Don’t Let Congress Undermine Big Cat Protections

Two endangered white lions suffering at a Texas roadside zoo are exactly why Congress passed the bipartisan Big Cat Public Safety Act in the first place — and why lawmakers must defend it now.

Footage from a roadside zoo in Texas appears to show one lion struggling to walk, collapsing repeatedly, and showing alarming signs of physical distress. In response, the Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) urging the agencies to confiscate the cats before their suffering worsens further.

Big cats belong in the wild — not trapped in roadside zoos where they are exploited for entertainment and profit.

The suffering of Nzuri and Kali is exactly why Congress passed the bipartisan Big Cat Public Safety Act in 2022. The law was designed to crack down on the exploitation of lions, tigers, and other big cats in roadside zoos and private facilities where animals are too often bred, displayed, neglected, and discarded for profit. Congress recognized that big cats belong in the wild — or in legitimate accredited sanctuaries — not confined in cruel roadside attractions.

But now, the misleadingly named “Protecting Local Zoos Act” (H.R. 7159) threatens to weaken those protections by creating loopholes for roadside zoos and exotic animal exhibitors. Animal welfare advocates warn the bill could undermine safeguards meant to protect big cats from exploitation, trafficking, abuse, and neglect.

Big cats are intelligent, social animals meant to roam across vast territories — not spend their lives pacing in cages for selfies and photo ops. Many captive cats are bred through inbreeding practices that can cause painful genetic disorders and lifelong health problems. Cases like Nzuri and Kali show exactly what happens when profit comes before animal welfare.

Congress should be strengthening protections for big cats — not rolling them back.

Please sign the petition to Congress asking them to oppose legislation to weaken protections for big cats.

The petition to Congress reads: We urge Congress to oppose the misleadingly named Protecting Local Zoos Act (H.R. 7159) and defend the bipartisan Big Cat Public Safety Act. The reported suffering of the white lions Nzuri and Kali at Sharkarosa Zoo in Texas is a devastating reminder of why strong federal protections for big cats are necessary. We also urge the USDA and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to fully investigate whether violations of the Animal Welfare Act, Endangered Species Act, or Big Cat Public Safety Act justify confiscating these animals and transferring them to a reputable accredited sanctuary. Big cats belong in the wild — not suffering in roadside zoos for entertainment and profit.
_______

Sources:

https://www.humaneworld.org/en/blog/us-law-big-cat-public-safety-act-in-danger

https://aldf.org/article/footage-reveals-imperiled-white-lions-languishing-at-texas-roadside-zoo/
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DX7C1kzohJY/?igsh=MXV1bXkzenM1cTdpbw%3D%3D