Quick Answer: Is It Legal to Own a Tiger?
It is legal to own a tiger in 8 U.S. states with no restrictions and legal with a permit in 14 others, though federal laws and safety concerns make ownership extremely risky and controversial.

Many people are entranced with the idea of having such a beautiful and powerful animal as a tiger as a pet. It is a shocking fact that there are actually more “pet” tigers in the USA – around 5,000 of them – than exist in the wild. These felines are incredibly graceful, sleek, and gorgeous – and we all get mesmerized by their exotic beauty at places like zoos and big cat rescue and rehabilitation centers. Some people get so smitten that they decide to purchase a tiger of their own, and are stuck with a recklessly wild animal for years and even decades – that is, if they can even afford care for it. Here, we examine the legal aspects of owning a tiger.

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States Where You Can Own a Tiger

First of all, different states have different laws. Owning a pet tiger is considered legal or is unregulated in eight states, all of which have rather lax regulatory laws concerning animal rights in general: North Carolina, Alabama, Delaware, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Fourteen other states require a permit to own a tiger or any other big cat. Meaning that roughly half of the states accept pet tigers on a legal basis.

Related:

Tiger Ownership Laws in the United States

Category	States	Is a Permit Required?	Level of Regulation	Key Notes
States Where Tiger Ownership Is Legal With NO Statewide Restrictions	North Carolina, Alabama, Delaware, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Carolina, West Virginia, Wisconsin	No	Very Low	States do not have comprehensive exotic animal regulations; rules vary by county. Owners often face minimal oversight.
States That Allow Tiger Ownership ONLY With a Permit or License	Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio*, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia	Yes	Moderate to High	States require permits, annual inspections, enclosure standards, or proof of experience. Ohio now has strict permitting laws after the 2011 Zanesville incident.
States That Ban Private Ownership of Tigers (Complete or Near-Complete Ban)	Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wyoming	No – Ban in effect	Very High	Ownership restricted to accredited zoos, sanctuaries, universities, or wildlife organizations. Private pet ownership prohibited.
Federal Overlays That Affect ALL States	Applies Nationwide	—	High for certain activities	The Big Cat Public Safety Act (2022) places strong restrictions on big-cat breeding, public interaction, and private possession. Does not fully override preexisting state laws but adds federal penalties.

Tigers are surprisingly cheap to purchase as a pet. People in the USA can purchase a captive-born tiger for anywhere from $900-$2500. Typically people will purchase a female tiger, as the males tend to be more aggressive, more territorial, and more unpredictable in their behavior. This does lead to some questionable behavior regarding the treatment of male tigers that are born to a breeder. Despite this relatively cheap initial purchasing price of a tiger cub, the costs of keeping and caring for a wild tiger are extremely high. A full-grown tiger requires around 6,000 kilocalories of food a day – that is about 15 pounds of meat! However, in the wild, tigers consume a wide variety of animals and plants, and therefore require a diverse diet to ensure they are receiving an adequately nutritious diet. This means that in addition to purchasing enough meat to support a tiger, various nutrients and nutritious additives must be purchased to add to food so that the tiger does not suffer from malnutrition and deficiencies.

In addition, one of the largest issues in keeping a tiger is the issue of space. A male tiger in the wild keeps a territory of around 40 square miles, while a female maintains around 7 square miles of territory. Regardless, few people own this amount of land, much less are even able to enclose a large enough space for their tiger to reside in.

The end result is that often tigers live in decrepit squalor, in tiny pens piled high with their own waste. Tigers living in tiny pens will quite literally lose their minds, becoming hyper aggressive and attacking anything that comes near their enclosure. In the past 10 years, around 21 fatalities have been attributed to big cats. Despite being accustomed to human interaction, the fact remains that tigers associate humans with food, and this association can and has turned fatal. Many animal rights organizations work tirelessly to attempt to overturn the legal status of owning tigers. After a certain incident in Ohio in 2011 when a man released his tigers into the community, along with many other wild animals before committing suicide, Ohio has established a ban on owning big cats.

Quick Look: Big Cat Rescue

Big Cat Rescue, located in Tampa, Florida, is one of the largest accredited sanctuaries in the world dedicated to rescuing and caring for abused, abandoned, and neglected big cats. Founded in 1992, the organization provides lifelong sanctuary for lions, tigers, leopards, bobcats, and other exotic cats that were previously kept as pets, used in entertainment, or exploited by roadside zoos.

