THIS RARELY FOUND LIONESS HAD HER LIFE CHANGED FOR GOOD WHEN SHE MET A STRANGER AT A RESCUE CENTER !

 

Sheila is a divinely beautiful lioness who used to serve as a show animal in private parties. No doubt, this beauty was one of the most sought-after show animal owing to her uniqueness. Her fame began to take its toll on her and her health gradually started to deteriorate. Unfortunately, her caretaker did not bother to care for her that in return made her sick even more. One day, she was rescued but it seemed too late to happen. As the lioness had reached the worst of her condition. Everyone tried hard to get her back to her health but failed and lastly, they decided to give her a merciful killing and at that point, something happens that changes Sheila life completely!

Rescuing Sheila

Sheila was one of the victims of human apathy when she got rescued by the U.S Department of Agriculture in July 2009. Though all of them were in poor shape, Sheila’s condition was particularly horrible. She was underweight, frail, and weak. She was having such a pathetic appearance that the organization assumed that she would not be able to survive another day. However, despite that, they decided to give it a shot.

Causes

Sheila was rescued from an entertainment center in Texas. She was one of those animals who was sent to entertainment shows by their owner for visitor’s amusement. Unfortunately, the treatment meted out to them was extremely brutal and the caretaker’s careless behavior had taken a toll on them especially on Sheila. Keahey, founder of In-Sync Organization explained, ‘when they are no longer useful to him, he throws them aside and stops taking care of them.’

Since Birth

Sheila was an African born lioness who was stolen and brought to Texas to work in the private entertainment center. It means she had been in this business since her birth. This pretty wildcat began living as a pet and appeared in photoshoots. The entertainment life started taking a toll on this a year old animal and she gradually began to give up.

Safe Environment

Sheila was suffering from a coordination problem that did not allow her even to stand up on her own. They knew  “She had very little muscle coordination, and thus when she walked, her legs would slip out from under her.” She could hardly lift her head up in order to drink water. Moreover, the lioness was constantly refusing to eat anything. It seemed like she was not willing to live.

Not Rare

Unfortunately, cases like Sheila are in plenty. People stealing animals from their family and natural habitat only to use them for the entertainment purpose is a common practice. Sadly, most of those animals meet poor treatment from their owners and only a few of them manage to survive those and most of them die in that appalling condition. Sheila, however, had something amazing waiting for her.

Handing Over

The condition of the lioness was so pathetic that the organization decided to hand her over to an animal social welfare organization known as In-Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue and Education Center. This organization shelters and looks after stranded animals. It is a highly esteemed and trustable organization and that is why the U.S Agriculture department turned to them for the welfare of this animal. They asked them to look after her for a while and go for her euthanization if her condition does not improve.

Help!

Soon Shiela was admitted into the organization. Despite Shiela’s poor response to the treatment, rescuers were hell-bent on getting her back to shape. As she was not able to take food into her mouth on her own the team used to hand feed her. The founder of In Sync said, “For two weeks, I had to go in with Sheila and hand-feed her.” She added further “I’d meatballs balls and literally stuff them down her throat.”

No Improvement

However, not much improvement was perceived in her health. According to an In-Sync member  “She had very little muscle coordination, and thus, when she walked, her legs would slip out from under her.”

Nothing Really Helped

Even the rescuers had never seen a case like this before. The victim herself was reluctant to recuperate. Gradually, due to the grim weakness, she became motionless. She used to throw up whatever she eats leaving her energy less again. Her condition had put the workers in dilemma! And that is when they took a decision!

 Tough Decision

No matter how much the workers tried, Shiela’s condition was only deteriorating day by day. Noting that, the team decided to consider USDA’s advice of euthanizing this big cat. Evidently, Shiela was undergoing lots of pain every day. Her life had become nothing short of a curse for her and letting her live this way would be the worst thing that could be done to her. So they planned on giving her a merciful death.

Unique

Losing a big cat like her would be big. Sheila stood out in her ilk, thanks to her unique color that made her look very beautiful among others. She must have been very desirable among her counterparts. As far as the reason behind her different color is concerned that it was due to her gene commonly known as color-inhibitor or chinchilla gene. The lioness of this color is only found in Timbavati and South Africa. They were all set to euthanize her when a new information about her came to the light.

Deadly Disease

Another revelation about the cat soon dawned upon In Sync. The team learned that Sheila was suffering from toxoplasmosis and lack of vitamin A. In this disease parasites gets mixed with the blood of the victim. Though the disease is not harmful to humans, it can prove really detrimental for cats and Sheila was a cat! Was it going to save her? Would Sheila who was refusing to eat anything take the medicine?

Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis is an infection usually found in cats. An animal develops it when their immune system is not strong enough to fight any infection that ultimately leads to toxoplasmosis.The symptoms include reduced coordination, disorientation, anorexia, lethargy, breathing difficulties, enlarged lymph nodes, and apparent blindness. Scaringly, if the disease remains unchecked, it can lead to the death of the animal.

Taking Care

The caretakers immediately started her treatment with antibiotics. No doubt, it was quite late to do so and they themselves were suspicious about its result. But they gave it a try anyway. However, it was not an easy feat to get her on treatment. Initially, the lioness refused to get the antibiotic but gradually began to take that.

