Abused circus tiger goes to sanctuary and ends up meeting her soul mate

Big cats are huge tourist attractions. Many people go on savanna trips to get a glimpse of lions and their cubs. Others go to the zoo to ogle lounging tigers. But many of these cats get neglected and abused after they’ve served their purpose of attracting tourists.

One such cat had been used in a circus and was abused and neglected. When she was rescued, the rescuers realized she needed both medical and emotional help. Fortunately, the young tigress made a friend…who later became her soulmate.

Aasha was a nine-month-old tiger, but she was so small and malnourished. At just 30 pounds, she only weighed as much as a three-month-old tiger cub. She also had bald patches, as well as open wounds.

Little Aasha, you see, was rescued from a traveling circus.

Unfortunately, there are still many around, and Aasha’s case isn’t uncommon. Aasha had been placed in a cage with another tiger, a larger one who nipped and attacked her frequently.

An inspector from the U.S. Department of Agriculture learned about Aasha and got in touch with In-Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue and Educational Center early 2011. The founder of the Texas-based organization, Vicky Keahey, agreed to take the young tiger in, knowing full well it would be an arduous journey to heal the traumatized feline.

When Vicky finally saw Aasha, she realized the young cat had a bad case of ringworm. The condition and the stress of everything she had been through had caused her fur to fall out and her appetite to wane. All in all, Aasha wasn’t in a good place.

Vicky told The Dodo, an animal welfare group and publication:

“Aasha’s bald spots covered almost her entire body and her skin was dry [with] cracked, darken areas and bleeding.”
To help Aasha, Vicky and her team placed her in a separate enclosure in In-Sync Exotics’ sanctuary. There, she was treated to a medicated bath, which the little tigress hated at first. But overtime, she got used to it and began enjoying it!

Vicky visited her regularly and gave her medication twice a day. Often, she would just sit and play with the young feline and make her feel comfortable. The medicine and bath did wonders for Aasha. Vicky reported:

“After eight weeks of treatments you could see little bits of fuzz growing back to [what once] bald spots. By the time the treatments were over, Aasha loved the water so I put a small tub in [her enclosure] for her to splash in.”

In no time, Aasha had grown Healthier and bigger.
She looked her age, and her striped coat was glossy and full. Within just eight months, Aasha had grown into a beautiful young tigress.

Vicky thought it was finally time for her to interact with other tigers. Knowing the bad experience Aasha had gone through, Vicky felt anxious about introducing her to larger cats. But the risk was worth it after they placed Aasha beside the tiger named Smuggler.

The connection between the two was instantaneous. Vicky noticed that Smuggler was constantly showing off to the young tigress, playing with his toys and trying to approach her through the bars that separated them.

So as not to overwhelm the young tiger, Vicky and the other members of In-Sync Exotics decided to supervise a play date between Aasha and Smuggler. The two were comfortable around each other. Aasha had found her soulmate.

And after four years, they’re still together and living their happy ever after.

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