Quigley Big Cat Legislation Moves Forward
Today, U.S. Representatives Mike Quigley's (IL-05), legislation, the Big Cat Public Safety Act, passed out of the House Committee on Natural Resources. The bill would ban the private ownership of big cats and bring an end to the harmful cub petting industry, in an effort to enhance the safety of our communities, protect first responders, and safeguard these wild animals. A bipartisan Senate companion bill is being led by Senator Richard Blumenthal.
"I have been working on this legislation for over 3 years and we are now one step closer to seeing it become law. Over the years, the world has seen the dangers of owning big cats, not just for the animals themselves but for the communities in which they are kept. When these big cats escape, first responders are put in immense danger. My legislation will bring an end to inhumane and unsafe conditions for big cats, while also keeping our neighborhoods and law enforcement safe," said Rep. Quigley. "I am grateful to the committee for moving this bill forward, and hope it will soon come to the floor of the House of Representatives so it can receive the vote it deserves."
"Wild animals, including tigers bred for their cubs, are exploited endlessly for profit by scofflaws in this cruel industry. The recent money laundering charges against Doc Antle, who is also facing wildlife trafficking and animal cruelty charges, underscore the unscrupulous nature of the characters involved. In captivity, lions, tigers and leopards are entirely dependent on our mercy and good judgment, and the Big Cat Public Safety Act is the down payment on what we owe them. Congress needs to seize the moment to pass this bill and shut down every Doc Antle or Joe Blow exploiting big cats and their cubs now," said Sara Amundson, President of the Humane Society Legislative Fund.
"Today's vote to pass the Big Cat Public Safety Act out of the House Natural Resources Committee is an important step toward enacting this crucial bill," said Cathy Liss, President of the Animal Welfare Institute. "Shocking news reports have shown a sheriff's department forced to shoot lions running along a highway, and a teenager killed as she posed with a tiger for a class portrait. Other reports have shown heartbreaking footage of infant cubs pulled from their mothers to be exploited for profit, and huge tigers pacing neurotically in small, barren backyard cages. The trade in big cats is a tragedy and a national embarrassment, and we commend the committee for advancing H.R. 263."
"By advancing the Big Cat Public Safety Act, leaders in Congress have taken an important step toward safeguarding captive tigers, lions and other wild cats across the U.S.," said Carson Barylak, Campaigns Manager at the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). "We applaud this action to protect wildlife and people alike by reining in big cat exploitation nationwide."
"Today's markup is great news—a long-awaited step toward finally passing this bipartisan bill to address the rampant big cat crisis in the US. The private ownership of big cats, cub petting, and related photo op schemes fuel wildlife trade and trafficking worldwide, which is a primary driver of the biodiversity, extinction, and climate crises, and has ties to transnational organized crime. Our many thanks to Big Cat Public Safety Act sponsor Representative Quigley for his leadership to end these practices, which harm individual animals, wild populations, people, and the planet," said Christina Scaringe, General Counsel, Animal Defenders International.
"Big cats are wild animals who do not belong in backyards, basements, and garages and are inadequately protected under a patchwork of state laws. We are thrilled to see that the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources has passed the Big Cat Public Safety Act, which will protect countless big cats and keep communities safer," says Animal Legal Defense Fund Executive Director Stephen Wells. "We encourage the swift passage of the bill into law to end the private possession of big cats and direct contact with big cat cubs."
"We've been saying it for over a decade: tigers, lions, and other big cat species do not belong in the hands of private owners. These big cats endure miserable lives while held captive in basements and backyards, and they endanger the public and first responders – resulting in tragedy time and time again. This is why we are so pleased that today the House Natural Resources Committee passed the Big Cat Public Safety Act. With this vote, as well as Congressman Quigley's and Congressman Fitzpatrick's leadership, we look forward to continued progress for this critical legislation," said Angela Grimes, CEO of Born Free USA.
Representative Quigley previously introduced the Big Cat Public Safety Act in 2019, and it successfully passed out of the House of Representatives in December 2020. Unfortunately, the legislation did not receive a vote in the Senate, prompting Rep. Quigley to reintroduce this bill once again during the 117th Congress. The bill will now head to the floor for a vote by the full House of Representatives.