Campaign ManagerSometimes, when we least expect it, good things come to us. We must have all experienced something truly unexpected and amazing at least once in each of our lives. The caretakers of this frail lioness were shocked to see an unexpected turn of event. Through the lioness’s experience, they realized that miracles do come true.
Sheila The Lioness
In the year 2009, the U.S. Department of Agriculture was lucky enough to save a lioness that they named Sheila. She was badly treated at an entertainment center in Texas, so they had to rescue her. This establishment did not take care of the animals they kept for these private shows and Sheila was unfortunately among them. So what the USDA did was, they advised the In-Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue and Educational Center in Wylie, Texas to try and save her. This facility was known for nursing stray animals and abandoned animals back to health. However, Sheila’s medical condition was such that the staff members were not so sure if she would even make it. 
Sheila’s Rough Past
Sheila was just over a year old when she got rescued. Her physical health had become so tragic because she did not properly, to the point where she could barely walk. “She had very little muscle coordination, and thus, when she walked, her legs would slip out from under her,” an In-Sync employee told interviewers when asked what caused her health to deteriorate like this. It was a difficult time at the facility because Sheila’s condition was not really improving. Everyone was preparing themselves for the worst as she showed no signs of healing. The lioness became weaker and weaker, throwing up multiple times and slowly started becoming stationary. However, the staff members did not want to lose hope and still persevered.
Needing Extra Care
“For two weeks, I had to go in with Sheila and hand-feed her,” the In-Sync CEO Vicky Keahey told interviewers. Sheila’s head would often bob towards the left and so an exterior help/support was needed. They would leave a pail of water next to her head and assist her to drink. Very commonly, the pet trades held in the U.S can be very harmful to the animals involved. The inhumane ways that these animals are handled has resulted in such conditions. Most of these trades are done illegally as well. They never get to be in the hands of a well-equipped caretaker who can help improve the animal’s health. Look at Sheila for example. Just looking at her, it is not hard for anyone to see that Sheila is a very special big cat. With her unique coloration, there is no denying that this lioness is beautiful. Her distinctive colors are due to a dormant gene dubbed the color-inhibitor or chinchilla gene. It’s indigenous and only exists in a place in South Africa called Timbavati.
Suffering From Toxoplasmosis
In-Sync soon discovered that Sheila was suffering from another medical condition. She actually had toxoplasmosis, with a major lack of Vitamin A to add to it. Toxoplasmosis is a parasite gets transferred into the blood of an animal. This disease is not harmful to humans but can be fatal to a cat. Sheila, being a big cat, this was a matter of concern. There was only one thing the facility could do. So they took the chance and so the caretakers immediately got the ailing lioness on an antibiotic treatment. This fortunately worked and soon the lioness was showing signs of recovery. However, this was not the only thing that attributed to the healing of this beautiful lioness.
Another Lion Enters
The story of this incredible lioness continues and does not stop with the antibiotics. It turns out that Sheila was not the only animal getting saved from the vicious entertainment center in Texas. Before the rescuers were coming to save Sheila, In-Sync had already managed to save a lion by the name, Kahn. Kahn was just six years when he was rescued. This mighty lion was a show animal. His main job was to dazzle and amuse guests at private shows. When Kahn arrived at the center, it was surprising to see that he was very aggressive when it came to food and had even bitten off the end of his tail, most probably due to stress and anxiety. There was another thing that really shocked the people working at the facility. They discovered that since Kahn was poorly fed, his whole body weighed just a 100 pounds less than he should. Kahn was also suffering from various bone problems that were not just your typical problems. It was quite serious. However, he, being a true fighter, slowly healed up.
