End the Misery: Tigers in Captivity

There are approximately 10,000-20,000 tigers being held in captivity by private owners in the United States. The exact number is unknown because the current laws make it difficult to track a tiger once it has outlived its usefulness as a cub for petting and photo ops. The lives of these tigers are miserable with little to no oversight on their care and quality of life. Keeping tigers in captivity does nothing for conservation of tigers in the wild. The Big Cat Public Safety Act, which just passed in the House, will prevent the private ownership of big cats, the breeding of big cats, and direct contact with big cats by the public.

Lisa Spencer-Novak is a musician and educator. Lisa began volunteering at Big Cat Rescue in 2018 after relocating to Florida from Columbus, Ohio. Prior to 2020, Lisa was a tour guide and did educational outreach for Big Cat Rescue. When COVID forced BCR to stop tours, Lisa transitioned to being a Keeper, which involves cat care and sanctuary maintenance. She believes that education, especially for young people, is the only way to change the treatment of big cats specifically and wildlife in general.