Today, as the world celebrates World Wildlife Day, the NSPCA raises its voice against the relentless push to revive the pervasive lion bone trade.
The South African Predators Association (SAPA), who refuses to concede to defeat, has quietly filed an application in the Pretoria High Court, seeking to reinstate lion bone export quotas. The NSPCA will oppose this bid with full force.
In 2019, the NSPCA secured a landmark victory against the captive lion industry, preventing its expansion and the increased commercialisation of the lion bone trade. Following this, then-Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, took decisive action – stalling the quotas and initiating a phase-out of the captive lion industry in South Africa.
For over two decades, the NSPCA has fought against the suffering of these sentient beings, including those imprisoned on captive lion farms. The cruelty and neglect that define these facilities are well-known, yet SAPA is now arguing that without quotas, the economy will suffer.
The NSPCA rejects this dangerous narrative. The NSPCA’s 2019 High Court ruling established that the Minister must prioritise animal welfare when considering quotas. The truth is, no amount of regulation can make the trade in lion bones humane. The industry thrives on misery, malnutrition, and neglect – all in the name of profit.
We stand firm: The suffering of lions must never be a price worth paying.
The NSPCA remains resolute in enforcing the law wherever the welfare of animals is at stake. We will not allow the captive lion industry to reclaim ground at the expense of those who have already suffered enough.
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