A pet lion taken from a home in Cambodia’s capital last week was returned to its owner on Monday, after Prime Minister Hun Sen’s personal intervention.
After videos of the animal surfaced on the social media app TikTok and neighbors raised the alarm, police and wildlife authorities raided the house on June 27, saying they were rescuing the animal.
In the days that followed, social media messages appeared saying that the lion be returned to its owner, who had rejected any allegations of mistreatment.
Read also: Pet Lion rescued after video surfaced in Tik Tok
The prime minister ordered the 18-month-old male lion to be returned on the condition that the owner constructs a proper cage, in a Facebook post on Sunday.
Authorities had previously said that keeping lions as pets were prohibited. Hun Sen, on the other hand, claimed it was a unique situation. The lion had been nourished from a young age and was regarded as a family member by the owner. The PM also ordered that any fines paid by Mr. Zhai, who was reportedly fined $30,000 (£21,600) for keeping the exotic animal at his villa, be reimbursed.
Officials arrived last week, drugged the huge cat, and took it away in a metal box. While on Monday, the lion returned to the property, accompanied by the owner’s pet dog.
Mr. Zhai praised Prime Minister Hun Sen and thanked the Cambodian people for their “assistance and support.”
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