Why do people keep pets if they aren't willing to take care of them? Every time I see another story of animal abuse, this is always the first question that comes to mind.
The story of two beautiful lions, Kahn and Sheila, is a devastatingly common one. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) was tipped off to investigate a local entertainment facility that housed wild cats.
The lions and tigers were used to entertain people at birthday parties and weddings. Although they probably brought plenty of joy to anyone who saw them, this simply isn't the life wild animals are meant to lead.
To make matters worse, the owner of the entertainment facility neglected and abused the animals, leaving the USDA no choice but to confiscate them.
The neglected animals were taken to In-Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue and Educational Center in Texas in hopes of rehabilitating the wild cats and giving them a new, comfortable life. Rescuers were unsure if the big cats would ever recover.
Scroll down to find out how Kahn and Sheila were able to find love and start a new life at the rescue center. And let us know what you think of their incredible story in the comments!
[H/T: The Dodo]
Kahn and two tigers were the first big cats to be rescued from their abusive former owner.
The gorgeous male lion was 100 pounds underweight and suffered from bone issues that made climbing difficult for him.
The tip of Kahn's tail was raw and swollen from constantly chewing and sucking on it out of boredom and stress.
Luckily, by providing him with the proper care and love, the big cat began to heal.
Over a year later, the USDA was able to confiscate Sheila along with two other male lions from the entertainment facility.
The female lion was not expected to survive.
The beautiful wild cat was lacking in muscle coordination and could barely lift her head for a drink of water.
The USDA told the rescue center to prepare for the worst.
Rescuers refused to give up.
They would sit with Sheila and administer medication and hand-feed her each day.
Incredibly, this striking animal began to recover.
"Sheila has made remarkable improvement," In-Sync explained in a Facebook post.
"She has regained muscle control, swallows easily, and runs and hops like a bunny."
Rescuers began allowing Kahn and Sheila to have short playdates to see if they would get along.
As you can see from this picture, it was love at first sight.
"Sheila spent the next few months showing off for Kahn, and Kahn strutted his stuff for her," Vicky Keahey, founder of In-Sync, explained to the Dodo.
Once Sheila was spayed, the staff allowed the two big cats to spend all of their time together. The pair quickly bonded.
"We did short dates every day, then the dates got longer, and then the dates became unsupervised," Keahey said.
The happy couple now lives together in the same enclosure.
Their relationship has done wonders for both of the big cats.
Thanks to the In-Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue and Educational Center, these beautiful creatures will spend the rest of their days together and well cared for.
Do you believe it's ever OK to use wild animals for entertainment? Let us know in the comments, and don't forget to SHARE with anyone who enjoys a good love story!
