Lahore’s Safari Park decides to euthanise ailing lion pair

The pair has been paralysed by birth and there is no treatment for their condition, according to officials

LAHORE: The Safari Park management has decided to euthanise two ailing African lions to ease their pain after months of unsuccessful treatment.

The Safari Park management has sought permission from the director general of Punjab Wildlife Department to euthanise the two and half year old African lion and lioness that have been paralysed by birth.

The Safari Park deputy director, Chaudhry Shafqat Ali, confirmed the development to The Express Tribune. “If the Wildlife Department grants permission, the pair will be euthanised with a lethal injection,” he added.

PHOTO: EXPRESS

He said that the pair has been living a miserable life as they could not move their hind legs, but now they cannot even crawl. “We did everything we could to treat the paralysed big cats. We had also sought opinion from foreign vets in different countries,” he added.

However, nothing worked and their condition aggravated, making their life even miserable. “There is no treatment for their medical condition,” said Chaudhry Shafqat Ali. “A lioness at the Lahore Zoo had also suffered from the same condition and died after years of crippled life.”

According to him, several countries in the world – including Pakistan – have laws that allow humane killing of ailing animals. However, this law has seldom been invoked in Pakistan, where people believe it’s not humane to euthanise an animal even if it is ailing.