America Is Hunting for Hidden 'Pet' Tigers

The deadline for private owners to register tigers and other big cats with the federal government is fast approaching.

People who own big cats such as lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, cougars, cheetahs or hybrids of these species must register their animals with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) by midnight this Sunday.

This must be done to comply with the requirements of the Big Cat Public Safety Act, which was signed into law in December 2022. The law makes it illegal to privately possess or breed big cats to keep as exotic pets or for commercial purposes. The law prohibits public contact with these animals, including cubs.

It also places new restrictions on breeding, possession and use of certain big cat species, including commerce, within the United States.

An estimated 20,000 big cats are being kept in private ownership across the United States, according to figures provided by the FWS. Many of these animals are purchased as cubs or bred for photo opportunities. As they outgrow these uses, many are sold into the exotic pet trade. Others are abandoned and transferred to sanctuaries.

These big cats are often kept in inadequate conditions that pose a risk not only to the animals but to humans as well. There are cases in which members of the public have been injured or killed by big cats in private hands.

While the law has now made private ownership illegal, those who now possess big cats may keep them until they die if they register the animals with the FWS. The owners will not be able to breed, sell or acquire any new big cats, however.

If any private owners fail to register their big cats, they could face civil or criminal penalties. Authorities will have the power to seize the cats.

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), an animal welfare nonprofit, has been encouraging big cat owners across the country to register their animals before the deadline.

"When it comes to our treatment of tigers, lions and other big cats, a shameful era is finally coming to an end," Kitty Block, president and CEO of the HSUS, said in a statement. "With the implementation of the groundbreaking Big Cat Public Safety Act, now is the time for people who keep big cats on their property to do the right thing and register them. This way, law enforcement can better track these complex, powerful and sensitive animals to ensure public safety,"

Block went on: "It also will help the federal government prevent the illegal breeding and sale of these animals. Soon, the perpetuation of cruelty to generations of dangerous wild cats—who have been languishing and wasting away in basements and backyards while posing danger to communities—will finally end."

The law—which refers to big cats as "prohibited wildlife species—provides exceptions for some federal, state and privately owned facilities, such as zoos, universities and sanctuaries that house big cats. The exceptions do not apply to private individuals, however.