Can You Keep A Lion As A Pet?

Lions are majestic, powerful creatures that captivate many people’s imaginations. Their regal manes and imposing roars make them seem like the kings of the jungle. So you may wonder – can I actually keep one as a pet?

If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: Keeping lions or any big cat as a private pet is illegal in most places and not recommended. Lions have complex needs that a typical household cannot provide for.

Legality and Restrictions

Laws Prohibiting Private Big Cat Ownership

It is illegal to keep lions as pets in most areas, with some exceptions. Many states in the US have banned private ownership of big cats like lions, tigers, and other dangerous exotic animals. According to the Animal Legal & Historical Center at Michigan State University’s College of Law (https://www.animallaw.info), around 30 states prohibit keeping big cats as pets.

There are only 5 states with no restrictions – Alabama, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina and Wisconsin. However, some cities and counties within these states still ban big cat ownership.

There are federal restrictions as well. The Captive Wildlife Safety Act bans interstate transport and trade of big cats across state lines as pets. The Big Cat Public Safety Act was also introduced in recent years to prohibit new ownership of lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars or cougars.

So even in states that allow exotic pet ownership with permits, the tightening federal regulations are making it very difficult to legally obtain big cats like lions.

Zoning Laws and Exotic Pet Permits

For the few states that do allow big cat ownership, there are often restrictions through zoning laws and permits:

• Most cities have zoning laws prohibiting exotic dangerous animals within city limits or residential areas. Big cats like lions often cannot be kept in apartments or urban neighborhoods.
• Rural areas may allow exotic pets with proper enclosures and permits. However, permits often have stringent requirements including liability insurance, vet care plans, safety protocols and more.
• USDA licenses are required to exhibit, sell or commercially trade big cats across state lines. But private owners can often bypass this with state permits.

While a very small number of states may allow private citizens to own big cats with the right enclosures, licenses and safety measures, the vast majority of areas in the US prohibit keeping dangerous exotic predators like lions as pets both at the state and federal levels.

The restrictions and liability involved where it is legal also make owning a big cat highly unrealistic for the average person in most cases.

Housing and Enclosure Requirements

Space Requirements

Lions are large carnivores that require extensive space to roam and express natural behaviors. According to expert guidelines, each lion should be provided with at least 1,000 square feet of indoor housing and at least an acre of outdoor space for exercise.

Their enclosures need to allow for ample roaming room as well as areas for resting, playing, and engaging in species-specific activities. Insufficient space often leads to issues like pacing, aggression, or self-mutilation.

Outdoor habitats should include natural vegetation like grasses, bushes, and trees to provide visual barriers and a more complex, enriching environment. Features like pools, rocks, and elevated platforms help lions fulfill their need to swim, climb, perch, etc.

Enrichment Elements

In addition to habitat size and features, lions require daily enrichment to prevent boredom and frustration. Some recommended items include:

• Large objects like balls, barrels, or boxes that lions can bat around
• Plant-based scents (spices, herbs, perfumes) or novel items that spark curiosity through smell
• Puzzle feeders that make animals work for their food
• Access to bone scents and other hunting related cues

Rotating different enrichment elements daily is ideal. Handlers can also facilitate stimulating play sessions using toys on poles or setting up challenging yet safe scenarios for the lions to engage with mentally and physically.

Dietary Needs

Whole Prey

In the wild, lions are obligate carnivores and survive primarily by hunting and eating large animals such as wildebeests, zebras, and antelopes. Captive lions have the same nutritional needs and do best on a raw meat diet consisting of whole prey items.

This provides them with the full spectrum of nutrients they need in the right ratios. Some acceptable whole prey for captive lions include:

• Carcasses of cattle, bison, and horses
• Carcasses of sheep and goats
• Deer, elk, and other wild ungulates
• Whole rabbits and chickens

Feeding whole prey provides lions with protein from the muscles, essential fatty acids from the organs and bones, and minerals from the blood and bones. It also allows them to engage in natural feeding behaviors like tearing meat from bones which provides enrichment.

Ground meat mixes should be avoided since they lack the bone content and feeding enrichment of whole carcasses.

