'Tiger King' Bill Passed by House That Would Ban Big Cat Ownership
left a mark on 2020 — and now, it may contribute to a more lasting legacy. On Thursday, the House of Representatives passed the Big Cat Public Safety Act, a bill featured in the show that would ban most big cat ownership. The bill, which passed 272-114, is an expansion of the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to «further the conservation of certain wildlife species.» Specifically, the bill limits who is able to transport, sell, buy, breed or possess big cats, including lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, cougars or hybrids of those animals. If the bill passes, most individuals will not be allowed to privately own big cats, and all direct public contact with the animals, including cub petting, will be forbidden.