Agreed. The article frames it as jealousy, but I imagine it has a lot more to do with the fact that the puma could easily EAT him. Clearly the cat does not feel safe, so why add a jaguar? Plus, there's no indication that there's a leopard who can't be released into the wild and can't live in a big cat sanctuary. Despite what they're saying, it sure seems like they're just collecting big cats now.

Ok , I'm from Ukraine and understand russian. I see some videos and streams on their channel, and I know they really good owners . Messi loves them . And now they have a house in the country where they built a separate aviary for Ichel - this is the cheetah, which they have since December 31. Now they are slowly establishing contact with her. Previously, Ichel was in the circus ... therefore she is not afraid of people, but fears them. I noticed that Ichel loves Masha more, and sometimes he hisses at Sasha. But the owners adhere to the tactics of "Rule 3 P" Constancy, Graduation, Consistency. I don’t know how in the correct equivalent it is translated into English, but in Russian it is. And another point, at the expense of Messi, they made friends with Ichel, and "shared the owners" Sasha with Messi, and Masha with Ichel. I want to say that Masha and Sasha are very caring, and with time will establish tactical contact with Ichel.

They live in a big house now with an enormous yard. The cheetah has her own enclosures and is a rescue as well.

Messi is living the best life I could ever imagine. He has been raised with the greatest love and care. I’m saying this as a person who has rehabbed many wild animals and raised a black tailed deer for a year that was released into the wild and living the life god intended. I’m baffled by all the negative responses, but this is BoredPanda where negativity is now the norm.

Я извиняюсь , они уже имеют собственный дом. вот вам ссылка на канал https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvph04Sh9CFKAw-gA6y-brQ Удачи вам и вашим родным.

Lets hope they get a bigger place.

I'm going to have to disagree with you and agree with @Юлька Якушева (Yulka Yakusheva)

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I'm just relieved that people here are educating themselves on the issue and I wish the Bored Panda staff would stop promoting and advertising these harmful IG accounts. There was a nice article the other day about someone's experience of meeting wolves at a wolf sanctuary (another animal that has been anthropomorphised by humans so much that they end up in these sanctuaries in the first place) that was fun to read. There's absolutely no need to promote these Instagram accounts, and I hope the Bored Panda staff are not being paid by them to do so. Also take a look at the comments that are supporting this couple, there's at least three of them that are directing people to look at their YouTube and IG accounts, they want the advertisement revenue to support their grift.

It's crazy; big cats rescued from circuses should be in a wildlife sanctuary. I guess, their ordinary, little domesticated cat fell out of favor now.

Andy from Beaverton, sometimes it's negativity, sometimes it's common sense.

Small part of the picture is why. Organisations have tried to persuade them to give the puma to a sanctuary with access to professional care and better veterinary treatment. Also better larger space and tailored facilities. These people always wanted to have a large cat - they are not doing this for the cat's sake. If it was for the cat's sake they would have handed Messi over to a sanctuary. Read the National Geographic article.

Sparrow, read Rosie's, Graci's. Liam's comments. The professional wildlife conservationist know better.

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...because some people like to indulge in fake virtue signalling or are simple russophobes.

Kiro, please ignore that imbecilic comment by Christina. She would obviously prefer a circus jaguar to remain in the circus rather than in a loving, caring family knowledgable in the handling of big cats. but hey, lets send some fake virtue signals before having to go back to the looney cell.

Kiro, they acknowledged that pumas (wild predatory animals) should not be tamed, Messi is the exception? That's why they are getting another one? A jaguar, that will be another exception?

Maria, a petting zoo and a zoo are two different things. Secondly, there are wildlife sanctuaries just for these kind of situations.

This is what the family said; is it the whole story? They alone were the sole rescuers?

gumeracha, please stop calling people idiots, just because they have a different opinion. Maybe there's more to the story you have read.

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Plot twist: there are other options besides wildlife and becoming a pet, idiot. You are not the sharpest tool in the shed aren't you.

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Warawk is not the brightest light in the lamp store, it looks like.

The choices aren't just circus or someone's home though. What's wrong with a good wildlife sanctuary? These animals needs will be met in a sanctuary far more ably - they usually have a lot more space and far more experience.

A bigger house? Does this house include cliffs, trees, birds, wind etc? And you do know that a lot of these "pet cats" gets drugged in order to be docile?

