Pakistan authorities arrested the owners of a pet lion after it attacked a mom and her two children. The horrifying moment was captured on CCTV footage, showing the animal climb over a concrete wall and attack the family.
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Pet Lion Attacks Mom And Two Kids
According to the Associated Press, the predator left the trio injured after the attack last Wednesday. The City of Lahore Police shared the dramatic footage online on July 6 of the lion injuring the 5 and 7-year-old children. At some point in the video, you could see a man chasing after it, probably attempting to help the family.
A police report claims that the children’s father witnessed the lion’s three owners refraining from helping. You could even see them in the video letting the lion attack the family, walking away from the incident. Although the children sustained injuries to their faces and arms, they are now in stable condition.
Soon after the incident, the lion returned to the owners’ farmhouse. At this point, the police have relocated the lion to a local wildlife park. “We’ve also captured the lion and transferred it to wildlife authorities,” said Deputy Inspector General Muhammad Faisal Kamran, via CNN.
Three Illegal Pet Lion Owners Arrested
Lahore Police eventually arrested the three lion owners on Friday. They are accused of keeping a wild animal without a license and negligence leading to its escape, the BBC reported.
The outlet also mentioned that big cats like lions are considered status symbols in Pakistan. It may be legal to keep predators like tigers, lions, and cheetahs as pets, but you have to register them. Owners of these cats must also keep them outside of city limits.
“This unfortunate incident highlights how wild animals are often kept in such places without a license, or permission — with no legal procedures followed — endangering the lives of many people,” said Kamran.
This is just one of many incidents of illegal wildlife possession. Just days after this incident, Punjab authorities arrested five people and recovered 13 lions.
The Chief Ranger of Punjab’s Wildlife and Parks Department, Syed Kamran Bukhari, revealed his department is seeking “the toughest punishment” for the three lion owners from this video. “It was completely illegal captivity,” he added.