VIER PFOTEN

Love is love, and we’re here to celebrate it! 🏳️🌈    At FOUR PAWS, Pride Month was a chance to honour the LGBTQIA+ community, embrace diversity, and bring our global team together in meaningful, joyful ways. Here is how we spent our June: 🔍 We kicked things off with a Pride Scavenger Hunt!     Colleagues at our Headquarters in Vienna searched for hidden items representing different LGBTQIA+ identities, while teams across sanctuaries, country offices, and remote locations joined in with their own versions – in-person and online via our digital Pride Library. 🌈 🎨 Dress loud, proud, and colourful? Challenge accepted!     On June 26, we brought all the colour we could find to our Pride Dress Code Day! From HQ gatherings to local team celebrations, colleagues everywhere showed their true colours in support of the LGBTQIA+ community. 👗 📚 We also took time to learn, reflect, and grow.     All month, our internal PAWSnet Pride page featured articles on LGBTQIA+ rights and inclusion, along with recordings of powerful Inclusive Culture Club sessions with our former colleague and drag artist, Candy Licious, and New York Times bestselling author Eliot Schrefer. 💬   Pride Month reminded us of what truly matters. We’re proud to foster a culture where everyone feels safe, seen, and supported – all year round. And we're only just getting started. ❤️   #PrideMonth #LGBTQIA #PrideAtWork #InclusiveWorkplace #DEI

How wildlife trafficking put a €5,000 price tag on this bear cub’s life – and how he was saved 🚨🐻 In late March, a tiny bear cub was handed over to our sanctuary under unusual circumstances. According to the given information, Dori had been taken from the wild in Albania and was being offered for sale via social media for €5,000. 📱 He was brought to our sanctuary in Kosovo without any paperwork and not through the proper legal channels. The BEAR SANCTUARY Prishtina team reported the case to the local police and contacted both the Kosovan and Albanian authorities to find a way forward. 🚓 Meanwhile, the bear cub has been handled by our experienced caretakers who give him round-the-clock care and social contact he would typically get from his mother.  🍼 FOUR PAWS reached out to ARCTUROS in Greece, a centre for rehabilitation and release of brown bears. We hoped that the cub could be returned to the wild. Sadly, due to several factors, rehabilitation is no longer an option, and he must remain in human care.   As there are no suitable permanent captive care facilities in either Kosovo or Albania, BEAR SANCTUARY Prishtina has offered to provide him with a permanent home. 🏡 Given the name Dori, the male bear cub is known as a “small troublemaker”. He spends his days rolling around, enjoying his pool to stay cool, and is learning to climb! 🌳 Now, Dori has grown into a sturdy four-month-old of 22 kilos and his favourite food are boiled eggs, apples and carrots. 🥕 🚨 But while Dori’s story is heartwarming now, we must emphasise: if you suspect a wild animal, especially one that may be orphaned, needs help, always alert the relevant authorities and experts. Don't act on your own!  🧭 Learn more about BEAR SANCTUARY Prishtina: https://lnkd.in/dYdrzwNr   💌 Want to support the bears? Donate here: https://lnkd.in/d_TTiuDT  #BearSanctuary #Kosovo #BearRescue #ProtectWildAnimals #AnimalWelfare

