Rescue Mission: How A Couple's Love Transformed A Baby Puma's Life

August 4, 2024

Messi is a pet cougar owned by couple Alexandr and Mariya Dmitriev. The Dmitrievs live with Messi in a two-story house on a large plot of land in Penza, Russia.

baby puma messi
Messi / @I_am_puma

Messi was born in captivity and had never known the wild. His early life was spent in a small enclosure, where he was an attraction for zoo visitors. He is significantly smaller than other typical male cougars, and as the species is not native to Russia, he could not be released into the wild. He had numerous other health problems as well, which rendered him unable to live in a zoo or wildlife sanctuary either.

Furthermore, workers at the petting zoo originally planned to euthanize him.

That’s when Alexandr and Mariya took action. While visiting the zoo, they encountered Messi and instantly felt a deep connection, describing it as "love at first sight." Moved by his plight, they offered to give Messi a home, and the zoo agreed to their heartfelt request.

We were surprised ourselves when they agreed", Mariya recalled in an interview with Caters News.

@petsworld5052 This Puma rescue is one of the coolest thing you will see today on tiktok #catsoftiktok #cats ♬ Perfect - Ed Sheeran

Click Here For The Most Popular On Sunny Skyz

feel good videoFootball Player Asks Friend With Down Syndrome To Homecoming

feel good storiesWoman Wins Giant Plushie, Gifts It To Stranger On Train. His Reaction Is Pure Joy

feel good storiesRick Astley Reveals What He’s Most Proud Of – And It’s Not The Music

feel good storiesThe Quantum Tunnelers: How Three Scientists Made The Subatomic World Practical

feel good storiesWoman Is Late to Her Own Funeral After Hearse Keys Get Locked Inside

feel good storiesPeople Are Sharing Their Oddly Romantic Date Stories, And They’ll Make You Smile So Big

feel good videoDad's 'Llama Llama Red Pajama' Rap Wins The Internet

feel good videoDidn't Get The Life You Wanted? Woman’s Street Interview Is Inspiring The Internet

feel good videoOtter Attacks Surfer, Then Steals Her Surfboard

feel good videoWoman Leaving Gym Finds A Dog Staring At Her

feel good videoMan Compliments Elderly Strangers, Then Gives Them Flowers. Their Reactions Are So Wholesome

Chris Filippou 12:17 PM (3 minutes ago) to me