Mariya and Aleksandr Dmitriev is a Russian couple that owns a quite unique pet animal, a 90 lb puma named Messi. They met Messi for the very first time at the Saransk Zoo, Penza, and decided to raise the then 8 -month old. Messi, along with his brothers Neymar and Suarez, were the three jaguars born at the Saransk Zoo. That year, four of the World Cup matches were facilitated by the Russian city. Therefore, in order to commend this, the trio was named after popular sportsmen. Messi, who experienced medical issues at a young age, was received by the Saransk Zoo when it was just 3 months old.
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The Dmitriev’s were stunned by the creature and inquired if they can have him. Mariya revealed that owning a big cat has always been her husband’s dream, although he never expected it to be a puma. After thinking hard about if it’s moral to raise such an exotic animal as a pet and if it made sense, they finally gave in to their wish. So, they went to the zoo, negotiated their purchase, and were surprised themselves when the zoo officials agreed.
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Being responsible for Messi was a huge challenge for the couple. Apart from being a wild animal, Messi was physically weak and demanded lots of attention. In the present, Messi is a healthy puma as the couple has given him all the necessary medical treatment and care. However, his size is still only two-thirds of an average puma. Similar to dogs, Messi needs to exercise regularly to keep being healthy. Therefore, his human parents bought a special harness and a coat to take him on walks. Training Messi was a really difficult task, but now, thanks to the dog training school he attended, he responds to around 10 commands.
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The couple lives in a one-bedroom apartment. However, they have done everything they can to make Messi comfortable. For instance, their hallway is now Messi’s den. There’s even a tree, bamboo walls, and a hiding hole there.
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You may think that wildlife and environmental activists may object to Messi’s domestic life, or find it life-threatening to his owners. However, the Dmitriev’s believe that Messi will be unable to survive in the wild as he has never lived alone. So, what are your thoughts about this wholesome story? Check out the pics above and share your thoughts with us in the comments!
Image credits: – i_am_puma / Instagram, YouTube
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