: Under the Big Cat Public Safety Act , it is illegal for private citizens to buy, breed, or possess big cats, including cheetahs.
For the rare entities (like zoos) that can legally care for a cheetah, the financial requirements are massive: how to buy a cheetah
The ability to legally possess a cheetah is now strictly limited to specific authorized entities: : Under the Big Cat Public Safety Act
Buying a cheetah is in the United States and most other countries due to international and federal conservation laws. Historically, while some states had loopholes, the Big Cat Public Safety Act , enacted in December 2022, effectively ended the private ownership of big cats as pets nationwide. Legal Restrictions Legal Restrictions : Only AZA-accredited zoos , research
: Only AZA-accredited zoos , research facilities, and registered sanctuaries may legally possess them under strict federal and state permits.