🐾 As the trilogue negotiations begin, FOUR PAWS calls for ambition and unity for dogs and cats across the EU! The European Parliament took a vital step towards protecting the welfare of dogs and cats and ensuring full traceability across the EU. Now, as the trilogues begin, we urge the Parliament, Council, and Commission—to defend and strengthen this progress. 💡 Why regulation is essential: Without clear, EU-wide rules, unregulated breeding and illegal trade will keep thriving—fuelling cruelty, disease, and suffering. Dogs and cats deserve protection, care, and dignity. This Regulation can halt the operation of puppy mills, stop illegal breeders exploiting loopholes to act as private people and sell off the radar, and ensure that every animal can be traced back to a responsible source. 🚨 We must not lose momentum now. We call on negotiators to: ➡️ Defend mandatory identification and registration (I&R) of all dogs and cats to stop illegal trade and ensure traceability. ➡️ Uphold minimum welfare standards for breeders, which both Parliament and Council have already agreed are essential. ➡️ Support restrictions on pet shop and online sales to prevent irresponsible impulse buying and help end the cycle of suffering. ➡️ Finalise and adopt a strong, future-proof Regulation. This is THE opportunity to change the lives of millions of animals in the EU. Let’s finish what we started—with ambition, compassion, and commitment. 💬 The future of animal welfare in the EU is in your hands. Don’t let it slip European Parliament Salvatore De Meo Dario Nardella Michal Wiezik Tilly Metz Anja Hazekamp Manuela Ripa Veronika Vrecionová Council of the European Union Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU 2025 European Commission #FOURPAWS #AnimalWelfare #EUAnimals #ProtectPets #EndIllegalTrade

What happens when an injured puppy is left alone in the rain? 🌧️🐶 On a stormy night in Vietnam, a message came in: a tiny, soaked puppy had been spotted near the outskirts of Hoi An’s Old Town. Alone, frightened, and visibly injured, her fate hung in the balance. 🇻🇳 The woman who found her couldn’t keep her safe overnight. By morning, the puppy had vanished. But our partners at Vietnam Cat Welfare (VCW) didn’t give up. At first light, one of their volunteers searched the area, and against all odds, found her. 🍀 The puppy, given the name Layla, was terrified, in pain, and hesitant to trust. Something was clearly wrong. At the vet, the heartbreaking truth emerged: a spinal injury had left her paralyzed. 🩻 She would likely never walk again. But thanks to an incredible rescue network – Paws for Compassion, The International Clinic, and VCW – she was not left behind. Through medical care, compassion, and teamwork, Layla was given a second chance. She may never run again, but she will never be alone again. This is the power of community-led animal welfare. This is what hope looks like. 🌻 📸: © FOUR PAWS | ViePaws for Compassion #StrayAnimalCare #AnimalWelfare #Vietnam #RescueStory 

🚢 A big step forward for animal welfare: Stena Line halts calf exports from Ireland to France! 🎉   Following mounting pressure from multiple NGOs, including FOUR PAWS, Stena Line has announced that it will withdraw from the live export of animals between Rosslare, Ireland, and Cherbourg, France. Ireland has exported over 260,000 cattle already in 2025 alone, most of which were unweaned calves. 🐮   This outcome follows direct dialogue between our FOUR PAWS UK team and Stena Line’s leadership, as well as coordinated actions with our NGO partners. It’s a clear sign that sustained advocacy works and that animal welfare concerns are being heard at the highest levels. But our work isn’t done. ➡️ Brittany Ferries, which only recently re-entered the live export trade after a 30-year break, continues to ship vulnerable calves on journeys exceeding 19 hours – often without proper feeding, rest, or care. We urge Brittany Ferries to follow Stena Line’s lead and end their involvement in this trade. 📣 As our UK Campaigns Lead Simon Pope puts it:  "Stena's move now turns the heat on Brittany Ferries – it's another clear sign they've got this one wrong and need to act fast, save face, and show some compassion for the calves." 📩 Help us keep the pressure on. Email the CEO of Brittany Ferries and tell them to end the transport of calves now👉 https://lnkd.in/d8YWDJae #AnimalWelfare #LiveAnimalExport #CorporateResponsibility #AnimalRights #BrittanyFerries #StopTheTrucks

What’s the real cost of a tiger selfie? 🐅🤳 While in Thailand filming for our joint documentary DETHRONED with Terra Mater Studios and Four Corners Film & Photography, FOUR PAWS’ Head of Wild Animals in Trade, Vanessa Amoroso, witnessed the heartbreaking reality behind tiger tourism. 💔 From so-called “sanctuaries” to concrete cages, what she saw highlights the dark truth of an industry that thrives on suffering – all for human entertainment and social media content. 📖 Read her first-hand account below. #TigerTourism #AnimalWelfare #WildlifeExploitation #EthicalTourism  

