What does it take? Patience

Animal Defenders International is a group that rescues animals from all over the world. At this sanctuary (safe place) in South Africa, people care for animals that have been treated badly and can’t survive back in the wild. Animals that come to the sanctuary stay for the rest of their lives and the people who work or volunteer at the sanctuary make sure that they have food, medicine, and an environment that will keep them as healthy as possible.

This lion is getting his medicine for a disease called arthritis. His joints, the places where his legs bend, are stiff and sore. Some of the animals have rickets, a disease that they got because they were not fed what they needed. Some of the animals had their teeth or nails taken out by people who kept them in public places and did not want them to be able to hurt anyone.

“It’s a shame.” says Mark Newkirk, a retired veterinarian who has volunteered to help at the sanctuary. You probably agree!

What does it take to help animals who will never be able to live independently in the wild because people treated them badly? Can you imagine yourself supporting animals who have been hurt by the people around them?

Take this lion, for example. He doesn’t understand that the medicine will help his aching legs, so how can you persuade him to swallow it? The human in the picture needs a lot of patience! The only way to teach a lion to take medicine is to always give it right before a meal. If you do that often enough, then the lion will look forward to taking the medicine because it will signal the beginning of the next meal. That means that you have to keep trying day after day after day after day, until the lion finally connects the medicine to food it likes. The lion won’t hurry just because you want to see it feeling better.

If you give up and stop trying, the lion will suffer. If you get frustrated and communicate your upset to the lion, you’ll push your goal further from reach.

If you keep trying and keep your faith alive, your patience will take the lion to a longer and healthier life.

Think about that next time you are learning about how to control your emotions and reactions. Some deep breathing, and dedication on your part can help you bring real progress to a lion, another person, or any other living creature you are helping.

It’s all about patience!