Police officer cuddles a lion cub on the best call of his career

Dave loves his job as an Ontario Provincial Police officer. Every day provides an opportunity to help his community and make a difference in the lives of others. And most days it's a lot of fun too. Working in a smaller community, it's a very relaxed pace and his service's relationship with the public has always been good. This career also provides an opportunity to meet wonderful and interesting people. Some days, it can even be an opportunity to meet interesting animals.

Known for being an extreme animal lover, Dave received a call one day that was one of the most unusual and thrilling calls ever. A local resident was fostering a lion cub and the adorable cat would be living at her house for a few weeks while it received some special care. Dave was invited to meet the cub, which was a chance he could not resist.

When his shift was over, Dave made his way back to the station, taking a detour to attend the residence with this unusual house guest. He could not have been more thrilled as he was handed a very snuggly lion cub that was roughly 8 weeks old.

Aslan, the lion was a little ball of the softest fur imaginable. He looked and felt more like a stuffed toy than a real animal. He was deceptively muscular and solid, weighing more than it would appear, but he was all purrs and affection as Dave sat on the stairs and gave him all the attention he wanted.

Aslan laid down his head on Dave's arm and went right to sleep, purring happily. The smile on Dave's face shows exactly how fun all of this was. Aslan eventually woke up again and got down on the floor where he settled in for a second nap. Dave petted his head as Aslan drifted off again. Touching a lion cub is an unforgettable experience and seeing that the cub enjoyed this as well made it all the more fun.

But the story doesn't end there. Dave later told one of his personal heroes, Jim, a 92 year old World War II veteran about this experience. Jim, an animal lover himself, listened in wonder and his eyes lit up. He said he would also love an opportunity to some day meet a lion.

In a touching show of generosity, the facility that owned this cub heard about Jim's dream and they invited Jim to have an experience with their animals. Treated as an honoured guest, Jim spent more than an hour cuddling with lions and tigers. Touched and overwhelmed, Jim left the facility, promising that it was a day he would never forget. True to his word, Jim spoke of that day in his final moments as he passed away peacefully several months later. It had been one of the most wonderful experiences that Jim had ever had. Dave's own experience with the lion cub was one of his best as well, although watching Jim and the lions was more wonderful by a long shot.

This day with Aslan, and the second day with Jim, having his dream come true, were both days that Dave will never forget.