2 young lions being kept as pets by a villa owner, according to neighbors

  ABU DHABI – A lion cub was spotted roaming a street infront of a villa in Khalifa City A, prompting calls from worried neighbors about being attacked by the animal. A neighbor of the animal's owner said she got a call from a friend who happened to pass by and saw the lion cub. The resident spotted the animal across the road then the lion cub then went back to the villa where it came from. According to other residents, the owner of the villa was keeping two lion cubs as pets. Possession of exotic animals as pets is prohibited in the UAE and violators can be meted a fine of up to Dh500,000 and imprisoned for six months. The police was informed about lion cubs being kept as pets by the villa owner and the police talked to the resident. Ronel Barcellos, manager of the Abu Dhabi Wildife Center, went to the police station to check if the lion cubs were seized but was told by the police that the animals have been transported to Dubai by the villa owner. Barcellos had planned to take custody of the animals. Abu Dhabi Wildlife Centre had been tasked to work with the police and the Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi to confiscate exotic animals such as lions and baboons kept as pets ever since the law prohibiting possession and ownership of such animals took effect. Barcellos said she is pursuing a case against the villa owner. GAC/Expat 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