Pet Owners go Wild
Animal lovers have been taking their love of furry pets to new lengths, according to a survey, with tigers and lions being kept privately.
The Big Cats in Britain (BCIB) group used the Freedom of Information Act to survey local councils on the weird and woolly creatures legally kept in private hands.
It found a total of 154 assorted cats - including 12 lions, 14 tigers, 50 leopards and 16 wild cats - plus 2,000 ostriches and nearly 500 monkeys.
At the same time 300 American bison and 6,000 wild boars are also kept privately.
At the less cuddly end of the spectrum BCIB found more than 250 poisonous snakes and 50 members of the crocodile family.
The figures exclude zoo animals.
ITV News: 27th December 2006
