities. FWS implementing the deadline for compliance with the Big Cat Public Safety Act brings us one step closer to a nation without the unsafe captivity of these animals,” said Quigley.

Detailed information and the registration form may be found at: https://www.fws.gov/what-you-need-know-about-big-cat-public-safety-act.

Quigley’s legislation, the Big Cat Public Safety Act, became law at the end of last year. The law bans the private ownership of big cats and brings an end to the harmful cub petting industry in an effort to enhance the safety of our communities, protect first responders, and safeguard wild animals.

An estimated 20,000 big cats are kept in private ownership in the U.S., often purchased as cubs or bred for photo opportunities. As they outgrow those uses, they are sold into the exotic pet trade or the illegal market or abandoned to already financially strained sanctuaries. Often these big cats are kept in inadequate conditions that threaten animal health and public safety. Incidents involving big cats have caused human injuries and death. To address these issues, the law prohibits facilities that exhibit big cats from allowing direct contact between the public and the big cats. 

Original source can be found here.