Octagon Wildlife Sanctuary - Saturday Dec 12, 2015

Two hour drive from home to a little off the road place.  This place houses rescued animals and has a little plaque telling each animal's story.  Some are quite sad - rescues from physical beatings trying to make the animals obedient to shoot commercials/movies/or whatever.

Some were purchased by people who really didn't think it through, tigers in the back yard? Really?  I guess it goes back to our roots, we really were meant to have a close relationship with the animals as Genesis 1:28 talks about.

The animals, for the most part, looked healthy looking despite some scars.   There were a few that have some health problems due to owners trying to keep them small or feeding them inadequate food.  One lion was kept in a dog kennel for his first year trying to keep him small.  The scars of some of the animals were seared on their personalities and have trust issues-hmmm sounds familiar.

Mufasa

Lilly, black leopard

 

I turned around and this kitty was staring at me, a bit unnerving.

 

 

I heard growling which stopped me in my tracks.  Checking around hoping one of the "residents" had not got loose...          fortunately it was just Frankie, not a name that inspires fear but OH THAT GROWL! 

 

 

 

Onyx was fed only milk for the 1st year of life as the owner tried to keep the animal from developing aggressive tendencies.

 

 Some were a little camera shy

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Other animals would "pose", this resident looks like he's smiling - not nearly as intimidating as one would think.  And this bird worked hard to get just the right angle for his photo shoot.

  Chill-axin