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Campaign Against Canned Hunting (CACH)

A tale of two lion cubs in Spain

8/12/2014

24 Comments

 
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‘OVER TO YOU’…
 A TALE OF TWO LION CUBS in Spain.

This is the photo that began the rescue – four smiling young men petting a lion cub somewhere in Spain. The photo was published on the well-known Facebook page Volunteers in Africa Beware. From there it was picked up by Linda Park, the CACH representative in Johannesburg. She in turn referred the picture to CJ and Luis Munoz, the CACH representatives in Spain, with a brief comment … OVER TO YOU.

What happened next? Here is the story from CJ and Luis:

¨We are now in the possession of two male lion cubs approximately 3 ½ months old. We picked up on a lead from a CACH group member that found a posting of cub petting in Spain. The place was Terra Mitica Park in Benidorm. 
Apparently, a woman was using lion cubs for picture taking all hours of the day, day after day, charging 10 euros per picture. She was keeping the cubs on a diet of only milk in order to keep them small.
We contacted Guardia Civil Seprona, (the Spanish Special Police Service for the protection of Nature), and they quickly responded. The woman had some papers indicating that she had purchased the cubs from a circus in France, but as she had no birth certificates for the cubs proving they were born in captivity, Seprona impounded the cubs. Seprona filed complaints against the woman with the Spanish Customs Authorities and other institutions on a number of charges.
She was told the cubs would be returned to her if she could produce the rest of the papers required within 15 days of being called for a hearing. However, she gave up her rights of ownership before her case came up and Seprona placed the cubs in the care of an animal sanctuary.
After several weeks of phone calls to CITES, Customs, and Seprona offering to provide a permanent good home for the cubs, we finally found them by a stroke of good luck. 
We have been awarded custody and are now on our way to Madrid where the cubs will be very well taken care of until we can send them home to South Africa to live out their lives in the best sanctuary in the world¨

CACH initially tried to find a suitable and forever home for the cubs in Europe and approached various organisations such as Four Paws who had experience of animal rescue in Europe. This is the answer we received to our enquiry.

It is true that there are generally speaking more lions and tigers waiting to be rescued than places to take them.

In South-Africa our big cat sanctuary LIONSROCK is currently filled at maximum capacity and we plan to build new enclosures to be able to help more animals.

The big cat rescue centre FELIDA that we recently took over in The Netherlands is waiting to be rebuilt before we can take in new animals.

Finally, Stichting AAP has indeed a rescue centre for apes and monkeys in Spain, and they are currently building enclosures there for big cats as well.

However, I don’t think these enclosures will be ready this year.

So to South Africa. CACH approached Kevin Richardson, the respected ‘Lion Whisperer’, who runs a unique lion sanctuary in Dinokeng. Kevin kindly agreed to give the cubs a forever home on his 1300 hectare sanctuary.

Now the really hard work begins. CJ and Luis have transferred the cubs from Alicante to Madrid where they will remain pending the completion of the export process to South Africa.

The re-location of the cubs from Madrid to SA is a bureaucratic minefield. Adding to the expense and time are the formalities. There are vaccinations to be given, clearances to be obtained from various authorities in both countries, CITES permits needed both for export and import, import and transport permits for SA, veterinary certificates, and the list goes on. Meanwhile the cubs must be weaned off their inadequate milk diet to make them strong and healthy.

CACH is employing a specialist wildlife freight brokerage company to handle the process to ensure that the relocation of the cubs takes place as smoothly and as stress - free as possible.

You may ask why we are spending so much time, money and effort on two cubs in Spain when there are thousands of captive bred lions in SA.

We can think of three reasons.

1. Because if CACH had not intervened those cubs would have been used as human playthings for as long as possible on a poor arthritic diet that would affect them for the rest of their lives, before suffering a miserable existence in a cage in a travelling zoo.

2. We may not be able to save all the lions in the world but CACH will make a world of difference to the lives of these two lion cubs. Kevin Richardson’s sanctuary must be just about the best place in the world for a lion that cannot live its life out in the wild.

