A terrifying incident in Lahore, Pakistan, has sparked nationwide outrage and renewed scrutiny over the country’s exotic pet culture after a pet lion escaped from a private farmhouse and attacked a woman and her two young children in a residential area.
The lion, which had escaped its cage on Wednesday night, leapt over a boundary wall and pounced on the unsuspecting family. Disturbing video footage shows the lion knocking the woman to the ground and clawing at her as bystanders – including the animal’s owners – watched on, some appearing amused rather than alarmed. The woman and her children, aged five and seven, suffered injuries to their faces and arms.
The victims’ family filed a police complaint, alleging that the owners not only failed to intervene but found the scene entertaining. Although the lion was later captured and returned to its owners’ property, it was soon relocated to a wildlife park by authorities.
The attack reignited public anger over the growing trend of Pakistan’s wealthy elite keeping lions and other big cats as status symbols. In the aftermath, the Punjab wildlife department launched a crackdown on illegal ownership of exotic animals, arresting five individuals and seizing 13 lions.
Pakistan has a history of such incidents. In December 2024, another lion escaped its enclosure in Lahore and was shot dead by a security guard. And in 2023, a lion was spotted roaming the busy Sharea Faisal road in Karachi, shocking few given the frequent sightings of wild animals at private homes, festivals, and even pet clinics.
Despite existing laws that prohibit big cats from being kept in residential areas and require licences for ownership, enforcement remains lax. Under current regulations, lion farms must be built over at least 10 acres, and significant registration fees are required. But in practice, these laws are often ignored. In Karachi, for example, licences can be obtained for as little as PKR 10,000 (about ₹3,000), allowing legal ownership on paper with little oversight on the animal’s welfare or public safety risks.
Earlier this year, popular Pakistani YouTuber Rajab Butt, with over 5.6 million subscribers, was ordered by a court to produce content on animal welfare after illegally keeping a lion cub gifted at his wedding.
While the recent attack has led to immediate action from authorities, the deeper problem lies in weak law enforcement and a cultural fascination with exotic pets. Critics say until Pakistan strengthens and enforces its wildlife protection laws, incidents like this will continue — endangering both humans and animals alike.
