A bill to bar Lagos residents from keeping wild animals like lions and snakes as pets is before the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The proposed law is known as “A Bill for Law to Regulate Ownership, Licensing, Care and Sale of Pets and Prohibit or Restrict Persons from Having Custody of Animals Dangerous to the Public and Where Permitted to License, Control and Regulate the Custody of Such Animals and for Other Connected Purposes.”
The bill also seeks to promote animal rights and regulate the sale of animals. It also prescribes hefty fines and jail terms for prospective violators.
The assembly held the public hearing for the bill on December 17.
Chairman, House Committee on Agriculture Kehinde Joseph chaired the public hearing.
This comes about a year after an Indian national resident in Victoria Island, Lagos caused anxiety after it was discovered he had a lion as pet in his private residence located opposite a primary school and crèche.
The government, acting on a petition, tranquilised and evacuated the animal to Omu Resorts Zoo in Lekki. But the Indian was not arrested.
