Skip to playerSkip to main contentSkip to footer
  • yesterday
#BBCNews
A crackdown against people keeping big cats as illegal pets has been launched in the province of Punjab in Pakistan.

So far, 26 big cats have been rescued and eight people arrested.

It comes after one lion escaped in the city of Lahore, attacking a woman and two children and triggering public outrage.

Dramatic CCTV footage showed how the big cat leapt over a concrete wall and chased the woman down as terrified onlookers ran for safety.

Subscribe here: http://bit.ly/1rbfUog

For more news, analysis and features visit: www.bbc.com/news

#BBCNews

Category

🗞
News
Transcript
00:00Now, a crackdown against people keeping big cats as illegal pets has been launched in the province of Punjab in Pakistan.
00:07So far, 26 big cats have been rescued and eight people arrested.
00:12This comes after one lion escaped in the city of Lahore, attacking a woman and two children.
00:18The moment was captured on film two weeks ago and triggered public outrage.
00:23The BBC's Pakistan correspondent, Azadeh Mushiri, joined wildlife officials on their raids.
00:30Caged and abandoned. Cubs rescued. One by one.
00:45Officials worry their parents are hidden away in unsafe conditions.
00:51People breed lions and then sell the cubs to others who keep them as pets on rooftops.
00:57So these breeding farms are the root of the problem.
01:01The man responsible is missing, leaving his caretaker holding the bag.
01:08Public pressure has led to nearly daily raids.
01:13After this video triggered a public uproar.
01:16A pet lion escaping and attacking a woman and two children in Lahore.
01:20One breeder has been given three months to build bigger cages and comply with guidelines.
01:30What about their welfare, their well-being?
01:32We have a wet veterinary doctor. He visits like every after two, three days.
01:38They are happy, I think. They're eating, they're breeding.
01:40How can you tell they're happy?
01:44Because they come to us, they want to play with us and they don't show aggression.
01:50What about this one?
01:53This line is aggressive.
01:55Aggressive?
01:56Yeah.
01:58Big cats are extremely popular in Punjab.
02:02Symbol of the ruling PMLN party, supporters defy laws and occasionally take them to rallies.
02:08Now, as these raids continue, there are still people who are openly selling lions and cubs.
02:15And we managed to get in touch with one man in a busy neighbourhood.
02:19These are the cubs over here that he has bred.
02:27More people watch others with lions on social media and get tempted to buy them, especially since 2015.
02:34There are so many big cats in Punjab.
02:36Officials worry there isn't enough space in public zoos to relocate them.
02:42As for the cubs they rescued earlier, they're receiving medical checks before they're released into the main park.
02:49Officials say soon, more big cats will join them.
02:53Azadeh Mishiri, BBC News, Islamabad.

Recommended