The statistics of 5000 tigers held in the United States by private owners is unbelievable!
Why is that happening and why would any normal, rational person want to own a tiger?
Are there states that are the biggest contributors of this?
How do we change the law and the fate of the tigers are not good?
Five thousand tigers in the U.S. is an unbelievable statistic and, truth be told, the actual number of tigers is probably more than this. Why is this happening? People think these animals are cute and cuddly, and then they grow up to be 500-pound apex predators that are out of control. People don’t have the resources and capability to provide proper care for these animals. People are lulled into thinking they will be the one to domesticate the animal, but this is rarely the case. Just as a hoarder doesn’t realize or understand that they are hurting themselves or others, countless people falsely believe that what they are doing to the animals is right.
They don’t understand that keeping a tiger in a 6″ X 6″ foot cage, on concrete, in direct sunlight with barely any room to walk or turnaround is wrong and cruel.
The other spectrum of the issue is the animals being used for mere profit. The exotic animal trade and using cubs as photo opportunities is an extremely lucrative business. Animals are made into breeding machines, the cubs are ripped away from their mother a day or two after being born and put on display where people pay anywhere from $20+ dollars to take a photo with the cubs. When the cubs get too old to handle they are just dumped and forgotten about. One cub can easily generate over $1,000 in profit in just one day!
Five states that currently have no laws are: Nevada, Alabama, Wisconsin, North Carolina, South Carolina). Seventeen states require permits: Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Maine, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Rhode Island. Twenty-eight states banned.
Education and advocacy are the driving force of change. The more people are educated and aware of the problem, the better chance of getting laws passed. Write to your senators and representatives, urging them to co-sign the Big Cat and Public Safety Protection Act. Educate your family and friends, and let them know that they shouldn’t support non-accredited sanctuaries, roadside zoos, or cub petting opportunities. Don’t support animals in entertainment.
How can people view your introduction film to see what is really happening to wild animals in the United States?
A friend created the video used in our Educational Visit and is not currently available to the public. We need to produce our own video relaying the truth about the exotic animal trade that we can share with the public. Education is so important to ending the exotic animal trade once and for all.
Find out more about Lions, Tigers & Bears on their official website.
