Born in captivity at Razgrad Zoo in Bulgaria, lion Ivan-Asen was sold, then rejected by another facility when his health declined. Returning to Razgrad, there was no enclosure left for him, and “home” became a 10-square-foot cage with no ventilation, stimulation, or natural light. That is until the international animal welfare group, Four Paws, staged an urgent intervention in November 2017, saving, treating, and ultimately providing sanctuary for the 3-year-old lion. Three years on, Ivan is now unrecognizable and a happy lion, Four Paws said in a statement. According to the statement, the Razgrad Zoo opened in 1960 but its breeding license expired in 2014 and has since been “financed by the unprofessional breeding and sale of lions.” “When we found him, he was more close to dead than alive,” Four Paws staff said in a video documenting the rescue. Ivan-Asen suffered from severe joint and digestive issues, weak kidneys, neurological problems, …