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Joe Biden signs the Big Cat Public Safety Act

December 22, 2022 By Merritt Clifton

Big Cat Safety Act 2022

(Beth Clifton collage)

Fifteen-year campaign nears climax for Howard & Carole Baskin

            WASHINGTON D.C.––U.S. President Joe Biden on December 20,  2022 endorsed the Big Cat Public Safety Act into law.

The Big Cat Public Safety Act on December 6,  2022 was unanimously passed by the U.S. Senate on a voice vote,  after clearing the House of Representatives by a vote of 278-134 in July 2022.

Approved unanimously then by Democrats in the House,  for the second time,  the Big Cat Public Safety Act also won the support of 63 Republicans in the House.  All the opposition votes came from Republicans.

(See Big Cat Public Safety Act clears House again, heads toward passage.)

Joe Exotic flys over Congress

“Joe Exotic” unsuccessfully courted Donald Trump; made no friends in the Joseph Biden administration.  (Beth Clifton collage)

White House support

That Biden would sign the Big Cat Public Safety Act was never in doubt.

Announced the White House on July 26,  2022,  “The Administration supports the Big Cat Public Safety Act,  which would build on existing laws that protect big cats like tigers,  cheetahs,  jaguars,  and other wild animals living in captivity in the United States.

“This bipartisan legislation,”  the White House said,  “would limit ownership of these animals to zoos,  sanctuaries,  universities,  and agencies.”

Tim Stark & baby caracals.

Tim Stark & baby caracals.

Prohibits direct contact

The Big Cat Public Safety Act would also,  the White House continued,  “prohibit direct contact between the public and any big cats” in zoo,  sanctuary,  university,  or agency possession.

“The bill would exempt current owners of big cats from these prohibitions [on keeping them],  and require they be registered to ensure community safety.

These provisions are nw.

Howard and Carole Baskin with tiger

Howard and Carole Baskin at Big Cat Rescue.  (Beth Clifton photo)

Ends “abusive use of tiger cubs for petting & photo ops”

Exulted Howard and Carole Baskin in a joint statement on behalf of Big Cat Rescue,  after having campaigned for passage of the Big Cat Public Safety Act since 2007,  “First,”  on endorsement by President Biden,  “it puts an end to the abusive use of tiger cubs and other big cat cubs for petting and photo ops.

“Cubs used for this purpose are ripped from their mothers at or close to birth,  as shown in one scene in the Tiger King documentary series,  deprived of the health protections of their mothers’ milk,  and often deprived of sleep and physically punished to discourage their natural behaviors.

“There is no tracking of how many of them die in the process,”  the Baskins noted,  “or where they end up when,  a few months later,  they are too big and dangerous for petting.

Tiger & lion cub

(Beth Clifton collage)

“Phases out private ownership of big cats”

“Second, “  the Baskins continued,  “the bill phases out private ownership of big cats by unlicensed owners who keep them as ‘pets’ in what are typically miserable conditions in back yards or worse.  Current owners of big cats are ‘grandfathered’ and can keep their existing animals.  But they must register the existing animals with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and may not breed or acquire more.

“Thus, private owners can no longer serve as the dumping ground for cubs who ‘age out’ of petting operations. Within a decade most of the thousands of big cats living this way will have passed away,  and in twenty years no cats will be living in this kind of misery.”

Big Cat Rescue founder Carole Baskin called the Big Cat Public Safety Act “The number one goal of my thirty years of advocacy to stop the mistreatment of big cats. This has been particularly true in the last twenty years during which my husband Howard joined me and took over managing our legislative efforts,”  Carole Baskin said.

Britney Spears and Kevin Doc Antle

Kevin Antle & Brittney Spears.
(Beth Clifton collage)

“Narcissistic,  abusive,  dangerous men”

“The passage of the bill is the successful culmination of many years of battling against narcissistic,  abusive,  dangerous men who dominated this cruel trade and did everything they could to stop its passage,  including wanting to intimidate,  discredit,  and even kill me.”

Among those “narcissistic,  abusive,  dangerous men” might be counted Joseph Schreibvogel Maldonado,  now two years into serving a 22-year prison sentence for trying to hire a contract killer to shoot Carole Baskin;  Kevin Bhagavan ‘Doc’ Antle,  currently facing federal money-laundering charges (see Busted again: the secret life of “Tiger King” Kevin “Doc” Antle on the lam from Iowa);  former Wildlife In Need exotic animal park owner/operator Tim Stark,  fined $340,000 in 2020 for more than 120 violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act (see “Tiger Baby Playtime” promoter Tim Stark meets stark reality in court);  and Jeff Lowe,  whose big cat exhibition facilities have been shut down in several states.  (See “Tiger Kings” lose stripes in Nevada, Oklahoma, & Texas.)

Map of Texas and a tiger

(Beth Clifton collage)

Thanks to National Sheriffs’ Association

The Baskins thanked “the many people and organizations who joined us in this battle. This included our own staff and volunteers who ran Big Cat Rescue under the leadership of my daughter, Jamie Veronica Murdock,  and other sanctuaries,  other animal welfare organization, and many individual animal advocates and donors.