3. Finally, should we not rescue them just because we can? And would you not like to be part of this, dear reader? With your help we can make a difference to the lives of these two little cubs.

We ask you all to help us in funding the re-location of the cubs from Madrid to South Africa to live a happy and natural life with other lions at Kevin’s sanctuary. No amount is too small so please help us to give these two cubs the life they deserve.

We end as we began with the plea……

OVER TO YOU, please donate to help bring the cubs home.

We will be updating this page with pictures and the on-going rescue as it happens. Thank you for helping us make a difference.


meet   CACH      &       SPAIN

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24 Comments
sara link
8/11/2014 11:02:00 pm

Kevin has a big heart and I hope the process goes quickly and the little ones are soon in the hands of someone who really cares. Thanks Chris.

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Mike D
8/21/2014 11:20:20 pm

What an amazing story. I have no doubt they will live the best possible life they can with Kevin Richardson though it is not the same a free life in the wild where all lions should be, Kudos to Kevin for agreeing to take them in. I plan to make a donation to help make this incredible story come true. There is enormous satisfaction in knowing that I played a small part in saving the lives of these of these two small kings. I look forward tot he follow up. PLEASE DONATE !!!!

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Ingeborg
8/11/2014 11:20:06 pm

My late husband Roger Gould-King fought the canned-lion industry until his dying day in 2003. He was an advocate that this practice be banned and people doing this be given the heaviest fine and punishment possible. He worked closely with Chris Mercer and Bev Pevan. Chris and Bev, keep the awareness going. You are doing an awesome job. Regards Ingeborg

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Mary Alice
8/11/2014 11:33:56 pm

An amazing guardian angel guides those involved in this amazing work to bring to an end such a vile industry and those on the ground continue that which he was so passionate about .... bless him, bless them all !

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Mary Alice Pollard, Cornwalls Voice for Animals
8/11/2014 11:31:18 pm

Oh bless them - and those involved in their rescue ... this just makes my heart melt ..... so looking forward to the continuing cat tales of these two darlings !

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Loretta Franklin
8/12/2014 06:24:46 am

While it is true that you can't save every lion, these two are pretty lucky to have you around.

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Donalea Patman link
8/12/2014 02:45:26 pm

Firstly, great work everyone on taking these cubs back...how tiny are they?!!! I'm constantly shocked at how people don't connect that babies need to be with their mothers...I'm shocked that it's so bloody difficult to get the authorities to co-operate and make it a legal and expensive minefield when great work is being done. I'm shocked that saving a species and "doing the right thing" is fraught with obstacles. So, so glad that these tiny ones are going home. So inspired by the dedication of a few to move mountains. Deep respect.

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Chris Voets
8/12/2014 06:02:33 pm

It makes me so proud to be part of CACH and all that you do. What wonderful news to read first thing in the morning!

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Sharon Dreyer
8/12/2014 06:44:28 pm

This is absolutely wonderful and well done to all involved in their rescue and future well being!

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Jenni Trethowan
8/13/2014 01:08:33 am

Fabulous news . Way to go CACH!!

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Ada
8/13/2014 04:59:51 am

Super. I really needed some good news after all the horror "humans" do to animals. Why help? Because they are living beiings en deserve to be treated with respect.

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Alison link
8/14/2014 02:26:35 pm

Thank you to all involved. What wonderful news. Two very lucky cubs and they will be well looked after at Kevin's sanctuary.

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Chris Herbst
8/14/2014 05:32:00 pm

Well done guys, we know Kevin will taje great care of them.

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Karina Costa
8/15/2014 10:50:38 am

I´m really happy fir the little ones, and for kevin! He is gonna take really good care of the cubs and I´m sure they´ll have a great future.

