OK wildlife sanctuary fights big cat bill

by: Sharon Phillips Updated: Feb 23, 2016



BROKEN ARROW, Okla. —
Quick facts:

• Lawmakers are considering a bill that will make it illegal for people to own exotic cats.
• Officials at a local wildlife sanctuary said it would be bad for some cats.
• They said most people should not own big cats, but some big cats benefit from private ownership at sanctuaries.

Lawmakers are proposing changes that could force Oklahoma wildlife sanctuaries to shut down.
Workers at an exotic sanctuary in Broken Arrow said they are fighting the act that would end the ownership of exotic cats.
The Big Cat Public Safety Act was introduced into the US Senate this week.
The act would bring an end to the private ownership of exotic cats.
Officials from Safari’s Sanctuary said the act may seem like a good thing, but it would force animals brought in from captivity to go out into the wild where they cannot survive.
They also said animals from the sanctuary may be brought to small concrete cells the size of horse stalls.
They said while most people should not own exotic pets, senators should reword the act to make it more of a responsible owners act.

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