In the wake of a new law passed in the United Arab Emirates, walking around with a leopard on a leash could now land you in jail.
The Gulf News, a Dubai-based newspaper, reported Tuesday that keeping “all types of wild and domesticated but dangerous animals” as pets is now outlawed in the country. Those caught with a leopard, cheetah or any other kind of exotic animal in public, the report said, would face a jail term of up to six months, a fine of up to $136,000, or both.
In Gulf states, owning wild animals, and big cats in particular, is often considered a status symbol, denoting power and wealth, reports the BBC.
Pictures on social media have depicted cheetahs on the hoods of Bentleys, or lions riding in cars. In neighboring Qatar, a Twitter user posted a video that showed a tiger bounding past clogged traffic.
Under the new ruling, wild animals can only be kept in zoos, wildlife parks, circuses and breeding and research centers.
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More conventional pet keepers will be affected too. From June, dog owners will have to show a permit for their pets and keep them on a leash at all times when in public.
