She is one of the prettiest creatures I have ever seen:  small, rounded ears, a smallish head, a long, slender body that is evenly covered all over with black spots, thin, but powerful legs, and twin black lines running from the inner corner of her amber-coloured eyes to her mouth.

The cheetah came to us last month from a rehabilitation facility, where she has been since she was only a year old.  Apparently, according to the people who work there, "Legs" lost her left front leg when it was accidentally caught in a trap that a farmer had set.  She is probably nearing two years of age by now. 

"Legs" has fully recovered and has been released to our facility, where she can be enjoyed by children and families alike.  She will never be able to function on her own in her natural realm:  her missing leg would make her a prime target for predators, and with the cheetah population already at a critical level, this would be detrimental not only to her, but to ALL cheetahs.

So we will have her here, where "Legs" will live out her days in comfort and safety. 

We do not know what the future holds for an animal like "Legs", but we will make sure that she is treated well and where she can teach others that rehabilitated animals can do just as well as those in the wild.  She will also teach people about tolerance, acceptance, and empathy for those who live with disability each and every day.  That is our general plan.

We will do periodic updates regarding "Legs".  You haven't heard the last of her story: in fact, in many ways,  "Leg's" story is only beginning!

~To be continued.~