US beef up rules on exotic cats

Of all the beasts set free by the suicidal owner of an exotic animal farm in Ohio, USA last year, few were as scary or as lethal as the big cats.Tigers, leopards and lions - more than two dozen - were loose before being hunted by sheriff’s deputies.

While the slaughter was chilling, it was truly panic-inducing that an unstable owner had accumulated such a collection of dangerous animals.Yet, by some estimates, there are thousands of tigers in captivity in American backyards - more than there are in the wild on the planet.

No one knows the number for certain because there’s only scattered regulation for such pets. In fact, it’s easier in some states to buy a tiger or lion from a breeder than it is to adopt a kitten from a shelter.

That’s likely to change after the Zanesville stampede drew the attention of lawmakers around the country. -AP