Every year, TIERART Wild Animal Sanctuary in Germany takes in between 20 to 25 injured and orphaned fox cubs – each with a unique story. 🦊 Since 2012, more than 200 foxes have been successfully rehabilitated and released into remote forest areas where they are safe from hunting. 🍀 Releasing wild animals back into their natural habitat after months of care is always a special moment. However, not all foxes at the sanctuary can be safely released into the wild. 🌳    Foxes like Wukk, coming from illegal private keeping, or those like Mala from a fur farm, have found permanent home at the sanctuary.     The onsite team makes sure they get everything they need to live a carefree life, and in the company of other foxes with similar backgrounds.  🦝 Learn more about TIERART Wild Animal Sanctuary: https://lnkd.in/dMYetktJ #Fox #AnimalWelfare #AnimalSanctuary #WildlifeRehabilitation 

Providing care amid crisis: the story of Kosmos and Nyusha 🇺🇦🐾    In April, a missile strike on a residential building in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, claimed the life of a 69-year-old woman. By her side were her two companions – Kosmos the dog and Nyusha the cat – both injured in the blast.    Despite his own wounds, Kosmos refused to leave his owner's side until help arrived. Both animals were rescued and brought to the Charitable Clinic in Zaporizhzhia, a joint initiative by FOUR PAWS and UVMF, where they received urgent medical treatment.    🐈 Nyusha suffered contusions, soft tissue injuries, and was in shock.  🐶 Kosmos sustained more severe trauma: shrapnel wounds, damage to limbs and torso, and eye injuries.    Thanks to the dedication of the veterinary team, both animals are now in recovery. Their wounds are healing, and their spirits are being restored in the care of Iryna, a compassionate local woman who welcomed them into her home. ❤️🩹    In the midst of devastation, this story reminds us why animal welfare must never be overlooked, even in times of war.    📷: © FOUR PAWS | UVMF    #AnimalWelfare #Ukraine #AnimalRescue 

What would a pig's life look like if it could live according to its natural needs? 🐖🍃💗 Pigs like to sleep snuggled up together in their nest - in the morning they rise as a group and spend most of the day exploring their environment and looking for food 👀.   🐽 In contrast, distressed fattening pigs raised in intensive farming without straw or litter act out substitute behaviours such as rooting in the content of feeding troughs or rubbing their snouts in repetitive movements over the concrete or slatted floor💔.    Pigs enjoy a wide variety of foods. In the wild, they graze on grass, fruits, herbs, nuts, mushrooms, roots, and leaves. 🍎🌿   But in intensive systems, they’re typically fed twice a day with the same uniform feed—finished in just ten minutes. 🏭   Around midday, pigs like to rest for several hours or dedicate themselves to extensive bathing, wallowing and rolling around💤.   As evening approaches, pigs gather fresh nesting materials such as grass, leaves and thin twigs, to build their beds and settle in for the night comfortably💗🐖.   These natural behaviours are unfortunately strongly or completely suppressed in intensive animal farming 🏭❌.   Read more here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/duYeEePV #AnimalWelfare #Pigs #FactoryFarming 

Big cats are wild animals – not entertainers, not pets, not photo props. Yet the global captive big cat industry continues to put both animals and people at risk. 🦁🐯    Here are just a few examples of public safety incidents from circuses and private keeping, in recent years. Since 1990, there have been:  🐅 974 big cat incidents worldwide    💔 146 human deaths    🩹 478 people mauled    ❌ Hundreds of big cats killed   These aren’t accidents, they’re consequences. Big cats may live behind fences, but they remain unpredictable predators. Captivity doesn't erase instinct. It only increases the risk.   ⚠️ Protect people. Protect big cats.   It’s time to end the captive big cat industry for good. #BreakTheViciousCycle #AnimalWelfare #ProtectWildAnimals #BigCats