TikTok influencer Rajab Butt has been sentenced after being found guilty of unlawfully keeping a lion cub. The case was initiated following a complaint from a wildlife officer to a Lahore Judicial Magistrate, where Butt admitted to violating wildlife laws.
Butt was arrested following a raid by the Punjab Wildlife Department and police at his Lahore residence last month. Authorities became aware of his illegal possession when a video emerged of Butt receiving the lion cub as a wedding gift, sparking concerns about the illegal trade of wildlife.
The court sentenced Rajab Butt to one year of community service, where he will be supervised by a probation officer. As part of his sentence, he must produce monthly vlogs on animal rights, which will be reviewed and approved by the probation officer. Additionally, the Wildlife Department will provide him with resources on animal protection.
Butt acknowledged his mistake and expressed regret, explaining that he did not know receiving wild animals as gifts was illegal. He promised to use his social media platform to promote positive messages about wildlife protection and admitted that he should not have kept the cub.
The court also ruled that the lion cub, named “Bhatti,” will remain in the care of the Punjab Wildlife Department and be permanently housed at the Lahore Safari Zoo. The cub was initially seized from Butt, and despite an attempt by another individual to claim ownership, the court ruled in favor of the department.
Tariq Janjua, the director of Lahore Safari Zoo, confirmed the cub’s permanent residence at the zoo, where it is being hand-fed with bottle milk and will soon begin eating solid food. Janjua warned the public about the dangers of attempting to keep wild animals like lions as pets, stressing that such practices are not only harmful to humans but also cruel to the animals.
He emphasized that wild animals belong in their natural habitats, and keeping them as pets or in captivity is a form of abuse and is punishable by law.