“It also included,  critically,  the National Sheriffs’ Association,  many other first responders around the country, t he bill sponsors in the House and Senate,  and all of those legislators who supported the bill. I am also grateful,”  Carole Baskin added, “that apparently I am harder to intimidate or kill than some thought.”

Many other animal advocacy organizations stepped up immediately to claim a share of the credit for winning passage of the Big Cat Public Safety Act,  including the Humane Society of the U.S.,  the subsidiary Humane Society Legislative Fund,  and the Animal Wellness Foundation.

Northwest Wildlife Sanctuary. Dave Colburn proprietor (Facebook photo)

PETA pledges to go after baby bear,  otter,  & sloth exhibitors

Said PETA Foundation general counsel for captive animal law enforcement Brittany Peet,  through PETA media division manager David Perle,  “This law caps off years of PETA legal actions that resulted in the rescue of 75 big cats,  took down Tiger King villains Tim Stark and Jeff Lowe,  and established that big cat cub petting violates the Endangered Species Act.

“PETA has now set its sights on ending photo ops with baby bears,  otters,  sloths,  and other exploited animals who deserve to be with their families,  and it urges everyone never to give a dime to animal exploiters.”

Operations of that sort are already proliferating,  including one called the Northwest Wildlife Sanctuary,  recently opened by former tiger exhibitor William David “Dave” Coleburn in a 60-odd-year-old building built as a bar, adjacent to Deception Pass State Park on Whidbey Island,  Washington.

(See “Wolf dog is doing well” at large, but “For how long?” community wonders.)

Joe Exotic tiger lion cockroach

(Beth Clifton collage)

“Tiger Kings” themselves ensured passage

All had something to do with the passage of the Big Cat Public Safety Act,  but after the Baskins the most influential voices were probably Tiger King documentary series makers Eric Goode and Rebecca Chaiklin,  whose portrayal of Schreibvogel Maldonado was largely sympathetic,  while their portrayal of Carole Baskin mostly was not.

Despite that,  the immense popularity of the Tiger King documentary series created an audience for many spin-offs and follow-ups,  including the Baskins’ own version of events,  while Schreibvogel Maldonado,  Antle,  Stark,  Lowe,  and the other cub-petting and tiger exhibition promoters spotlighted by the series managed to make themselves thoroughly repugnant to the sensibilities of most law-abiding Americans.

(Beth Clifton collage)

Did someone slip the Senate opponents a cat laxative?

“Republican opponents of the Big Cat Public Safety Act have argued that it would duplicate federal processes,”  reported Emily Brooks of The Hill,  “and proposed giving the Department of Agriculture authority to regulate the cats,  rather than the Department of the Interior.

“Senators Mike Lee of Utah),  Rand Paul of Kentucky,  and James Lankford of Oklahoma,”  all Republicans,  “had placed holds on the bill that held up consideration in the Senate,”  Brooks explained.  “But the senators lifted their holds,  allowing it to pass by unanimous consent,  just weeks before the end of the Congressional session.

“After the new year in the new Congress,  the bill would have had to go through both chambers again in order to pass.”

Merritt and Beth with animals

Beth & Merritt Clifton

Reading list

(See Carole Baskin & Big Cat Rescue win custody of “Tiger King” Joe Exotic’s tigers,  “Joe Exotic” gets 22 years in a cage for murder plot),  “Joe Exotic” tried to kill me: Carole Baskin tells her own story,  See the video exposé that sent Jack Hanna into demented retirement––free!,  Tiger exhibitor Marcus Cook: ex-cop has dodged the law for 20 years,  “Joe Exotic” gets 22 years in a cage for murder plot,  “Joe Exotic” allegedly thought he could get away with murder,  Lions, Tigers & Bears, heroic efforts, & Big Cat Rescue and “Ban white tigers & lion/tiger hybrids,” sanctuarians beg feds.)

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Filed Under: Advocacy, Africa, African wildlife, Animal organizations, Asia/Pacific, Culture & Animals, Endangered species, Entertainment, Exhibition, Feature Home Bottom, Habitat, India, Indian subcontinent, Laws, Laws & politics, Sanctuaries, Tigers, USA, Wildlife, Wildlife, Zoos Tagged With: Carole Baskin, Howard Baskin, Joseph Schreibvogel Maldonado, Kevin Antle, Merritt Clifton, Tim Stark

Comments

  1. Steve Hindi says

    December 7, 2022 at 5:39 am

    Congratulations to Carole and Howard Baskin as they finally realize the reward for their caring persistence on behalf of the voiceless. Their enormous victory is absolutely deserved.

    • Sherry DeBoer says

      December 7, 2022 at 5:24 pm

      I agree with Steve Hindi! Thank you The Baskins and to The Members of The US Congress who voted to get this excellent law passed!

  2. Lindsay says

    December 7, 2022 at 3:20 pm

    Wow. WOW. This is big, and a very long time in coming. I am so glad representatives like the elected official from my state who sent out a tone-deaf email blast mocking the Big Cat Public Safety Act, did not get the final word on this important issue.