Getting Fine

Surprisingly, the lioness began to show fast improvement. She soon began to walk, eat on her own. Everybody thought it was because of the medicine she was taking but in reality, the reason behind her fast recuperation was something else. That nobody had noticed before!

Hopping With Joy

In a Facebook post, In-Sync confirmed, “Sheila has made a remarkable improvement. She has regained muscle control, swallows easily, and runs and hops like a bunny.” But the organization was not aware why the lioness who previously was reluctant to have the antibiotics was convalescing so fastly.

Someone Special

The chamber where the big cat was living in had another chamber attached to it. There was someone in the neighboring chamber that helped lioness get back to health. When the workers of the facility found out about that they were completely shocked. Find out on the next slide who helped her get out of her troublesome time.

A Lion

It was a lion! From the very beginning, the two had struck a very good bond. Sheila had found her love in Kahn. Surprisingly, till then nobody from the facility had noticed their affection for each other. But when Sheila’s health began to get improved at an unexpected pace, they realized it was because of Kahn’s company, who himself had a painful past.

Kahn

Kahn is a six-year-old lion who was rescued by the organization a few months before of Sheila’s rescue. Just like Sheila, Kahn too had fallen into the vicious circle of the entertainment center in Texas. When Kahn was rescued his condition was as bad as Sheila’s.

Horrible Past

Kahn too was a show animal. He used to amuse audiences in private parties. For that, he was carted to different events in one day and that hectic schedule started making him ill. Despite his illness, he was forced to make appearances in parties as a show animal.

Simply Pathetic

The condition of Kahn was pathetic. He was malnourished weighing 100 pounds lesser than average weight of lions of his age. He too had been treated brutally by his owner. Kahn had been given a smaller space to live in that had hampered his physical growth. In the frustration, he did something that is the most unexpected thing one could do.

Frustrated

The frustrated and bored lion chewed his own tail off. Resultantly, the tip of his tail had gone raw and swollen. Had he not been rescued in time, he too would have died in some days. Keahey explained, “When Kahn came, the end of his tail was completely chewed off and [he] was very thin.” The lion also suffered from bone problems that made it difficult for him to walk.

Aggressive

Kahn was very aggressive when he came to the rescue center. Perhaps, he was not given enough food to eat and maybe that’s why he was aggressive towards the food.

Friendly

However, Kahn, being a fighter recovered very soon and became an integral member of the rescue center. This aggressive beast turned into a disciplined animal who would not get worked up easily. His earlier aggression was due to the health issues he faced. However, he still finds it a bit difficult to walk.

A Gift

Not only that, Because of his good nature Kahn was presented cinder-block stairs that were built to help him reach his den’s height. It was like a heaven for this ill-treated lion. His den was big, spacious and well kept.

A Friend Needed

Now, the only thing the boy needed was a friend to play with. The chamber next to his remained empty until the arrival of Sheila. And when the two met they hit it off in no time. The two began very good friends but that was not what their relationship was all about. Sheila who was already struggling with her abysmal health began to respond to medicines.

Things In Common

Both the wild cats had gone through the same kind of tragedy, however, the situations of both were a little different. The in-sync founder explains ‘It was easy to treat him and get him comfortable with his new surroundings. Sheila, on the other hand, was in very bad shape … Sheila was almost dead.”

Getting Beautiful Again

Keahey opened up about the improving condition of both the lions.”As time went by they both healed and grew into beautifully grown lions.” She continued “In the meanwhile, we had finished our new lion enclosure. The way it was designed would have Kahn and Sheila living next door to each other.”

All Lost

The two would spend a lot of time playing with each other. The facility members suspected it to be more than friendship. Keahey remarked, “Sheila spent the next few months showing off for Kahn, and Kahn strutted his stuff for her.” Their love for each other was no more a secret. Everyone had realized that.

 Going On Dates

Seeing their affection for each other, the organization did let them date. But before that, they spayed Sheila so that no happy accident takes place. The two would often be seen around each other. Vicky explained ‘we did short dates every day, then the dates got longer and then the dates became unsupervised.’

Getting Married

‘Then we let them spend the night together. After three months of dating, we let them get ‘married,’ Vicky continued. A special enclose has been built for them where they spend their ‘we’ time together. In their relationship, Sheila seems to be the boss.

All She Wants

This newlywed couple can’t get enough of each other. Sheila is absolutely in love with her husband, cardboard boxes and attention. Vicky also talks about Kahn’s possessive nature for his wife. How he does not hesitate on charging other lions when they try to check his wife out. Do you want to know how he expresses his love? Check the next slide…

Beautiful And Rough

Having a wife as beautiful as Sheila, Kahn has to be sure about her safety all the time. Vicky says ‘Then Kahn lets that guy know she belongs to him.’ He roars and sometimes charges at them. Who would say two rescued animal would make such a perfect couple? But what happened to their owner who almost killed them?

Punished For The Sin

The owner who abused Sheila, Kahn and other animals is no longer entitled to keep other big animals. However, the petitioners who were expecting stricter action against him did not appreciate such a minimal penalty.

 Beautiful Love Story

This story that started with horror, fortunately, ended with boundless love. Sheila’s journey from euthanization to a blissful marriage is nothing less than a thriller movie that kept us on our toe to know what actually happened.