Four Paws is the global animal welfare organization for animals, under direct human influence, which reveals suffering, rescues animals in need and protects them. Our vision is a world where humans treat animals with respect, empathy, and understanding.

Current Campaigns

Become part of our movement to end animal suffering.

End captive breeding in South Africa

South Africa is intensively breeding tigers and lions for commercial trade in live animals and their body parts. There is also a significant commercial trade in leopard parts through hunting trophies and trade in live jaguars and their parts from captive sources. The trade is primarily in Asian countries where there is a strong demand for big cat parts to be used as luxury items or for traditional medicines. Countries such as China, Vietnam, and Thailand are known hotspots for big cat farming and illegal trade, and a significant proportion of live animals and/or their parts that are bred in South Africa are traded to these countries. The lack of adequate and effective regulations for the keeping and breeding of all big cats in South Africa, and the existence of a legal lion bone trade, has allowed a partially regulated legal industry to flourish whilst also acting as a conduit for illegal trade.

There are hundreds of private facilities in South Africa that actively breed four of the big cat species (lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar) and in some cases hybrids of these species (or cross breeds) for commercial purposes. A network of breeders has emerged, creating a multi-million dollar industry where big cats and their parts are exported in vast numbers. The lack of effective controls on record-keeping and regulation and the level of overt breeding and commercial trade, has made it an impossible task to estimate the numbers.

The length of time that the big cat industry in South Africa has been allowed to grow without adequate and effective regulation has also meant illegal networks have been established and been allowed to sophisticate to the point where breeders, taxidermists, agents, slaughterhouses, and foreign buyers – to name a few – are all active in exporting live animals, big cat parts and derivatives from South Africa to known hotspots where demand for big cat parts is prevalent.

End the Dog and Cat Meat Trade
Every year, millions of dogs and cats are mercilessly killed for the dog and cat meat trade in Southeast Asia. This includes both stray animals and family pets who are often stolen from their gardens, homes, or snatched while wandering outside. They are often killed using brutal methods such as drowning, beating, stabbing, or even burnt alive. Our team is dedicated to ending this brutal trade. We work closely with governments and local charity partners to help animals in need so that we can end the trade for good.

In light of the COVID-19 global pandemic, governments can no longer remain inactive when the links between the trade in animals and risks to human health are so obvious. Many practices in the dog and cat meat trade facilitate the emergence and spread of viruses, which can impact both animals and people.

Ban the Ruthless Commercial Trade with Captive Tigers

The commercial trade with captive tigers is legal and out of control throughout the EU. Whether performing in circus shows, bought as pets, or killed and turned into traditional medicine, a lack of regulation in Europe is putting an almost extinct species at great risk.  We’re fighting to change that. Help us ban the #RuthlessTrade.

Four Paws South Africa has carried out some of the most amazing rescues

Rescue Shevar and Sharukh

Days before a lockdown was announced in South Africa, FOUR PAWS was able to give a home to two tigers and three jackals at our project, LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary & Lodge. Together with multiple other organizations, a total of 150 animals have found species-appropriate homes across the country after the Bloemfontein Zoo closed down.  FOUR PAWS recently arrived at a closed-down zoo for emergency rescue, and we can now confirm that all of the animals are out of the zoo and in good, ethical homes. Two tiger brothers and three jackals have headed to their new home at LIONSROCK after being rescued from the Bloemfontein Zoo.

The zoo temporarily closed down in December 2019 and failed to keep their promise to continue feeding and taking care of the animals. When it became known that five animals had died from starvation, FOUR PAWS organised an emergency intervention.

Motan and Pisa from Gaza Make Notable Improvements

Motan and Pisa arrived at LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary in April 2019. The two lions were transferred out of the Gaza Strip in what was FOUR PAWS biggest emergency mission to date. When arriving at LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary, it was evident that they had only been kept in tiny concrete cages as they didn’t know how to react to the sensation of grass under their feet.  Both Motan and Pisa are healthy, have adapted well to their new environment, and are warming up to their new caretakers. Pisa had been used for breeding by her previous owner, and she has now been spayed. We’re happy to say that she’s in good health and flourishing.

We can already see major improvements since their arrival: and both have picked up some much need weight.

Contribute to a better world for animals!

Here at FOUR PAWS, we rely on donations from kind supporters such as yourself in order to fund our projects focused on animal rescue and welfare.

We have various projects and campaigns such as:

• FOUR PAWS Sanctuaries and support for local shelters that accommodate and pro-actively take care of rescued animals.
• Emergency Disaster Relief campaigns, such as our recent campaign for the lions in Sudan.
• Campaigns for animal rights & welfare issues, such as our campaign against the Dog and Cat Meat Trade Industry in Southeast Asia and our campaign for the bile bears in Vietnam.
• Castration & Vaccination programs for stray animals.
• FOUR PAWS in South Africa https://www.four-paws.org.za/

Please donate and help this amazing organisation.