Could The Detroit Lions Get A Live Lion?
As today is World Lion Day, and the pre-season is well underway, it’s time for the next part of the NFL mascots series. This time, it’s that weird story about Dan Campbell wanting a live lion mascot at Ford Field. Would that even be legal if the NFL ever said yes?
Let’s go over that Detroit Lions story before we look at the legal issues. Last August, it was reported that Detroit’s head coach was keen on having a pet lion for the team. Supposedly, he mentioned it when hired and was still keen on the idea, having also convinced the team’s owner. Whether this was a fabrication or not, the NFL rightly said no. Yet, it has raised questions over the possibility. Live mascots are rare but are still in use where they can be trained and well taken care of.
The lion in question here would have to be an African or Asiatic lion and a male at that. The team’s logo and its current mascot both fit that profile. They couldn’t bring in a mountain lion and expect people to be OK with it. Now, let’s put the ethics to one side for a moment and look at the legal situation. Anyone who watched Tiger King knows there are plenty of big cats in homes and sanctuaries in America. What does the law say about keeping them and potentially using one at Ford Field?
The Old State Laws On Big Cat Ownership
Until very recently, the rules on big cat private ownership were pretty loose and varied between states. Data from 2021 via Big Cat Rescue highlights 4 different situations across the country. 4 States — Nevada, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Alabama, had no state regulation, making big cat ownership of various species relatively easy. Others required a state permit for private ownership or used a partial private possession ban to regulate who could have these cats. The exceptions here were Washington, Oregon, and Louisiana, where there was a full private possession ban.
The Big Cat Public Safety Act
A new law came into effect in December 2022 to crack down on the private ownership of all big cats and to stop people from allowing public contact with these animals. All animals currently in private ownership had to be registered. Also, it’s now illegal to breed big cats in private collections. Only respected breeding programs at conservation parks can do that. Reports suggest that only 17 people chose to register their animals and faced an order to not get any more. Those who didn’t comply face criminal charges with the risk of jail time. They may also have to surrender animals to a sanctuary.
The law protects all big cats as protected wildlife species. This includes all species of tiger and leopard, jaguars, cheetah, both lion species and the native mountain lion. There are also vital distinctions about the different names for mountain lions, panthers (which are just melanistic leopards, jaguars, and cougars), and any hybrid animal. This level of detail is essential with these private big cat collections because of the number of ligers in captivity. The last thing we need is some crazed owner finding a loophole.
Another important detail in this act is that it also includes cubs. This makes all the difference when dealing with people profiting from cute animals at disreputable tourist traps. People see these beautiful cubs and the invitation to hold and stroke them and think what a wonderful opportunity it would be for their child. In doing so, they aren’t thinking about the potential mistreatment suffered by the animal and the mother who lost it.
What Does This Mean For A Live Detroit Lions Mascot?
The enactment of this stricter federal law makes it incredibly unlikely that we will see a live lion on the sidelines at Ford Field. There could be a private owner nearby willing to go there with their registered animal and make some extra money. If the NFL somehow changed its mind and the laws allowed it, it might theoretically be possible. However, the only other Big Cat Public Safety Act exceptions are state-licensed colleges, vets, and other facilities with a Class C license from the Department of Agriculture. Of course, wildlife sanctuaries caring for big cats are also free to keep them for as long as they need to. They’re not going to start giving sports teams the right to exploit the animals, though.
We also can’t overlook the fact that the whole idea is insane. Whether Dan Campbell was serious or not, there’s no way the league could ever think it was a good idea. The two live animals working for the NFL right now are well-trained and not dangerous. If they get spooked and get loose, they’ll only do so much damage to players and spectators. A spooked lion could get vicious and give the term red zone a whole new meaning. Even if organizers decided to compromise and use a lion cub, it would still be cruel and illegal. How would they get hold of one of its now illegal to breed cats privately or bring them into the country? Again, we’re not going to see Detroit Zoo loaning out cubs.
Dan Campbell and the Detroit fans will have to give up on this idea. Roary the Lion is a fine traditional mascot and if you want him to be more fierce and menacing, just enroll him in acting classes. Leave the real lions out of it.
The series so far
Part 1: Miami Dolphins https://medium.com/@d.e.bradley/miamis-dolphins-from-misguided-mascots-to-axed-aquariums-ea3f05c750e9
Part 2: Arizona Cardinals https://medium.com/@d.e.bradley/why-is-arizonas-mascot-a-cardinal-dc62bb70e16b
Part 3: Cincinniti Bengals https://medium.com/@d.e.bradley/cincinnati-bengals-and-white-tigers-07d299cf371c
Part 4: Seattle Seahawks https://medium.com/@d.e.bradley/why-seattles-seahawk-isn-t-even-a-seahawk-2a79872179ab
Part 5: Best Horse Mascots https://medium.com/@d.e.bradley/the-best-horse-mascots-in-the-nfl-d2c30b787aad
Part 6: https://medium.com/@d.e.bradley/could-the-detroit-lions-get-a-live-lion-d668ba09b648
