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Lebanon orders seizure of mistreated lion cubs at Hazmieh zoo
The Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture has ordered the confiscation of two mistreated lion cubs from Zazoo Zoo in Hazmieh, following the circulation of disturbing images on social media showing the young animals, just a few months old, being held by visitors. The case has sparked public outrage and renewed criticism over the conditions in which wild animals are kept in private zoos across the country.
The alert was raised last week by the animal welfare organization Animals Lebanon, which immediately launched an investigation with the assistance of its legal team. Despite a police summons issued for the zoo's owner, both he and the cubs remain missing as of Friday.
According to attorney Mounir Zoghbi, who represents Animals Lebanon, the evidence gathered was presented on Tuesday to a summary affairs judge, who swiftly ordered a judicial inspection of the zoo. Zoghbi, present during the visit on Wednesday, described extremely poor conditions at the facility.
“There were unbearable odors, and we saw horses eating trash,” he said in a statement to local media outlet L’Orient-Le Jour. The scene, he added, highlighted the urgent need for proper enforcement of animal welfare laws.
The photos that initially triggered public concern showed the cubs being handled by guests—an illegal practice under Lebanese animal protection guidelines, which prohibit direct contact with wild animals for entertainment purposes. Experts warn that such interactions are not only dangerous but also severely harmful to the physical and psychological well-being of the animals involved.
The Ministry of Agriculture issued an official decree on Thursday to seize the two lion cubs, condemning their treatment and urging citizens to report similar cases of wildlife abuse. However, when authorities arrived to execute the order, the animals and the zoo’s owner had already disappeared.
Animals Lebanon has called for the immediate location and safe transfer of the cubs to a specialized rescue facility, emphasizing the need for legal accountability. The organization also reiterated its call for stricter controls on private zoos, urging the Lebanese government to introduce comprehensive reforms to protect animals from commercial exploitation.
This case adds to a growing list of incidents in Lebanon involving the mistreatment of exotic animals, often smuggled into the country and held in substandard enclosures. With limited oversight and inconsistent application of existing laws, animal rights advocates say Lebanon must take more decisive steps to align with international standards.
As the search for the lion cubs continues, activists and legal experts stress that this moment should be a turning point in how wild animals are regulated and protected in Lebanon