In dealing with the four-legged members of their family, the Laceys do whatever they can to make them comfortable. The lions travel and live in air-conditioned wagons, and whether on the road or in their winter quarters, the Lacey lions always have a lot of outdoor space. Wherever they are, the lions have their personal interior designers with them: Alexander and Martin Lacey. From the special soft sawdust on the floors, to branches and scratching posts, to boards to lie on for sunbathing and watching the world go by, the lions get everything a lion could wish for. For the playful among them, there are even balls which will withstand the lions' teeth. When it gets really hot in summer, the lions can always lie in the shade or – a special favourite with lions because they love water – pop into their special pools for a cooling bath. In the wild, a lion’s life expectancy is not long . They rarely survive beyond eight or nine years. However, their life with the Laceys is usually more than double that time, giving them the chance to grow old very gracefully. But even these well-cared-for lions suffer the natural effects of aging. Their teeth can deteriorate, their digestive tracts become more sensitive, and with age comes the need for a little more warmth and a bit more rest. So the Lacey lions are granted a special and peaceful retirement. But lions are highly social animals so, even though they no longer work in the show, they remain with their families in the surroundings to which they are accustomed. They travel with the group, but in the luxury of their own space in the wagon and with an enclosure of their own, where they get special food and exercise to keep them fit. Perhaps most importantly, they get some peace from the boisterous younger members of their family.