Alpine sanctuary announces passing of white lion “Louie”

“Louie,” a white lion who was rescued from the entertainment industry in 2017, has died after spending eight years in an East County sanctuary, Lions Tigers & Bears announced Wednesday.

He was 20 years old.

Lufuno, nicknamed “Louie,” was given sanctuary alongside two female lions after enduring a lifetime of forced performance for television, film and live entertainment.

Their former trainer relinquished the lions to Lions Tigers & Bears. The Alpine nonprofit sanctuary, which is San Diego County’s only accredited facility to rescue large exotic cats, subsequently attained a legal commitment from his former trainer assuring he would never acquire or train big cats again.

As years passed, sanctuary employees and volunteers watched him “reclaim his wild spirit,” Lions Tigers & Bears Founder and Director Bobbi Brink said.

Louie suffered from a variety of age-related health issues, including chronic arthritis, extreme back pain and increased immobility, the organization said. After consulting with multiple veterinarians, facility staff made the choice to humanely euthanize him early Wednesday morning.

“This decision is heartbreaking, but it is the most compassionate choice for him now,” Brink said in a written statement. “Louie is more than just one lion. He represents all animals used and discarded by the entertainment industry. His legacy lives on in every animal we rescue and in every effort we make to protect them.”