Circus Cat Chained to Truck For 20 Years Takes First Steps to Freedom

[joeybee12]

An elderly mountain lion who spent his life chained to the back of a truck has finally gotten a taste of freedom.

Mufasa the mountain lion was rescued from an illegal Peruvian circus earlier this year. Likely sold into the exotic pet trade as an infant, he had spent 20 years being carted around from village to village and forced to perform.

Lacking even the comfort of a cage, when he wasn't performing he would be locked up and chained in the open bed of a truck, where he'd curl up behind the tent poles to sleep.



Fortunately, he was rescued by ADI's Operation Spirit of Freedom, a yearlong crackdown on illegal circuses in the wake of Peru's 2011 ban on performing circus animals, after an eight-hour standoff with his owners.





http://blogs.discovery.com/bites-animal-planet/2015/11/circus-cat-chained-to-truck-for-20-years-takes-first-steps-to-freedom.html

He's in a preserve because he wouldn't survive in the wild...hope he has some good years left in him.

[narnian60]

1. What a beautiful boy.

Enjoy life now you awesome creature.

[Angry Dragon]

3. yes

[joeybee12]

8. He is...and that face when he's walking on that grass is priceless...nt

[TubbersUK]

2. That's so sad. Here's to a new lease of life for him n/t

[hifiguy]

4. Oh my, someone's cutting onions in here.

What a gorgeous cat. May he at last find some peace and contentment.

[flamingdem]

5. Here's the website ad-international.org/animal_rescues

http://www.ad-international.org/animal_rescues/go.php?id=3861&ssi=24

donations are taken:
https://www.secure.adi-navs-ldf.org/donate.asp?id=1396&cachefixer

With your help we can give them the future they deserve

We exposed the suffering and campaigned for change, won the wild animal circus ban in Peru, and then we were there to save the animals. Working with the authorities, ADI tracked down and has removed all of the wild animals in Peru’s circuses. We also have nine lions in Colombia – the first to be removed from circuses following the ban on wild animal acts there.

But as difficult and dangerous as part one of ADI’s Operation Spirit of Freedom has been seizing these animals – it is still just the start. We have already relocated over 40 monkeys and other native wildlife to jungle habitats in the Amazon where we will continue to fund their care - next we will take our 33 rescued lions and tiger to their forever homes. Please help us:

Feed and care for the animals as they await their new life
Provide veterinary care for these animals that have endured so much
Construct 34 big cat travel crates
Relocate the animals to their forever homes – we will be flying 33 lions to a new life in South Africa – the biggest ever airlift of its kind. Other animals will be transported to different locations.

ADI’s Operation Spirit of Freedom is the biggest ever rescue of circus animals – you can be part of it, give what you can.

$1,500 will pay for a travel crate, on which you can have your name or dedication included, to bring a big cat to Africa

$500 will go towards the cost of a travel crate for a big cat, with your name or dedication included with two other co-sponsors

$200 will help fund the care of our rescued monkeys in the Amazon rainforest

$100 will assist us in taking our rescued animals to their new home

$50 will go towards any veterinary care they need – some have already benefited from specialist dental work

$20 will contribute towards the lions and monkeys food and enrichment – we provide lots of toys and things to play with to keep them occupied. The lions love to play with footballs, but they don’t last very long!

Every dollar will help care for and relocate these animals. They have suffered terribly, now you can transform their lives with ADI.

Contact us if you can sponsor one of the really huge costs such as the one of the relocation flights.

[In_The_Wind]

6. No more torment. No more pain. A happier end to a sad life.

[roguevalley]

7. fuck people. Fuck circuses and side shows. I loathe this with all my might. That poor baby. Imagine

it yourself if you can.