Samson's Story

In May 2025, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge (TCWR) responded to a critical rescue after a California facility lost its permit to house its animals due to repeated animal welfare violations. Partnering with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, TCWR rescued and relocated eight wild animals—including Samson—to lifelong sanctuary.

Samson is a lion whose resilience is truly inspiring. He lives with deformities caused by past Metabolic Bone Disease, likely from malnutrition during early development. His front legs are misshapen, and he spreads his back legs for balance. Despite muscle atrophy and being somewhat underweight, Samson is showing improvement with medication, a soft grass substrate, and dedicated care.

He arrived with roundworms, which we treated immediately. During sedation, he underwent an initial veterinary examination, which included microchipping. Additionally, we discovered a missing claw and trimmed his long, overgrown claws to prevent further injury.

Samson is alert, social, and affectionate—often rising to greet his caregivers and rub on the fence. This may be his first time feeling the grass under his paws after years on concrete or dirt.