Leo was born April 14, 1973, in Knoxville, Tennessee. On July 22 of that year, University President Dr. Robert Guillot acquired Leo and brought him to UNA. Leo lived in the Guillot’s garage until the first habitat was completed on campus. After his arrival, Leo grew quickly from a shy 35-pound cub to nearly 500 pounds as an adult under the care of Dr. Phil Davis, his veterinarian. Leo’s first real birthday party took place when he was two years old, and he enjoyed the attention he received that day. The party included two cakes made by Mrs. Guillot, a lion shaped cake for guests and a special meat cake for Leo.

Una and Leo III were born November 18, 2002, at a wildlife refuge in New Hampshire. They flew to UNA when they were just six weeks old in a Learjet donated by a UNA supporter. They weighed nine and 10 pounds, respectively, when they got here. In 2012, Leo III and Una were ranked No. 1 of the 25 Best Real Animal Mascots in College Football by totalprosports.com. UNA was the only non-Division I institution to make the list, joining the company of competitive NCAA teams such as the Baylor Bears, LSU Tigers, and Texas Longhorns. Today, Leo III weighed 500 pounds before he passed away in the spring of 2024. Una weighed approximately 300 pounds before she passed away in the summer of 2020. Local veterinarians Dr. Randall Smith, Dr. Matt Connolly, Dr. Bill Connolly and Dr. Brandon Fisher are providing the finest medical care as a charitable contribution.

In 2002, Dr. Dan Howard and his wife Annemarie Howard brought two lion cubs, Leo III Una, back to the Shoals from their birthplace in New Hampshire. The couple kept the cubs at their home through the duration of the construction of the George H. Carroll Lion Habitat, which was large enough to accommodate two growing lions. Throughout the time spent with the Howards, the lion cubs formed a bond with Anne and Dan, the couple often taking turns bottle-feeding little Leo III and Una.

 Pretty soon, it was time for the lions to move into the habitat, and the Howards were most always there, preparing their meals, providing treats, and watching them grow into majestic creatures. Dan and Anne worked closely with local veterinarians, Dr. Matt Connolly and Dr. Brandon Fisher, to provide ongoing care throughout the lives of Leo III and Una. In June of 2020, Una passed away after veterinarians found an inoperable tumor.

 Dr. Dan Howard passed away in January of 2022, and Anne continued the tradition of spending her days with Leo III and working with a group of individuals internally at UNA as well as externally to ensure Leo III would continue to receive the best care. Mrs. Anne passed away suddenly in January of 2024, and her legacy continues on in the thousands of lives touched through her thoughtful care.