Big cats are not props for photos or entertainment. They are powerful, wild animals who deserve to live free from suffering and exploitation.

Just a few years ago, the U.S. took an important step forward by stopping cub petting and limiting private ownership of big cats. These changes helped protect tiger cubs and other big cats from being bred just for selfies, handled by strangers, and discarded once they grew too large to control. It was a moment of real progress that brought people together across the country.

Now, that progress is at risk.

A new push in Congress could open the door for cub petting to return and for more big cats to be bred and sold. That means more baby animals taken from their mothers, more unsafe human interactions, and more big cats ending up in poor conditions when they are no longer profitable.

Animal lovers know the truth. A tiger cub used for photos today often faces a lifetime of neglect tomorrow. These animals do not belong in backyards, basements, or roadside attractions. They belong in the wild or in legitimate sanctuaries that put their well being first.

We cannot go backward.

Protecting big cats is not a partisan issue. People across the country agree that wild animals should not be exploited for profit or social media. The progress we made matters, and it should be defended.

We call on Members of the U.S. House of Representatives to reject any effort that weakens current protections for big cats and to stand up for the animals who cannot speak for themselves.

Keep big cats out of selfies and suffering. Protect the progress that gave them a better chance at life.