Yesterday was a veterinary and dental day at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary with Dr. Peter Caldwell and Prof. Gerhard Steenkamp performing procedures on Kimba, Coco, and Mahla.

The three lions, rescued from different circuses in Guatemala and Peru, had their teeth cleaned and polished and Kimba and Coco each had a damaged incisor tooth removed by Prof. Steenkamp. Dr Peter Caldwell darted the lions for the procedures, performed thorough veterinary examinations, took blood samples, and gave vitamin and supplement injections. Kimba also had an eye examination and referred for specialist review. 

The day allowed us to tackle the basic wear and tear on the animals’ teeth – Mahla and Coco were rescued by ADI almost 12 years ago and Kimba 8 years ago – a reminder of how the vital work caring for these animals continues long after they are rescued, and inevitably, the cost of that care of their bodies compromised by early-age malnutrition and inbreeding.

Many animals in captivity suffer for years in painful silence, due to broken and infected teeth. Teeth are deliberately smashed with metal bars when animals like lions challenge trainers, and are broken as they desperately bite the bars to try to escape their tiny prisons.

We remember dear Leo, who lived to old age at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, had suffered all four canine teeth broken off in the circus, and who can forget Colo Colo, the angry star of the film ‘Lion Ark’ whose pain was finally relieved by renowned veterinary dentist Dr Peter Emily.

Aside from the pain these animals endure, untreated, the infections can be lethal. I remember a small capuchin we saved from a Peruvian circus who had pus erupting under each eye from infected teeth, which had been deliberately snapped off in the circus. Lion Junior was in a similar state, pus erupting from his face – emergency surgery saved both.

Our dental teams will perform dozens of root canal procedures following our rescues, like the hours of surgery with tiny root canals on Pepe the spider monkey, whose canines had all been snapped off by the circus to prevent him from biting his abusers; and the much larger, similar procedures on old Leo.

This care of these animals does not end after the seizures from a lifetime of abuse, the airlifts, and stepping free on African soil. It is ongoing, for decades.

It has been eight long years of struggle since we started building the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. The rescues and campaigns for legal protection for animals had to continue across continents as we built our forever home for the survivors of the entertainment industry. We had to save many animals in a relatively short space of time, while completing construction of basic facilities. As we look to the future, and support our campaigns for ending the use of animals in entertainment with the ADIWS as a safe, secure home where our residents rights, intelligence, emotions and physical needs are respected, we are now looking towards having our own on-site veterinary facilities at the Sanctuary.

Yesterday’s procedures were performed in a makeshift surgical area but our goal is to have the funds to build a fully equipped veterinary clinic at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. At present we must travel 3 hours to take animals to hospital, we want to provide the best wildlife veterinary care on site enabling veterinarians and their assistants to come here.

What price relieving an old warrior like Kimba of toothache?

More details will follow, and we will launch major appeals for each aspect of the plans for the facilities, but please consider a donation today, to invest in long term veterinary care at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, our place of loving kindness for those we have rescued from the horror of the abuse and cruelty of circuses and other entertainment. We hope to also utilise the veterinary surgery for outreach to the local community about animal care, and also, as part of our future education programme/program.

If you can contribute towards the daily care of these precious individuals who have suffered so much: Donate US $, CA $ | Donate UK £, Euros, Rand

PS: Don’t forget adopting one of our residents is a great way of helping with their day-to-day needs, including veterinary care, find out more here: ADI US store | UK store adoptions