PAKISTANIS’ obsession with exotic pets keeps ending in tragedy. Incidents like the recent lion attack in a Lahore neighbourhood, which left a woman and two children scarred physically and, almost certainly, psychologically, continue to expose dangerous societal and regulatory failures that put unsuspecting citizens and instinctive beasts in harm’s way. Yet, after a few days of outrage over animal abuse and public safety, things go back to ‘normal’, and our elite’s penchant for keeping and flaunting dangerous beasts as status symbols continues to fuel a cycle of human injury and animal suffering.

The Punjab government, so quick to jump on trends, ordered a sweeping crackdown on owners of big cats soon after the Lahore incident. Multiple arrests have been made and more than a dozen cats confiscated by the Punjab Wildlife and Parks Department since the orders were issued. But one wonders why these arrests and confiscations were not made sooner, considering the immense danger posed to public safety by these dangerous beasts and their lawbreaking owners. Does this not underline the fact that the authorities will turn a blind eye to influential citizens and their ‘hobbies’ till public pressure compels them to act otherwise? The animals, meanwhile, suffer immensely. Legislation like the Islamabad Nature Conservation and Wildlife Management Act 2023 and Punjab’s recent rules have aimed to curb this and provide more humane conditions for exotic pet ownership, but enforcement is weak. In any case, wild beasts cannot be domesticated, and their ownership should not be normalised. There should be a ban on private ownership of dangerous animals, rigorous enforcement against breeders and public education campaigns to undo the notion of exotic pets as status symbols. Instead of flaunting wild animals in private spaces, animal lovers could channel their efforts towards improving public zoos, many of which are underfunded and poorly managed. Sponsoring animal welfare in these settings could be a more meaningful and ethical expression of care.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2025