Crackdown on Illegal Lion Pets in Pakistan's Punjab

In Punjab, Pakistan, authorities have confiscated 18 lions being kept illegally as pets. The action follows an incident where a lion escaped and attacked a woman and two children, according to officials on Monday.

The woman received scratches and bruises, while the children, aged five and seven, were hospitalized, though their injuries were not life-threatening. The lion was held in a Lahore house without a license and has been placed in a local safari park, according to Mubeen Elahi, the director general of the provincial Wildlife and Parks Department. The owner has been arrested, police confirmed.

The rise of exotic pet ownership, often fueled by social media as a display of status, is being addressed through new regulations in Punjab. These rules prohibit owning lions without a license and mandate specific cage size requirements and standard operating procedures. Violators face up to seven years in prison, and a recent crackdown has already resulted in the arrest of eight individuals at 38 lion and tiger breeding farms. Officials plan to inspect all breeding locations by the week's end.

Punjab, home to 584 lions and tigers in private homes and breeding farms, reflects a broader societal trend where owning big cats is seen as a symbol of power, said Qaim Ali, who once owned a lion but decided to sell it following an attack on his nephew.