Big Cat Public Safety Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 263, the Big Cat Public Safety Act, as a proud cosponsor of this legislation for many years.

Big cats such as lions, tigers, panthers, and others deserve to live in the wild or in a safe and secure refuge like Big Cat Rescue back home in Tampa.

But too often these beautiful creatures are privately owned and exploited for profit in the exotic pet trade where they are owned by unfit individuals and kept in awful conditions. That is why we must pass the Big Cat Public Safety Act. It would be a catastrophe if we did not pass it.

Big cats are wild animals. They do not belong in backyards and garages and should not be in regular contact with people unsuited to take care of them. It is dangerous as well. We have seen numerous law enforcement and emergency calls due to the irresponsible private ownership of big cats fueled by those who are making money off of their suffering.

So I am proud to have advocated for this legislation with many of the cool cats and kittens, volunteers, and supporters of Big Cat Rescue in Tampa.

I thank Representative Quigley and the Natural Resources Committee Chair Grijalva for moving to protect big cats from exploitation.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to do the same with a big ``yes'' vote on the Big Cat Public Safety Act.

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