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.

Actress Frederique Bel attends the Opening ceremony and the “Grace of Monaco” Premiere during the 67th Annual Cannes Film Festival on May 14, 2014 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Actress/Singer Victoria Justice arrives at the 2012 Teen Choice Awards at Gibson Amphitheatre on July 22, 2012 in Universal City, California. (Photo by Jeffrey Mayer)

Actress Nora Arnezeder arrives at NBC Universal's 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards After Party at The Beverly Hilton hotel on January 15, 2012 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Actress Kristen Schaal attends the 21st Annual Critics' Choice Awards at Barker Hangar on January 17, 2016 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for The Critics' Choice Awards)

An actress dressed as Wonder Woman walks between visitors during the season inauguration of the Madrid Warner amusement park in San Martin de Valdeiglesias, near Madrid, Spain, March 18, 2016. (Photo by Andrea Comas/Reuters)

José Pereira de Souza plays an accordion as actress and model Tatiana Melo gives a television interview in Feira Nordestina outside of the Olympic periphery on Wednesday, August 17, 2016. (Photo by Aaron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

Italian actress Sophia Loren and US actor Marlon Brando at a cinema in Rome on November 11, 1954, where Brando received the Francesco Pasinetti Prize for his performance in the film “On The Waterfront”. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)