Soon.  That day where we will part ways is coming up fast and I don't know if my heart will be able to take it ...

For the past six months to a year, our facility has been caring for a cheetah that had been severely injured.  The cheetah lost one of its legs, so she will probably never be able to released to the wild.  instead, we wlll ship her to the local zoo, where people can visit and where she can be kept safe from predators.

We have decided to call the cheetah "Legs".  Even though she only has three legs, it really hasn't slowed her down any, but in the wild, she would probably be easy pickin's for predators; more than likely predators would probably kill her.

Legs has intense amber eyes, small rounded ears, twin black marks running from the inside corners of her eyes down both cheeks to the upper part of her mouth, and a light yellow-tan coat marked with even- sized solid spots all over her body, as well as a very long tail (also spotted).  Her legs are long and slender but instead of four legs, she only has three (she is missing her left front leg).

Legs is absolutely stunning, as far as cheetahs go.

We have been rehabilitating her, teaching her how to get around on three legs and nursing her back to health.  Now Legs is at the point to where she really no longer needs our care.  We are currently getting the papers ready to where she will be shipped to one of the local children's zoos here in Johannesburg, South Africa, where she can live out the rest of her days in safe quarters and be visited by school children and adults alike.  

Legs will live like a queen.

Legs is one and a half years old.  She lost her leg when she was a cub.  We were told that she had lost one of her legs in a trap; a farmer got tired of his animals being attacked by wild cheetahs, so he set a trap, and the cheetah we have christened "Legs" is now maimed for life.  A rancher who was on his way to work had discovered the injured cheetah and he notified us, where we soon took over her care.

The rest is now history.  And soon "Legs" will be leaving us.  

The very thought of it all makes us all cry.  We hve grown to love this beautiful creature and our facilitiy certainly won't be the same without her.

~To be continued.~