![\"Julie](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1_LC_240925dentist_00.jpg\")
Julie and first cub she helped<\/p>\nA Gloucester dental therapist spends up to three trips a year in South Africa treating rescued lions and other wildlife \u2014 helping them recover and return to the wildJulie and first cub she helped<\/p>\n
A dental therapist from Gloucestershire has swapped human smiles for lion snarls, flying to South Africa up to three times a year to care for rescued big cats before they’re released into the wild.<\/p>\n
Julie Simpkins, who works at mydentist in Eastgate Street, Gloucester<\/a>, has helped perform dental treatments on lions, hippos, elephants and wild dogs since her first visit to South Africa in 2002.<\/p>\n \u201cI have always loved animals,\u201d said Julie.<\/p>\n \u201cI still remember the first lion cub I ever treated. It didn\u2019t even have a name!<\/p>\n “Now, I have given medical treatments to more lions than I can count.\u201d<\/p>\n The work she volunteers for is critical to ensuring injured or orphaned lions are eventually reintroduced to their natural habitat.<\/p>\n \u201cThe lions that are rescued are reared until they are about twelve to eighteen months old,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n \u201cThey are then moved to a protected reserve with no human interaction, where they are left to hunt and be self-sufficient before being released back into the wild.\u201d<\/p>\n Sometimes lions are fitted with tracking collars to monitor their progress and ensure they avoid populated areas.<\/p>\n Julie began her career as a trainee veterinary nurse after school but now splits her time between treating humans and animals.<\/p>\n \u201cThey can be trickier patients than humans,\u201d she joked, \u201cbut the reward I get from seeing them pain-free and able to return to the wild is just as big as the reward I get from helping my human patients.\u201d<\/p>\n Her passion for animal care has even inspired her children, who have joined her in raising lion cubs during past trips.<\/p>\n \u201cThe cubs start to eat meat at around four to six weeks,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen they are small, they\u2019re cute, all playful and sweet with sharp, needle-like teeth. They like to hang off your trouser legs and pounce, so you must watch they don\u2019t pull them down!\u201d<\/p>\n Julie said her UK patients often ask about her animal work. \u201cThey love hearing about my travels.<\/p>\n “My regular patients always ask for updates on the animals\u2019 progress and want to see photos when I\u2019m back in the practice.\u201d<\/p>\n She is expected to return to South Africa in January 2026.<\/p>\n Join Gloucestershire Live\u2019s WhatsApp community for top stories and breaking news sent directly to your phone<\/strong><\/p>\n Gloucestershire Live<\/a> is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join our community.<\/p>\n Through the app, we\u2019ll send the latest breaking news, top stories, exclusives and much more straight to your phone.<\/p>\n To join our community you need to already have WhatsApp. All you need to do is click this link and select \u2018Join Community\u2019.<\/a><\/p>\n No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Gloucestershire Live<\/a> team.<\/p>\n We also treat community members to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. If you don\u2019t like our community, you can check out at any time you like.<\/p>\n To leave our community, click on the name at the top of your screen and choose \u2018Exit group\u2019.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Julie](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0_LC_240925dentist_02JPG.jpg\")
Julie the human and animal dentist<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0_LC_240925dentist_03.jpg\")
A hippo in the water<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0_WhatsApp-Phone.jpg\")
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