**YouTube influencer Rajab Butt is sentenced to create educational videos on wildlife rights following the illegal gift of a lion cub, reflecting ongoing concerns about animal welfare in Pakistan.**
**Pakistani YouTuber Faces Community Service for Illegal Lion Cub Ownership**
**Pakistani YouTuber Faces Community Service for Illegal Lion Cub Ownership**
**Rajab Butt ordered to produce animal welfare content after controversial cub gift at his wedding.**
In a notable case highlighting animal welfare concerns in Pakistan, popular YouTuber Rajab Butt has been sentenced to create twelve animal welfare videos after he was found guilty of illegally possessing a lion cub. The influencer, who boasts an audience of 5.6 million subscribers, received the cub as a wedding gift from fellow content creator Umar Dolla last month. Following this incident, authorities took action against Butt after seeing a video he posted showing the cub at his wedding, which prompted a wildlife officer to notify the police.
As a consequence, the court has mandated that Butt produce monthly five-minute videos over the next year aimed at educating his audience on the appropriate treatment of wild animals. The lion cub, now named Bhatti, was subsequently relocated to the Lahore Safari Zoo to ensure its safety and welfare.
In his statement, Butt expressed regret about accepting the cub, recognizing that keeping wild animals in confined situations is inappropriate. He acknowledged the influence his platform has and promised to promote positive content about wildlife rights. The court further instructed the wildlife department to assist Butt in creating these educational videos, underscoring a collaborative effort to promote animal welfare.
Dolla, who originally gifted the cub, attempted to assert his legal ownership in court; however, the judge ruled against him, stating that the cub was illegally transferred to Butt. The director of Lahore Safari Zoo, Tariq Janjua, emphasized the danger and cruelty of domesticating lions, reinforcing the ongoing conversation regarding the ethics of keeping wild animals in captivity.
This case not only sheds light on individual accountability among social media influencers but also raises broader questions about wildlife conservation and the treatment of animals in Pakistan.
As a consequence, the court has mandated that Butt produce monthly five-minute videos over the next year aimed at educating his audience on the appropriate treatment of wild animals. The lion cub, now named Bhatti, was subsequently relocated to the Lahore Safari Zoo to ensure its safety and welfare.
In his statement, Butt expressed regret about accepting the cub, recognizing that keeping wild animals in confined situations is inappropriate. He acknowledged the influence his platform has and promised to promote positive content about wildlife rights. The court further instructed the wildlife department to assist Butt in creating these educational videos, underscoring a collaborative effort to promote animal welfare.
Dolla, who originally gifted the cub, attempted to assert his legal ownership in court; however, the judge ruled against him, stating that the cub was illegally transferred to Butt. The director of Lahore Safari Zoo, Tariq Janjua, emphasized the danger and cruelty of domesticating lions, reinforcing the ongoing conversation regarding the ethics of keeping wild animals in captivity.
This case not only sheds light on individual accountability among social media influencers but also raises broader questions about wildlife conservation and the treatment of animals in Pakistan.
