Me and My Lions

The film Me and My Lions by RT Documentary tells the amazing story of a Russian man who sold his Moscow apartment to save 10 lions from being euthanised. To do this, Aleksey relocated to South Africa and is now working two jobs to support his pets.

Aleksey leased an enclosure for his lions on a farm. The rent is a lot; he spends 70% of his income so that his lions have a home. It's common practice for South African farmers to keep wild animals to guard the property.

Keeping lions as pets has been Aleksey's dream, but when it seemed to have finally come true, he was confronted with a new challenge.

In South Africa, there is a popular pastime called ‘canned hunting’. But what passes for hunting is, in reality, an execution. The lions are trapped in an enclosed space. They have nowhere to run, so sooner or later, all of them end up as trophies without much chase involved.

In a noble attempt to stop this cruel hobby, the country's authorities have drafted a law that would completely ban any farms and reserves with lions, no matter the purpose for which they were originally built. And before closing, all adult lions will be put down. With his American colleague Claudia and a group of like-minded enthusiasts, Aleksey has opened One Cat Foundation – a body to protect lions in South Africa. There are about 10,000 lions at risk, but Aleksey's foundation hopes to save at least fifty. How will this rescue mission go? Do the lions have a chance to survive this law?

Watch "Me and My Lions" on RTD website and on RT's live feed. The time of the broadcast is available on RT's schedule page.