Chaos erupted on a busy street in Lahore when an 11-month-old pet lion broke free from its enclosure and bit a woman and two kids, the police said in a statement issued on Friday.
Surveillance video broadcast by local news showed the frightening scene. The lion jumped over a fence, chased a shopper with bags of groceries, and jumped onto her back, sending her to the ground. While one child tried to run away, the lion kept chasing other pedestrians, sending panic among the populace in the area.
Victims Hospitalized with Injuries to Arms and Faces
Emergency crews rushed the wounded family, who are ages five and seven, to a hospital nearby. Police confirmed that the victims sustained wounds to their arms and faces, although the injuries were not life-threatening.
Pet lion mauls 3 in Lahore farmhouse, 2 children critically injured.
A lion kept as a pet at a private farmhouse in Lahore’s Johar Town attacked a family on Thursday, critically injuring two children and leaving one woman wounded, police said.
The injured were rushed to a… pic.twitter.com/Y1qr7zfwNF
— Nukta Pakistan (@NuktaPakistan) July 4, 2025
A police report quoted by AFP quoted the complaint filed by the father of the children, who leveled shocking charges. “The lion pounced on his children aged five and seven years, after mauling the mother, injuring their arms and faces,” said the report. He also accused that “the owners of the lion seemed amused by the pedestrian attack.”
Lahore police moved quickly by arresting three suspects over the attack. “The suspects left with the lion but were nabbed within 12 hours of the incident,” stated the Lahore Deputy Inspector General of Operations. Authorities have since confiscated the lion and moved it to a wildlife sanctuary, where officials confirmed the animal is in good health.
Attack Reignites Fears Over Exotic Pet Ownership in Punjab
The attack has renewed public concern over the rising trend of keeping exotic animals, especially big cats, as pets in Pakistan. People in Punjab often consider lions symbols of wealth and status.
A similar incident in December 2024 ended with a security guard fatally shooting an escaped adult lion, leading to public outcry and a government review of regulations.
As a reaction to such cases, the Punjab government enforced stricter laws. Pet lions are no longer allowed in residential areas. Only licensed breeders who own farms of 10 acres or more may keep them. Owners also have to pay hefty registration fees according to the new rules.
