Owners of Pet Lion Arrested After Animal Escapes Home and Attacks Mother and Her 2 Children

Authorities in Pakistan arrested the owners of a lion after the predator-turned-pet was captured on CCTV scaling a concrete wall and then attacking a woman and her two children in an alleyway. 

The woman and her five and seven-year-old children were taken to a local hospital in Lahore, Pakistan’s second-largest city, following the attack. They are in stable condition but sustained injuries to the face and arms, per the Associated Press. 

Per CNN and BBC, on July 6, Lahore Police shared on social media that the lion’s three owners were arrested on Friday and are accused of keeping a wild animal without a license and negligence resulting in its escape. The authorities added that, before being arrested, the owners put the lion in a van and attempted to flee to a neighboring district.  

“We’ve also captured the lion and transferred it to wildlife authorities,” said Muhammad Faisal Kamran, the deputy inspector general of Lahore Police. 

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According to AP, in a police report, the father of the injured children claimed that the lion’s owners failed to restrain the animal and instead sat back and watched as it mauled the three victims. 

The CCTV footage obtained and released by the Lahore Police shows the lion pouncing on a woman and then galloping after her children. A man appears to chase after the large cat shortly after it vaults the concrete wall. 

The BBC noted that owning a lion is a symbol of wealth in Pakistan and is also legal. Licenses for lions, jaguars, and other big cats can be issued after a formal registration and payment of a $176 fee. However, it is illegal to house the animals within the city limits of Lahore.

According to CNN, local media in Lahore reported that the lion’s owners didn’t have a license to keep the big cat and would be prosecuted under the Wildlife Act. They face up to seven years in prison or a fine of up to $17,500. 

Authorities in Punjab announced a province-wide crackdown on illegal wildlife kept as pets. The government has arrested five individuals and captured 13 lions since the announcement, per BBC.

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“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,” Kamran said of the unlicensed pet lion who attacked three people.