Iggy Pop, Big Cats Await Biden Signature on New Bill

The US House passed the Big Cat Public Safety Act in July, and last week the Senate gave its blessing for the legislation via unanimous consent. Now the bill waits for Joe Biden to sign it into law before we are all old and gray.

Years (!) in the making, the new law requires that only certified zoos and universities will be allowed to keep lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, and other big cats in captivity. The era of private ownership and decrepit roadside “zoos” are just about over.

The dark underside of big-cat captivity was exposed in the 2020 Netflix documentary “Tiger King,” which featured Joe Exotic, the wacky owner of an exotic-animal park in Oklahoma. Exotic is currently serving a 21-year prison sentence for both animal-abuse and for his plot to kill Carole Baskin, a big-cat sanctuary owner in Florida who campaigned to end “cub petting,” in which creeps like Exotic would subject tiger cubs to the indignities (and dangers) of human contact. 

“Big cats like lions, tigers and cheetahs belong in their natural habitats, not in the hands of private owners where they are too often subject to cruelty or improper care,” said bill co-sponsor Senator Susan Collins. “Our legislation will prohibit the private ownership of big cats, which threatens the safety of the animals and the public and harms conservation efforts.”

The new law will grandfather-in current private owners who want to keep their cats, but they will be required to register the animals with authorities, so there will be some regulation and accountability.

The legislation had bipartisan support – not something you see everyday in Washington – as well as celebrity help from the likes of Joaquin Phoenix, Diane Keaton, and Iggy Pop. Now all it needs is President Biden’s name on it.

Photo credit: InteraWorks