2020: PETA Wins Lawsuits Against Exhibitors Who Violated the Endangered Species Act

The dominos of the big-cat cub-petting industry continued to fall as a result of PETA victories in the courtroom. PETA was two for two against cub petting, winning lawsuits against exhibitors who violated the Endangered Species Act (ESA) with their practices of separating cubs from their mothers and using them in public encounters. These victories allowed PETA to rescue 33 more big cats from three cub-petting facilities—all of which have subsequently shut down—and to set the first-ever federal precedent holding that prematurely separating big-cat cubs from their mothers, declawing them, and using them for public encounters are violations of the ESA. Since 2017, PETA has rescued a total of 75 big cats from roadside zoos. The message to all big-cat abusers is clear: With PETA on the case, their days of exploiting animals are numbered.