Monumental U.S. legislation sparked by the exploitation depicted in the TV series Tiger King was passed this week by the U.S. Senate to ban public contact with lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, and cougars.

The Big Cat Public Safety Act, which will prohibit keeping big cat species as pets, along with the practice of ‘cub petting'. It also makes it illegal for members of the public to have close contact with the animals, including bottle-feeding or handing any cubs.

The bipartisan legislation was passed in the Senate by unanimous consent. It was already passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, so now goes to the White House to be signed into law by President Biden, who has expressed support.

The legislation was sponsored and championed by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Rep. Michael Quigley, D-Ill., and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa.

"We've been fighting for this moment for years because so many so-called ‘Tiger Kings' have been breeding tigers and other big cats to use them for profit," said Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society. "It's the beginning of the end of the big cat crisis in the U.S."

Keeping big cats as pets is not only inhumane but it's also a serious public safety issue. In the last 30 years there have been more than 400 incidents involving captive big cats that resulted in hundreds being injured and 24 deaths to adults and children.

"These beautiful but powerful predators deserve to live in the wild, not be kept in captivity for people's entertainment," said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. "I'm thrilled that, after a groundswell of public and bipartisan support, this bill I've long advocated for will become law."

The legislation would limit ownership of these animals to zoos, universities, and sanctuaries, such as the Black Beauty Ranch in Texas run by the Humane Society as a home for big cats that were languishing after being used by the cub-petting industry.

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