Punjab Wildlife Department has launched a landmark initiative to regulate ownership of large cats, including lions, cheetahs, leopards and jaguars, making registration mandatory for private owners throughout the province.

According to the new rules, all large cat owners must declare their animals within 30 days or have strict legal consequences.

The government has introduced a digital registration system through the Paws app available in the Google Play Store to streamline the process.

Owners are required to provide details such as the nature, age and location of the animal where it is stored.

The move comes as part of a broader effort to limit the illegal trade in wildlife, improve public security and ensure compliance with international animal welfare standards.

Failure to register large cats within the deadline will lead to serious sanctions, including imprisonment of up to seven years and fierce fines. Authorities also confiscate all unregistered animals.

Punjab has changed the Wildlife Act from 1974 and classified large cats under Schedule II, which requires a license process. Licenses are only issued to people who meet global benchmarked criteria for ownership.

Officials warn that keeping a large cat without proper documentation now is a non-accessible violation.

The initiative is also aimed at the public display of Lions, a growing trend in Pakistan, with the authorities who promise to regulate and limit such activities.

In recent years, the concerns have risen over private individuals who house dangerous animals without adequate security measures, which pose risks to both the public and the animals.

By enforcing these rules, the Punjab government aims to bring private large -scale ownership in accordance with international conservation efforts, ensuring better welfare and supervision of these powerful predators.