support the Big Cat Public Safety Act

This week, the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on the Big Cat Public Safety Act (H.R. 1380/S. 2561).

The US is home to approximately 5,000 captive tigers. Presently, there is no accounting for these animals, including who owns them, when they're sold or traded, or what happens to their valuable parts when they die. For these reasons, the US is unable to ensure that its tiger population isn't feeding an illegal trade that remains the primary threat to tigers remaining in the wild, of which only around 4,000 remain throughout all of Asia.

There are more big cats living in captivity in the United States than there are remaining in the wild. Tigers don’t belong in backyards. Big cats are apex predators who have complex physical and psychological needs and require vast territories to truly flourish. Keeping them in cages is not only cruel, it’s dangerous and puts the entire community at risk. More than a dozen celebrities, including Kate Mara, Joaquin Phoenix, and Glenn Close, have already asked Congress to pass this important bill. Join them.

Here are two resources where you can send a personalized email to your Representative.

The World Wildlife Organization

Animal Legal Defense Fund