In the 1970′s, actress and model Tippi Hedren (mother of actress Melanie Griffith) created the Shambala Preserve after producing the film Roar. The preserve rescued exotic big cats living in captivity that had been abused or were in need of help, one of which the family created a close bond with. Neil the lion lived with the family in their home, and played an active role in the day to day activities of the preserve.

Children watch and react as a T-Rex moves and growls in an inter-active display at Field Station Dinosaurs in Secaucus, N.J on May 25, 2012. There will be 31 types of life-sized dinosaurs displayed at the Jurassic expedition that opens Saturday, May 26. (Photo by Mel Evans/Associated Press)

“The Net thrower”. The fisherman are conducting activities on Situgunung Lake. Photo location: Situgunung lake, Sukabumi, West Java, Indonesia. (Photo and caption by Dody Kusuma/National Geographic Photo Contest)

Law enforcement officers stand, with some turning their backs, as New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks on a monitor outside the funeral for NYPD officer Wenjian Liu in the Brooklyn borough of New York January 4, 2015. Tens of thousands of law enforcement officers from across the country gathered on Sunday for the funeral of the second of two New York City policemen killed last month in an ambush that galvanized critics of Mayor de Blasio. (Photo by Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

Air conditioners, more than 500 in total, hang on the wall of an office building on August 15, 2011 in Fuzhou, Fujiang Province of China. This 25-story office building was built with no central air conditioner system, each office has it own individual unit installed on the exterior creating this wall of air conditioners. (Photo by ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images)

Two women look at the Cumbre Vieja volcanic eruption from the distance in Los Llanos de Ariadne in La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain, late 05 October 2021 (issued 06 October 2021). The main cone of the La Palma volcano suffered a partial collapse of its structure 03 October, while effusive activity has increased after 15 days of its beginning. According to experts the volcano is far from ending its volcanic activity. (Photo by Miguel Calero/EPA/EFE)

A villager pours pesticide from a bucket as Mount Sinabung spews ash at Kebayaken village in Karo district, Indonesia's North Sumatra province, on December 4, 2013. The country has ordered the evacuation of 15,000 residents near the active volcano. (Photo by Roni Bintang/Reuters)

Two horses fight during a Xinhe Festival in Peixiu Village of Antai Township in Rongshui Miao Autonomous County on July 11, 2016 in Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China. Xinhe Festival is one of the most popular traditional festivals in Rongshui with various entertainment activities. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)