MINOT, N.D. (KXNET) — Any person who works with animals knows that death is just another part of life.

According to a news release, animals always have a way of finding a special place in our hearts, especially those who interact with them.

Bodie that bobcat has been a member of the zoo since November 2008, and he came here from the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, TX.

Bodie used to be someone’s pet until he escaped and was brought to the zoo after being caught by South Padre Island Animal Control. His owner was able to pick him up, but then he escaped again. He was then brought to a new owner.

The new owner donated him to the Gladys Porter Zoo. After he was examined by staff, it was found that his canine teeth had been filed down and his front feet were declawed.

After coming to Minot, he was introduced to Abby, a female bobcat that arrived four months before from the Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg.

The introductions did not go well, but they eventually accepted each other. Apparently, he was still very playful when she just wasn’t interested.

Bodie stayed with Abby until her death in 2014. And then a new female, Juniper, was brought in from the Cape May Zoo in Asheboro, MA in 2015, but Bodie only had three years with her.

Since Juniper passed, Bodie has been the only animal in his enclosure located between the bison and Bactrian exhibits.

As the only animal in the enclosure, workers tried hard to fill the gap that was left by his former companions.

The new attention created new relationships between him and the staff. The time was spent training or providing enrichment helped him to get used to the new situation of living by himself.

Bodie would like to challenge new keepers to be their best when training with him as if he understood that they were learning and he wanted to push them to be better.

His passing is a loss for the staff and guests.

Bodie is estimated to be born in October of 2005, making him a little over 17 years old. Most bobcats live to be about 18 years old when living under human care, while bobcats in the wild typically live anywhere between five and 15 years.

He had to be euthanized by the zoo due to cancer that was eating away at his jawbone, which made it hard for him to eat. The deterioration had reached a point where staff believed that further accommodations were only going to postpone the inevitable. An exam was done that showed that his jaw was even more deteriorated than anyone had thought.

Bodie is believed to be a victim of either a misguided good Samaritan or someone who thought it would be cool to have a pet bobcat. The filing of his teeth and the declawing of his front feet made him an animal that would never be returned to the wild and was questioned if he could be with other cats because he couldn’t defend himself.

Wild or exotic animals should never be kept as pets as it’s a disservice to them and often end up in bad situations.

Many animals like Bodi eventually end up in zoos that are equipped to work with them and provide the care they need to live out their lives

The bobcat enclosure is now going to be renovated when the weather gets warm enough to be able to get in there and work. The staff is discussing any changes that need to be made and what animal species could thrive there.

Bodie is going to be greatly missed, but he taught many lessons while he lived at the Roosevelt Park Zoo.