Virginia Passes Bill Banning “Public Contact” With Captive Animals Including Tigers

The Virginia General Assembly has a new law to help protect animals. The law effectively stops “cub petting” in the state, including pet big cats like tigers.

The law reads, ” Direct contact with dangerous captive animals prohibited. It is unlawful for any keeper to provide or offer to provide to any member of the public, for free or for a cost, direct contact with a dangerous captive animal.” Many people are familiar with cub petting after watching Tiger King, the Netflix documentary that has grown in popularity. Now Virginia has passed a law to stop the harmful practice and protect Direct contact with dangerous captive animals prohibited. It is unlawful for any keeper to provide or offer to provide to any member of the public, for free or for a cost, direct contact with a dangerous captive animal..

It goes into effect on July 1, 2021 and changes animal laws in the state in multiple ways, including a ban on petting lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, cougars, or big cat hybrids. While the law does not apply to clouded leopards, it does ban close physical contact with captive bears or non-human primates. If a person wants to photograph an animal in close proximity, there must be a physical barrier in place to prevent contact.

Violations are a $500 fine and a class 3 misdemeanor.

According to PETA, “The cub-petting industry churns out baby tigers and bears, tears them away from their mothers, and charges the public hundreds of dollars to hold them. These vulnerable infants have weak immune systems and can’t maintain their own body temperatures. Like humans, they need their mothers for nutrients, warmth, and disease protection. Kept inside cages, they’re denied that basic, vital care when used as photo props.”

Read more about Tiger King and cub petting in One Green Planet, check out these articles:

• Tiger King: The Story Netflix Neglected to Tell You About Captivity and Exploitation of Endangered Tigers
• Why You Shouldn’t Support Joe Exotic, the Star of Tiger King
• Common Myths That Fuel the Cruel Big Cat Selfie Trade and How to NOT to Fall for Them
• The Hidden Cruelty Behind Cute Exotic Cat Cub Petting Attractions
• Shaquille O’Neal Under Investigation by PETA After Appearing on Controversial Tiger King Docu-Series
• Netflix Releases “Tiger King” Documentary about Man Imprisoned for Shooting Tigers in the Head and Conspiring to Kill an Animal Activist
• Man Formerly Known as “The Tiger King” Going to Prison

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