urban big cats

[cerberus]

i believe the only reasons i have why these big cats are spotted around the uk is because they are imported as pets or lost from zoo's.so ok, you wouldn't get thru customs with a big cat right? :s6 A zoo has a licence.You can't cage up an animal that doesnt want it.100% of them dont want it.Wouldn't you wanna escape? I'm wondering how many powerful big cats have escaped here in the past, because i'm sure if i had that power at my disposal it'd be possible.The other theory is Big cats being imported illegally as pets.If you lost a big cat...would you own up? certainly you'd have to be rich ;D.hence the puma....not native to england, but has been spotted.Does any one have anything to add to this mystery?

[cerberus]

alternatively, is it possible we have a breed of big cat in this country that hasn't been discovered? this mystery is not just confined to kent..reports have been seen in various locations around the country.whether they are true, is a completely different matter. all comments welcome. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr  :s4

[crosis]

I believe that the reason that there are so many large cat sightings is that (i remember reading this somewhere) the laws on keeping wild animals changed in the 60's and a lot of large cats were released into the wild by their owners.

anyone else here of this. :sq

[Althalus]

It was in the news not long back, two people had as pets a couple of pumas and other animals, when the laws where changed they had to release them into the countryside as a way of not getting arrested, they then could not come forward for fear ofthe same, they did a while back anyway.  

[Halo_Jones]

Yes

They introduced The Dangerous Animals Licence back in the 60s and a lot of people who had animals who fell into this catergory simply let their animals free as they could not afford the licence fee or keep the animals in the conditions that the regulations stated.

Where I live in Devon there have been hundreds of sightings as there is alot of moorland, perfect hunting grounds for Bigcats.

[cerberus]

according to a story i saw on here, sightings are up in the uk.grrrrr

[wholesaleplum]

This reminds me of a time when i was waiting at Totnes railway station and a woman started telling me about all the big cats that are supposedly roaming about on Dartmoor. I can't really understand how there could be creatures like this there, as there is almost always some military training going on Dartmoor, I know I'd leave if every five minutes I was disturbed by half of the Royal Naval College or trainee marine type blokes running around!