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Yuliana L. Kuzyaeva
8/17/2014 07:27:33 am

Those cubs look adorable, they are so cute!!! But you can tell that they are lacking a healthy diet. I wish them the best luck in the world to find a home and Kevin's sanctuary is the best i unbelieve. Thank you very much everyone who fight against animal abuse and canned hunting. Bless your hearts!

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kath threlfall
8/21/2014 07:39:27 pm

Some members of the human race will stop at nothing to get money they do not care what they hurt as long as they get their greedy hands on it. I condemn these individuals and ask God to bless these lovely cubs and all in the animal kingdom.

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Mary Alice Pollard, Cornwalls Voice for Animals link
8/21/2014 07:54:43 pm

It is all very well getting angry at the sick individuals who use and abuse animals for their own personal gains - but the public who fall into the trap of LETS GET A PHOTO WITH THEM are even more guilty. In this day and age with knowledge so available on the internet - people cannot make the excuse that they didn't know that this is captivity and abuse and that it should not be supported. As long as the public support these abusers, and there are no laws to prevent people from using animals in such a way .... there will be so sadly other abused animals just around the corner. We need laws - everywhere, to make the keeping and use of wild animals ILLEGAL !! But for now all I can say is thank God for those four smiling idiot boys with the cub and CACH for saving them and giving them what is a better future in a suitable environment !

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Ine
8/23/2014 08:07:27 am

Great work! Keep up this good work! Bless the little cubs and everyone saving them! May they have a majestic life at Kevin Richardsons sanctuary, hopefully one day we can save all animals in need. That's my biggest wish.

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Ana Patricia Álvarez
8/26/2014 12:38:09 am

I`m not surprised....Cruelty towards animals in Spain is amazing...there was a bullfighting...Healing..who used to have a tiger as a pet....Thankyou for rescuing them...God knows the father that was waiting for the portables....I hope the woman is still prosecuted...I cannot help economically...but I would love to work in the APP sanctuary in. Alicante....do you know if they are hiring people? ...I volunteer for animal welfare...but u.fortunately...I have a rent to be paid! Thank you for your great job!!

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Ana Patricia alvarez
8/26/2014 12:50:58 am

Sorry..I have a new phone...and it's completing sentences for me...the wrong way..the bullfighter was Jesulín...And I said God only know the faith for those two cubs in Spain..where more than 50.000 Grayhounds are killed every year after hunting season is over...

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Louise
9/4/2014 02:00:30 pm

Can we have an update on how much has been raised so far and how much is needed and are all proceeds going to this particular challenge or are they going to the charity as a whole? I love Kevin Richardson's work and watched every video. Supporter the lions all the way. But would like to know the finer details :)

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Chris Mercer
9/4/2014 10:59:14 pm

Hi Louise

So far we have paid US$4,700 over to Luis and CJ to meet expenses.

Fundraising is ongoing, and as we explained in our second blog post, if we are fortunate enough to raise more than we need to get them here, any surplus will be handed to Kevin to put towards the facilities and maintenance of the cubs in his care.

A full accounting will be put out on our blog once the cubs are here and all expenses have been paid. End of October, we expect.

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Rachel Schwebach
3/24/2022 06:42:49 pm

I am reading this article in March 2022. These two lions, now known as George and Yame, will be eight years old next month. George had metabolic bone disease as a cub due to malnutrition, as well as, juvenile cataracts. Under Kevin Richardson’s love and care George has got strong bones although he still walks incorrectly from the damage done in Spain at the amusement park. He had his cataracts removed and can see. Yame had some behavioral problems several years ago but with good veterinary care and time and patience he too has recovered.
They are both stunning lions with large, thick manes and are happy and playful brothers. George can do everything Yame can do and they love taking walks with Kevin in the game reserve.I have grown so fond of them both through the last seven and a half years.
I didn’t know about George and Yame until they got to Kevin in South Africa 🇿🇦. Thank you to all who donated to get them to Kevin. They are healthy and loved.

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Chris Mercer link
3/25/2022 02:57:39 am

Thanks for your update. Much appreciated. Give our best wishes to Kevin.

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