US senators are proposing to ban the private keeping of lions and tigers following the release of the Netflix documentary Tiger King, according to the BBC.

Four Senators supported the Big Cat Public Safety Act.

The Animal Welfare Institute says The Tiger King helped bring attention to the exploitation of captive big cats.

The law has been passed by the US House of Representatives, but must be approved by the Senate.

Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal said he supported the bill along with three other senators.

If passed by the Senate, the prohibition on possession will extend to lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, pumas, or any hybrids of these species kept as pets

A Senate vote has yet to be set.