President Biden Signs Big Cat Public Safety Act

President Biden signed House Resolution 263, the Big Cat Public Safety Act. The law now closes loopholes in the Captive Wildlife Safety Act amendments to the Lacey Act by prohibiting the private possession of big cats and prohibiting licensed exhibitors from using most big cat species for lucrative photo ops and other public contact experiences. Such profit incentives drive the rapid breeding and disposal of tigers and other big cats into the pet trade. Under the new law, private owners may keep cats they currently own if they register the animals with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service within 180 days. The bill, which was introduced by Representative Mike Quigley multiple times, imposes civil and criminal penalties on violators.