When Vicky Keahey first saw Aasha, she knew something was seriously wrong.
The Bengal tiger was only nine months old but weighed just 30 pounds—roughly the weight a tiger can reach at around three months. She had been rescued from a traveling circus in March 2011 after being forced to share a cage with a much larger tiger that reportedly bit her.
Aasha’s condition was heartbreaking. Bald patches covered much of her body, while her skin was dry, cracked and bleeding in places. Keahey quickly realized the young tiger was suffering from ringworm and desperately needed proper care.
She brought Aasha to In-Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue and Educational Center in Texas, where the frightened cub was placed in a separate enclosure.
Keahey visited her twice every day, giving her medication and spending time with her so she could slowly become comfortable around people. Aasha also needed daily medicated baths—something she was far from happy about.
The little tiger often tried to escape when bath time arrived, but Keahey knew the treatment was essential.
“I knew I was going to have to handle her in order to get her well,” she explained.
Slowly, the care began to make a difference.
The sick, frightened cub who had arrived in terrible condition would eventually become a completely different animal—strong, confident and independent.
Aasha’s transformation was proof of what patience, medical care and compassion could do for an animal who had been denied all three.