The Alicante Foundation AAP Primadomus rescued a three-year-old lion, Ruru, who lived in disastrous conditions on the outskirts of Kyiv (Ukraine). When the area was bombed, its former owner fled, leaving the big cat at the mercy of war. Although he managed to survive, his life was pretty sad, according to his current caregivers.
Before being rescued, the animal lived in a deplorable stable on the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital. His owner had others exotic species in his private collection, like turtles or peacocks, and built a cage for the lion, which was not cleaned or cared for.
“Animals that come from a past in captivity in conditions like those of Ruru have multiple sequelae, both physical and psychological. The absence of an adequate diet is a good example, as it seriously affects the formation of both the skeleton and the muscles”, he tells SINC. Pablo Delgadoresponsible for the Big Cats Area and Manager of AAP Primadomus.
“Small facilities, with poor ventilation and light, imply little or no stimulation for them, which translates into problems of extreme weakness, balance, osteoarthritis, etc., which also affect their psychological well-being,” he adds.
Animal rescues in the context of war
During the fighting in Kyiv, there was mortar fire in the area where the stable was located and all the animals in it were presumed dead. Staff at a nearby shelter discovered that they were still alive and managed to rescue most of them, except for Ruru, as the key to their enclosure was missing.
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The young feline survived despite the continued bombardment and shelter owner Asya Serpinska and her granddaughter continued to feed him week after week. When Russian troops entered the village, they laid mines around the stable, but Asya managed to persuade one of the soldiers with cigarettes not to detonate the mine. Only when Ukrainian troops recaptured the Kyiv area was it possible to transfer the lion to Poland, from where it was processed. reception in spain.
“The war has increased the demand for rescues that come to us from Ukraine, as the centers in the country found many abandoned animals. And, faced with the impossibility of serving them properly and the insecurity generated by the war, they sought all possible help outside their borders,” he explains. Bertha AlzagaAAP biologist and communicator.
Ruru does not have the characteristic mane of adult lions because his owner has him castrated. /PSA
A law to reverse this kind of situation
“To this day, Ruru is still in the quarantine phase, a period with all sorts of veterinary checkups to make sure he is in the best possible condition before starting rehabilitation. He arrived here quite shaken with all the stress of the war and his move. In addition, the fact that his previous owner had him neutered prevented him from developing the mane characteristic of adult lions”, says Pablo Delgado.
In both Ukraine and Spain, with the exception of four Autonomous Communities in our country, it is perfectly legal to have, trade and transport all types of wild fauna. That’s why the AAP is also struggling to implement a positive listing that clearly delimits and defines the species that can be marketed and kept as pets, all others being prohibited.
“Today there is a National Animal Protection Bill in our country that regulates the possession and trade of pets based precisely on Positive Lists. Once the aforementioned Law is approved, a scientific committee will be responsible for drawing up these lists”, he highlights. Marta Merchanresponsible for the Public Policies Area of AAP Primadomus.
In this way, the legislation would make it possible to put an end to the unnecessary risks what the current situation implies for animals, people and the environment.