Levi is a very shy cougar who came from a wildlife park. Park staff loved him, but Levi did not like to be on display because of past abuse from a private owner.
When I first moved to Atlanta, I wanted to continue my volunteer work with wild cats after seeing exploitation of animals during my advertising career. I offered to help at a small private zoo and the owner gladly accepted.
In just a short time, I was shocked at how many babies were being born weekly to be pulled away from their mothers and traded or sold. I remember when the lions were moved because chimps were recently purchased and put in their building. I was so new to the industry, but this all felt wrong. Yet, I couldn’t force myself to leave because of Levi.
Levi was a declawed older cougar who lived alone near the black bears. There was no way to get to Levi to clean or change his water without walking through the bear cages. One day when I arrived to volunteer, I noticed he was no longer there. I frantically looked for him and found him in a small 10’ x 10’ cage in the direct sun, with no shelter besides a plastic doghouse.
My heart hurt and I told the owner that I had started my own sanctuary and would like to take Levi so he could have a better life. He said he would agree, only if he couldn’t sell him.
I remember when I received the call and the zoo owner said no one wanted an old cougar and that Levi wasn’t even a good display cat. I was saddened that he was considered disposable, but my heart was full that I could save him.
I arrived with a crate and a friend to pick up Levi. I don’t really know what my plans were for getting this very large male cougar in my SUV, but I asked if I could place meat in the crate to coax Levi in. The owner abruptly said no. They had no time since there had been a litter of cougars that needed to be pulled in another part of the zoo.
What I saw next has haunted me to this day. Levi did not like the owner, so he sent in two male volunteers. They brought the crate in with Levi, and he cowered. They pulled out metal pipes about 12 inches long and began hitting the dogloo until Levi came out. Then they hit Levi repeatedly as they cornered him back into the crate. I stood there frozen.
They helped lift Levi into the back of my Isuzu Rodeo. Levi was calm the entire hour ride home. Me and my friend were able to maneuver Levi’s crate out of the car. Due to his weight and our lack of strength, we could only move him a couple of steps before we had to set him down. All the time, Levi was patient.
I cried myself to sleep that night. Feeling overwhelmed with guilt that I let those men do that to Levi. Right at sunset, I went out to check on Levi. He was at the fence purring. Every day after that, I asked him, and myself, forgiveness.
That moment lives with me forever. Should I have intervened? Could I have intervened? It always haunted me that I wasn’t equipped to have changed what happened to him that day. I vowed that our sanctuary would have all the skills and equipment moving forward. And we did.
