Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Starved lion cub found in tiny cage in empty Paris apartment

The little big cat was hired by a man who wanted to show off an exotic pet

Lydia Smith
Wednesday 11 October 2017 18:03 BST
Comments
The lion cub was found in an abandoned apartment in a Paris suburb
The lion cub was found in an abandoned apartment in a Paris suburb (Facebook/Pompiers de Paris)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A half-starved lion cub has been discovered in an abandoned Paris apartment.

The animal, which was being kept in a small cage, was being hired by a 24-year-old man who wanted to show off, police said.

Officers began tracking down the little big cat after the man posted selfies with his exotic pet.

The man was discovered at his home east of Paris, having left the lion cub at an empty apartment in the Noisy-le-Sec suburb.

Firefighters said the animal was “wasting away” before they captured it with a lasso.

“It is important to remind everyone that wild animals are neither domestic animals nor toys and are subject to specific regulations,” they wrote in a Facebook post.

The man was taken into custody on charges of illegally keeping a wild animal and the cub is being cared for by an animal rights group.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in