This baby tiger almost died after humans imprisoned her as a "pet"

*UPDATE* Another horrifying incident has occured that further proves that the Big Cat Safety Act must be passed without delay! In early May 2021, a Bengal tiger that was being kept illegaly as a pet in Houston, Texas, got loose in a residential neighborhood. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but that easily could have not been the case. Big cats are not pets, and treating them as such only endangers them and the humans around them. Even though it is illegal to own a tiger in Houston, the lack of federal legislation in place makes it easy for people to smuggle these exotic animals across state and city lines. We need our representatives to pass the Big Cat Safety Act!

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When Texas residents were enduring their bitter cold spell earlier this year that left dozens of people dead, authorities discovered disturbing examples of animals suffering through the freezing cold, too. One such case in San Antonio was particularly upsetting.

Police arrived at a couple's home to find a baby tiger, just six months old, who'd been purchased as though she were a fun play item or a pet (which is illegal in San Antonio). Then, the people had locked the poor wild creature up outside despite the chilling temperatures. The tiger was also suffering from the early stages of malnutrition and starvation because her humans were not properly taking care of her.

Tigers should never have to endure this type of torment. These precious wild animals need to remain free to be with their cat families — not torn away from their communities, bought and sold, and then chained up in lonely, often painful captivity. Sign the petition if you agree!

Local rescuers nicknamed this young tigress "Elsa," and luckily she's now been moved to a sanctuary known as the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch. But she's not the only one to endure this type of fate. All sorts of big cats that should be wild — including tigers, lions, cheetahs, leopards, cougars, jaguars, and more — have been forced into lives of inappropriate confinement by humans who think it's funny or cute to own these animals as "pets."

Once imprisoned by people, these animals suffer from physical trauma, such as inadequate veterinary care, improper food, and being crammed into tiny quarters; as well as psychological trauma, such as being isolated from their fellow animals.

There's a reason this type of mistreatment keeps happening. Even though specific cities and regions have done the right thing and prohibited big cat ownership, it's still legal in many parts of the country, so it's still pretty easy for people to get their hands on baby lions or adult cheetahs if they really want to. There's only one way to fix this patchwork system: the United States Congress must pass a federal law such as the Big Cat Safety Act to protect these animals and ban keeping them as pets.

Keeping these big wild animals as pets isn't just bad for the cats — it's also bad for humans. Official reports show that hundreds of children and adults have been injured, maimed, or even killed due to these attempts at turning big wild cats into cute domesticated pets.

Let's keep animals AND people safe. Sign the petition and urge the U.S. Congress to pass the Big Cat Safety Act and ban big cat ownership now!