Supplements

In addition to whole prey, captive lions may need dietary supplementation to meet all their nutritional needs. Some beneficial supplements include:

• Bone meal – Provides calcium and phosphorus
• Fish oils – Provides omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA
• Vitamin and mineral mixes – Provides nutrients not found in muscle meat
• Taurine – An essential amino acid for big cats

Working with a veterinary nutritionist can help determine the appropriate supplements to balance out the whole prey diet. Cubs and pregnant/lactating lionesses have different needs than adult lions. Dietary adjustments may also be necessary for senior lions or individuals with health conditions.

Monitoring weight, bloodwork, and other health parameters allows keepers to tailor the diet to each lion’s needs.

While fresh whole prey makes up the bulk of the diet, supplements help fill any nutritional gaps and ensure captive lions thrive on a balanced diet.

Health and Veterinary Care

Vaccinations and Parasite Control

Keeping a lion as a pet requires extensive health and veterinary care. As with any exotic pet, lions need specialized vaccinations and regular parasite control to stay healthy. Some important considerations include:

• Routine vaccinations for diseases like rabies, panleukopenia, calicivirus, and rhinotracheitis.
• Deworming and flea/tick medications to prevent intestinal parasites and external parasites.
• Annual testing for diseases common in lions like feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV).

Preventative care is crucial since lions can develop respiratory illnesses, skin infections, and gastrointestinal issues if not properly cared for. Work closely with an exotic veterinarian to develop a comprehensive preventative medicine plan.

Finding an Experienced Exotic Vet

Because lions have unique health and husbandry needs compared to domestic cats, finding an experienced exotic veterinarian is essential but can be challenging. Here are some tips:

• Ask local zoos and sanctuaries for referrals to vets they work with.
• Search online directories like the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians.
• Look for vets with experience treating big cats or other large carnivores.
• Be prepared to travel farther to see a qualified exotic vet.

When evaluating prospective veterinarians, ask lots of questions about their knowledge and experience with lion medicine and husbandry. Exotic pet ownership is an enormous responsibility, so having a skilled veterinary partner is invaluable for providing great care.

Safety and Behavioral Considerations

Natural Predatory Instincts

Keeping a lion as a pet carries immense risk due to their natural instincts as apex predators. Lions are hardwired to hunt, with sharp claws, powerful jaws, and lightning quick reflexes. This makes them extremely dangerous, even if hand-raised from a cub.

A lion may seem docile, but its predatory instincts can kick in unexpectedly, often with tragic results. There have been numerous reports of pet lions suddenly attacking or killing their owners or escaping and harming others.

Lions are opportunistic hunters and will stalk and attack people as prey. Between 1990-2004, there were at least 22 fatal attacks and over 250 maulings by captive big cats in the United States [1]. Most victims were children or their parents who had been interacting directly with the animals.

Taming a lion’s wild instincts through training is extremely challenging, if not impossible. They are hardwired for the hunt and will act on instinct, no matter how long they have lived with humans.

Training Difficulties

Attempting to train a lion to suppress its natural behaviors is both challenging and dangerous. Lions are intelligent, powerful, and stubborn animals. Professional animal trainers are cautious when working with them due to their unpredictable nature.

Privately owned lions lack structured training and enrichment. Their confinement leads to boredom and frustration, increasing aggression.

Lions require constant reinforcement through reward-based training to learn behaviors. However, their instincts can override any training. Minor lapses in training or errors by owners can have catastrophic results.

Many owners are seriously injured or killed when trying to physically dominate their pet lion during training. Even seemingly docile lions can attack without warning when stressed or frustrated.

Furthermore, a lion’s drive to hunt makes training them to be safely walked on a leash or to refrain from stalking people nearly impossible. Professional zoos with dedicated staff rarely have complete success in mitigating their hardwired behaviors.

Private owners without expertise inevitably have far worse outcomes in attempting to train a wild predator.

Conclusion

While lions are awe-inspiring creatures, keeping them as personal pets comes with a slew of complications around legality, housing, diet, veterinary care and safety. Taking on a full grown lion in a private home setting is extremely challenging bordering on impossible.

Those determined to care for a big cat may look into options like supporting accredited zoos and sanctuaries that have the resources to properly provide for these animals.