Dateline May 03, 2008

Montreal, Canada –

Humans develop bonds with animals of all sorts, we have domesticated herd animals to provide us with sustenance, developed a symbiotic relationship of sorts with carnivores that at one time probably hunted us as prey, and kept as pets many kinds of animals that in our hunting and gathering days, ate many a hearty human. Emperors, well-to-do people, Caesars, Kings and Queens, and even common people have kept Tigers, Lions, Giraffes, and just about every exotic animal as pets and companions through out the history of mankind.

Montreal, Canada became the scene of terror for a six month old lion named Boomer, thousands of terrified citizens looking over their shoulders as they walked about, and the young lions care giver, who lives on the Kitigan Zibi reserve near Maniwaki, around 90 miles north of Ottawa.

Boomer was reported missing on Tuesday night after he made a break from his care givers home, during the time since he has been raising adrenalin levels in people in the area.

Boomers care giver says that he is a docile, loving animal, non-aggressive in nature, really just a big baby and that he was sure his friend would show up soon.

The hunt for his furry friend ended on Thursday, bringing adrenalin levels down I’m sure, when a woman spotted the young lion lurking in the shadows off a local highway, probably terrified of all noise, he appeared to be confused.

Hogtied, probably indignant, the young lion was hauled away to his home, thankfully no harm came of the incident, and everybody can breathe easy.

A beautiful animal a young lion is, majestic, full of the energy of life, and an animal that has been kept as a pet by humans in the history of mankind, but not one that was designed for interaction in human society.

The individual keeping this animal as fiend or pet, is probably not doing the best for themselves, the young lion, who if he had been more mature, would probably have naturally looked for something to eat, and humans are such easy prey. At present the young age of his charge makes is feasible to keep such a large animal on a large reserve like Kitigan Zibi, but animals such as this were not meant as amusement for humans, they were meant to be running free on the grass plains of Africa.

The internet, the growth of world travel and the ease of traveling around the world today, combined with the need to keep such animals in their natural habitats where they feel at ease, means the need for zoos, reserves, and exotic animals parks should be decreasing. The ability to learn about and see animals such as lions via other modes other than live in a ‘human designed animal prison’, no matter how comfortable you make a cage, its still a cage, not a open range, means we no longer need to keep such beautiful animals close to society as we use to.

We can still view these creatures without endangering either them or humans in the process; we need to do what is best for all animals, not just the human animal and move toward keeping predators of such size and ferocity in the proper environment for both their safety and the safety of humans.