Hurry up, people who aspire to take photos of themselves with tigers: today, the governor of New York State signed a bill banning the practice of paying to have your photo taken with a large cat. Yes, this will be commonly referred to as the “tiger selfie” ban.

As radio station WPDH in Poughkeepsie points out, businesses that let you pet and take a photo with tigers and other exotic animals have been popular attractions at county fairs, including the nearby Dutchess County Fair, in years past. You get a sticker that says “I touched a tiger,” and a photo perfect for your online dating profiles. Starting in 2015, exchanging money for tiger photos will now be illegal in New York state.

“It is hard to believe it is not already illegal,” Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, sponsor of the bill, told reporters. The bill is intended to stop small roadside and traveling zoos that charge for contact with big cats. Advocates for the animals say that the zoos take small kittens from their mothers, then discard the big cats when they become too large to handle.

NY Law Bans ‘Tiger Selfies’ [AP]
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to public safety and big cats [NY State Assembly]
Popular Fair Attraction Now Illegal in New York [WPDH]

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