Today, Issam and Kelly really need your help. This is their story…

Every year, thousands of wild animals are trafficked around the world. The Middle East and North Africa are hotspot transit points for the trade. Animals are bred and sold to zoos or to be “exotic pets” for the rich – sent to unknown fates that bear no resemblance to their natural environment.

Credit: Animals Lebanon

Lion cubs Issam and Kelly have been saved from wildlife traffickers in Lebanon – potentially one of the largest animal trafficking operations ever intercepted in Lebanon.

The state of these infant lion cubs will leave you AGHAST!

Authorities stopped traffickers at an army checkpoint north of Lebanon, 90 minutes outside Beirut.

To their horror, they discovered 1,500 caged exotic birds – many already dead – and two terrified lion cubs hidden among them. The two-month-old cubs, frozen from fear, were hidden in small plastic cat boxes with no food or water, and were drenched in their own urine.

Credit: Animals Lebanon

All the animals were confiscated by the police, and the traffickers were arrested.

After veterinary examinations, the birds – both wild-caught and captive-bred – were able to be released back into the wild or sent to specialized organizations.

But both cubs, who are believed to be siblings, were severely underweight and exhibited signs of malnutrition and abnormal development.

They were in a shockingly bad way.

Heartbreakingly, due to the extent of human-inflicted abuse, Issam was unable to walk normally.

Credit: Animals Lebanon

The development of both infant cubs was severely stunted due to the conditions in which they were kept captive.

Issam’s disabilities were particularly severe. The muscles in his back legs had not developed properly, and his legs were not strong enough to support him. It was utterly tragic to see – a helpless eight-week-old cub struggling to walk.

His mobility problems were caused by being confined in a small plastic crate for who knows how long – combined with a lack of proper care, nutrition and exercise – all of which the cubs would have received had they not been stolen from their mother and their natural way of living.

Issam and Kelly will need intensive rehabilitation, as well as expert care, for the rest of their lives.

Credit: Animals Lebanon

The cubs were placed with an animal welfare organization in Lebanon until the right sanctuary could be found. That is where our partner, Drakenstein Lion Park in South Africa, stepped in.

Now, they need YOUR SUPPORT TODAY to recover! Please, help now!

Drakenstein Lion Park has committed to giving the cubs a lifelong home at their sanctuary where no breeding is permitted, and where wild animals live free from physical visitor interaction in semi-wild spaces.

The lifelong care for both cubs will amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars over 20 years.

If we can raise $7,300 (around £5,732 ), we can help ease the long-term financial pressure on our partner for an entire year, so they can continue rescuing wild animals in serious trouble.

Credit: Animals Lebanon

Please help give these rescued cubs the life they truly deserve after their terrible abuse at the hands of humans.

We partner with ethical big cat rescue facilities to give rescued wild animals the lives they deserve after being born into cruel and abusive situations.

The reality, is that when “exotic pets” are bred and confiscated outside of their indigenous countries, many have nowhere to go and may end up in zoos… or worse… euthanized.

This is an outcome we at ASI will ALWAYS fight to avoid, and thus it is of critical importance that we support our ethical sanctuary partners.

Credit: Animals Lebanon

Please help us to ensure that there will ALWAYS be a safe home for helpless, orphaned wild animals rescued from the hands of cruel humans.

Donate right away to help our partner support Issam and Kelly’s long-term care and give these animals the peace, security and safety they deserve. Without your support today, we cannot help rescue all the other Issams and Kellys out there who, without us, would be subjected to a truly horrific fate.