Authorities in the eastern city of Lahore, Pakistan have arrested the owners of a pet lion that attacked a woman and her three young children following the animal's escape. In shocking CCTV footage, the lion is seen leaping over a concrete wall, chasing the woman as terrified witnesses fled the scene. The woman and her children, aged five and seven, suffered injuries to their arms and faces but are currently reported to be in stable condition, as per official statements.
The police have charged the lion's owners with the illegal possession of a wild animal and negligence for allowing the lion to escape. The lion has since been captured and relocated to a wildlife park for safety. In Pakistan, owning big cats such as lions and cheetahs is often considered a status symbol, and while it is legal to own such animals, stringent regulations dictate that they must be housed outside of city limits and owners must obtain proper licenses after paying a registration fee of 50,000 rupees (approximately $176 or £129) per animal.
Lahore, the capital of Punjab province and Pakistan's second-largest city, has seen a recent uptick in illegal wildlife ownership cases. In light of the attack, Punjab's authorities have launched a crackdown on unlawful ownership, resulting in the arrest of five individuals and the confiscation of thirteen lions in recent raids.
This incident follows an earlier case in January, where a popular Pakistani YouTube personality was mandated to create educational videos about animal welfare after being caught unlawfully owning a lion cub. Rajab Butt, who has a massive following of 5.6 million subscribers, received the cub as a wedding gift—a clear indication of the social implications tied to exotic pet ownership in the region.
The police have charged the lion's owners with the illegal possession of a wild animal and negligence for allowing the lion to escape. The lion has since been captured and relocated to a wildlife park for safety. In Pakistan, owning big cats such as lions and cheetahs is often considered a status symbol, and while it is legal to own such animals, stringent regulations dictate that they must be housed outside of city limits and owners must obtain proper licenses after paying a registration fee of 50,000 rupees (approximately $176 or £129) per animal.
Lahore, the capital of Punjab province and Pakistan's second-largest city, has seen a recent uptick in illegal wildlife ownership cases. In light of the attack, Punjab's authorities have launched a crackdown on unlawful ownership, resulting in the arrest of five individuals and the confiscation of thirteen lions in recent raids.
This incident follows an earlier case in January, where a popular Pakistani YouTube personality was mandated to create educational videos about animal welfare after being caught unlawfully owning a lion cub. Rajab Butt, who has a massive following of 5.6 million subscribers, received the cub as a wedding gift—a clear indication of the social implications tied to exotic pet ownership in the region.