The rescue is known for advocating stronger laws to stop private ownership and cub-petting operations. Their efforts helped drive national support for the Big Cat Public Safety Act, which restricts private ownership of dangerous exotic cats and bans public interaction such as photo ops with cubs.

Big Cat Rescue focuses on:

Rescue & rehabilitation of mistreated big cats
Ending the exotic pet trade through advocacy
Public education about wildlife trafficking and captive breeding
High animal-welfare standards in large, enriched enclosures

The sanctuary has been featured widely in media and documentaries and remains a leading voice for improving the welfare of big cats across the United States.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions About Owning a Tiger in the U.S.

Is it legal to own a tiger in the U.S.?

It depends on the state—some states ban private tiger ownership entirely, others require permits, and a small number have no statewide restrictions, leaving regulation up to counties or municipalities.

Why do some states allow big cats as pets?

Many states with fewer restrictions historically prioritize personal property rights, have limited exotic animal legislation, or rely on local jurisdictions to regulate ownership rather than enforcing statewide bans.

How much space does a tiger need?

In the wild, male tigers roam up to 40 square miles, far more than any private owner can provide; even in captivity, experts recommend several acres with secure fencing, enrichment structures, and controlled access zones.

How much does it cost to feed a tiger?

A full-grown tiger eats roughly 15 pounds of meat per day, translating to $10,000–$20,000 per year depending on diet, supplements, and local food costs.

Are private tiger owners licensed or regulated?

Regulation varies—some states require permits, facility inspections, liability insurance, and proof of proper enclosures, while other states have no licensing at all; federal laws also restrict public interaction and breeding.

What is the Big Cat Public Safety Act?

Passed in 2022, the Big Cat Public Safety Act restricts private ownership of lions, tigers, leopards, and other big cats, prohibits public cub-petting, and requires existing owners to register their animals with federal authorities.

Why is owning a tiger dangerous?

Tigers are unpredictable apex predators capable of inflicting fatal injuries even when raised in captivity; stress, improper care, and confinement can increase aggression and lead to serious attacks on owners or the public.

Strengthening the Emotional & Ethical Narrative

Many people are drawn to tigers because of their beauty—but the reality behind private ownership is far more complex. Understanding the emotional, ethical, and ecological consequences helps explain why more states are pushing for stricter laws.

1. Public Safety Risks

Tigers are apex predators with incredible strength, speed, and unpredictable instincts. Even tigers raised around humans remain wild animals—not domestic pets.

Over the last decade, privately owned big cats have been involved in dozens of serious attacks and multiple fatalities.
Escaped tigers pose dangerous threats to communities, forcing law enforcement into high-risk encounters they are not trained for.

These incidents create traumatic outcomes for both people and the animals involved.

2. Animal Welfare Issues

While tiger ownership can seem glamorous, most privately owned tigers live in conditions that would never support their physical or psychological health.

Tigers need vast territory, environmental stimulation, and a varied diet.
In captivity, many are kept in small cages, underfed, or deprived of enrichment.
Long-term confinement often leads to stress behaviors, aggression, self-harm, and severe health problems.

Even well-intentioned owners rarely have the resources, space, or expertise to meet a tiger’s needs.

3. Ecological & Conservation Concerns

Owning tigers does nothing to help wild populations—and often harms conservation efforts.

Captive-bred tigers cannot be released into the wild.
The exotic pet trade contributes to illegal breeding, improper recordkeeping, and an inflated domestic tiger population unrelated to conservation work.
Private ownership can undermine legitimate conservation organizations by creating public confusion about what “saving tigers” actually means.

This ultimately takes attention and funding away from efforts that protect wild tigers and restore habitats.

4. Why Many States Are Adopting Stricter Laws

In response to numerous tragedies, welfare violations, and public pressure, more states have strengthened big-cat regulations.

States like Ohio, Virginia, and Arizona have shifted from unregulated ownership to full bans or strict permit systems.
The Big Cat Public Safety Act now restricts private ownership of tigers, lions, leopards, and other big cats—and bans public cub-petting and photo ops.
Lawmakers aim to reduce safety risks, prevent animal suffering, and curb illegal breeding and trafficking.

The trend is clear: the U.S. is moving toward tighter regulation to protect both people and animals.