"According to his wife Mariya, Aleksandr, 38, had always dreamed of owning a big cat, “He always thought about having a lynx – never a puma. It’s hard to explain but we believe that having this puma as a house cat is part of our destiny.” The article also states “We had three days of thinking hard about whether it was moral to keep such an exotic pet, and whether it was common sense to have one. But nothing could fight our sudden wish,” Mariya, 28, told the Mirror. “So we went to the zoo and started negotiations to buy Messi. We were surprised ourselves when they agreed.” They basically went to a zoo, saw a puma cub and put in an offer to buy him, this is the most selfish, pig-headed and disgusting attitude to take for "rescuing" a wild animal.

Yes, because no one that have had a wild animal as a pet has falsely claimed anything of the sort when trying to make excuses for the torture they are putting these animals through.

I read the Nat Geo article and I regret what I said earlier. They are being incredibly selfish. The first BP article even states "According to his wife Mariya, Aleksandr, 38, had always dreamed of owning a big cat, “He always thought about having a lynx – never a puma. It’s hard to explain but we believe that having this puma as a house cat is part of our destiny.” The article also states “We had three days of thinking hard about whether it was moral to keep such an exotic pet, and whether it was common sense to have one. But nothing could fight our sudden wish,” Mariya, 28, told the Mirror. “So we went to the zoo and started negotiations to buy Messi. We were surprised ourselves when they agreed.” So they literally went to a zoo, saw a puma and put in an offer to buy him. And the most upsetting part is that the zoo freaking AGREED. Smh

I see that you're clearly someone who knows better than the professional reporters of The National Geographic who painstakingly travelled to research and interview these grifters who run exotic animal Instagram accounts. You didn't even bother to read the whole National Geographic article where they say these wild animal "adopters" do it for completely selfish reasons, and refuse to let animal sanctuaries intervene even when those sanctuaries have better access to trained veterinary and care professionals. There a lot of big cats that are worse off than this puma who thrive under sanctuary care and living the best life they can get, but no... you want to believe some middle-aged couple from Instagram with no credentials, experience or training relating to the medical care or general maintenance of big cats is way more qualified to care for them. Okay.

Thank you for reconsidering your stance on the matter, Luna. The interviews in the Nat Geo with the Russian IG accounts in the article basically say the same thing, "It's always been a dream", "I've always wished"... they won't allow them to be rehabilitated in a sanctuary because those exotic animals are making them money as well as fulfilling their dreams.

Oh yea, she (Anne) is saying just that, Gracie. I don't get those people either.

You're saying the writers of the multiple Pulitzer Prize winning National Geographic don't know what they're talking about? Lol.

Tak porsto Could you quote a single person in the this thread that think the animal should be let free in the wild? Or is the idiot you?

@Lingon.... I agree, the animal is going to feel confined, and is going to be a risk to its surroundings and caretakers, and it is NOT impossible to arrange for an animal to go to a sanctuary (proper!) out of country. I can name two in the US with excellent reputations that have done so. A pity nobody really did the research. It's "cool" to have a "big cat" pet. (Right till it's lethal, of course.)

Taxi_cabs If you had learned to think, you would know not to straight of take someone's word for it. Just because they say there are no sanctuaries, doesn't mean that there aren't. And as an opposite to you, I'm actually trying to save this planet. How? With knowledge. And yes, death is better than torture, so those butterflies you ripped off their wings were hurting until they died.

Taxi_cabs How nice of you.

Lingon it's really weird what you equate with "torture." Is it ideal? No. But I doubt it's in pain. Cats sleep most of the day anyway, big or small.

@Taxi it is not good to wish such things to anyone! You are so wrong...even to stupid ones who "care" about that animal saying that Messi should be in the wild which it kills him almost immediately....it is bad for you at first place. I agree though that it's dangerous to have predators at home. Maybe not in this particular case though. Personally I would not dare and it is nice that someone did dare and saved this beautiful creature. And in general.... THERE SHOULD NOT BE ANY ANIMALS IN CIRCUSES!

M DR Lock up the definition of torture. And chickens eat most of the day, is it then okay to keep them in cages as long as they have food?

No, this is not a better alternative, this is animal abuse. An apartment/house can't give the animal room enough to move around and get exercise, it can't run, jump or do anything to prevent it from getting bored.

The best alternative is to place the injured animals in a accredited, reputable sanctuary.

Is this puma in a tiny cage? No. Does it have shelter? Yes. Your comparisons are weird and extremist.

@Ben Steinberg: A much smaller predator that is more unlikely to kill a human being. You're welcome.

House cats have been domesticated for nearly 10,000 years. You don't domesticate a species in just a few generations, let alone by taking in a wild animal. https://pets.thenest.com/long-dogs-cats-domesticated-8595.html

Taxi_cabs, go f--k yourself somewhere else. The sanctuary is always a possibility. You only read one side of the story, told by this couple which, according to their own words, always wanted a wild animal.