New York, NY – Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal (D/WF-Manhattan) today announced that her bill to ban direct contact between members of the public and big cats, including lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars and cougars, today was signed by the Governor into law. Roadside zoos, which are laxly regulated, offer photos with big cats for a fee, thus endangering the public and harming animals.

“Contrary to popular belief, this bill was never motivated by a desire to ban tiger selfies,” said Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal. Instead, it is an important piece of consumer and animal protection legislation, and will ban a practice that should have already been illegal in New York.”

Despite any level of training, big cats are dangerous wild animals with instincts to kill. In fact, a young boy in Saratoga, N.Y. was injured when he posed for a photograph with a tiger at the opening day of the county fair. Tragically, in 2012 a young Kansas teenager was killed when the Siberian tiger with whom she was posing for her senior photo mauler her.

“We need not wait for a tragedy to occur before we ban a dangerous and wholly unnecessary practice that should already be illegal,” said Assemblymember Rosenthal. “In addition to the public protection benefits, this law will also help protect the big cats, who are often exploited and abused by roadside zoos looking to make a quick buck off interactions with tigers.”

According to the International Fund for Animal Welfare, many of the big cats at these self-styled “zoos” are weaned too early, are kept in cages too small to accommodate their massive size and are drugged or beaten in futile attempts to render them docile enough for human contact. Once the big cats become too old, they are unceremoniously discarded. Depriving the roadside zoos of the profits their derive from permitting direct contact between members of the public and big cats will ensure that the cats are not further mistreated or abused.

"By signing A.9004/S.6903 into law, Governor Cuomo made clear his commitment to protecting both public safety and animal welfare in New York State. IFAW applauds the legislature – particularly Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal and Senator Tony Avella, the bill's lead sponsors – as well as the governor for enacting this important law, and we hope that other states will follow New York's example."

”I guess some young men in New York will have to find another game, because big cat selfies, along with direct contact with big cats, is now prohibited,” said Rosenthal.