    This is why it’s important to vote. I’ve known multiple animal welfare supporters over the years who “don’t want to get involved in politics.” Whether you like the process or not, these individuals make decisions that can mean relief or endless suffering for thousands of animals–more than you or I could ever hope to personally help in our lifetimes.
    Could you provide a link for easy access to see how our elected officials voted on this legislation?

    • Bob Baker says

      December 7, 2022 at 9:33 pm

      I understand that it was passed by a voice vote in the Senate, so no record of how our senators voted.

  3. Jamaka Petzak says

    December 7, 2022 at 4:41 pm

    All of us who have fought, advocated for and shared about this critically important legislation can now prepare to celebrate it finally becoming law, while remembering the many, many innocent lives abused, neglected, and lost while our efforts stagnated due to opposition.
    Sharing with gratitude and jubilation.

  4. Annoula Wylderich says

    December 7, 2022 at 8:08 pm

    AT LAST!

  5. David Perle says

    December 7, 2022 at 9:39 pm

    The final nail is about to hit the coffin of the extremely cruel big-cat cub-petting industry, which PETA lawsuits nearly annihilated by taking down the biggest players, such as the “Tiger Kings,” and establishing that it’s illegal to separate big-cat cubs from their mothers prematurely and let the public pet them. PETA will be watching closely to ensure that federal authorities enforce the new law and stop wannabe “Tiger Kings” from resurrecting this abusive industry.

    Brittany Peet
    PETA Foundation General Counsel for Captive Animal Law Enforcement

  6. Diane Randolph says

    December 8, 2022 at 1:14 am

    Enforcement is so important, I hope it happens.

  7. Esther R Mechler says

    December 8, 2022 at 4:52 pm

    Thanks to all of you who hung in there all those years and now taste sweet success! Amazing how hard it is, and how long it takes, to get these good things done.

    • Lindsay says

      December 9, 2022 at 1:56 pm

      Good point. I was just thinking about this issue, and recalled that nearly 30 years ago a (now closed) store in my town held a cub-petting event to promote their grand opening.
      A guy had multiple lion and tiger cubs in a pen and had set up a temporary photo booth, and for a fee, he would snap a Polaroid of a customer holding a cub.
      I don’t know exactly when this ill-advised (and rather bizarre) industry began, but it has been going on for a long time, and the number of animals it has chewed up and spit out is probably huge and unknowable.

  8. Eric Mills, coordinator ACTION FOR ANIMALS - Oakland says

    December 20, 2022 at 11:41 pm

    Grandma was right: Persevere in your cause, and you’ll eventually wear the bastards down. Well done!

  9. Barbara Smith says

    December 20, 2022 at 11:48 pm

    I’m probably the only person that believes in the phrase ‘be careful of what you wish for you may not get what you want’, whenever the government gets involved there are unexpected consequences. I watched the entire Netflix series on Tiger King, it was appalling to say the least. We have wonderful sanctuaries in Colorado that has taken in many tigers. I just hope that everything goes well with this new law. I’m very skeptical, its hard to think of every twist and turn, there is always someone who’ll put the whole pride down instead of saving them, because someone touched the kittens. But its great, I’m happy, but a skeptic. There is always a twist.

    • Merritt Clifton says

      December 20, 2022 at 11:59 pm

      Colorado has also had some very bad alleged sanctuaries that took in tigers. See Nine lives running out at Serenity Springs Wildlife Center. Concerning the allegation that “there is always someone who’ll put the whole pride down instead of saving them, because someone touched the kittens,” if any visitor even can touch big cat kittens, the facility is in violation of the federal Animal Welfare Act; and once private breeding is stopped, which in recent decades has been done chiefly to sell cub-petting opportunities, there won’t be any more kittens for anyone to touch.

  10. E. Mechler says

    December 21, 2022 at 2:55 am

    It’s an incredibly long slog, but Persistence Pays. Thanks for documenting all the work. So many battles to fight. Carry on!

  11. Janet Enoch says

    December 21, 2022 at 3:33 am

    Congratulations Carole and Howard on your phenomenal and much needed achievement for the big cats!!

    Now the wealthy humane groups need to stop hoarding their donations and put it to work to get the Horse Slaughter Bill passed to stop the slaughter and shipping of American horses to Canada and Mexico! Way long overdue!

  12. Dudley Giehl says

    January 23, 2023 at 3:34 am

    Joe Biden is by no means a champion of animal rights issues. He picked Tom Vilsack to be his Agriculture Secretary, another sleazy revolving door appointment. Vilsack was a disaster when he was Agril Secy for Obama and then was hired as the head of the Dairy Export Council—a million dollar job—before his friend, Biden, hired him back as Agril Secy again. When California was about to enforce a referendum that required pork sold in the state to come from sows that were humanely treated, the Pork Producers sued and took the case to the Supreme Court. 16 US Senators, including Corey Booker (a vegan), advised Biden to support California to uphold humane laws; instead, Biden did the opposite, submitting an amicus brief on behalf of the pork producers. Biden is a sleazy politician who supports big Ag over animal welfare.

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