As an animal charity, or more accurately, an international animal welfare organisation, we are committed to being the global animal welfare organisation for animals under direct human influence, which reveals suffering, rescues animals in need and protects them. In fact, we promise it.

We are constantly and consistently humbled by the support of the FOUR PAWS community, always showing themselves to be empathetic and reliable in the face of animal suffering, and proving themselves to be absolute keystones in our mission successes and celebrations. It is this support that is essential to us as an animal charity.

As an international animal charity, we pride ourselves on operating on a range of different channels that help us to maximise the positive impact we have on animals across the globe. Below, you’ll see how we bring focus to our promise, to ensure we keep it:

A companion animal is one that offers us companionship, more commonly referred to as a pet. The sad reality is that not all companion animals get to live out their loves in a loving home. As an animal charity, we’re working to change this. To do this, we work to ensure that stray animals in many countries around the world are given the best chance at a happy life.

To do this, our work includes neutering programs, fighting against the dog and cat meat trade, exposing and combatting the illegal puppy trade, promoting responsible pet ownership, and more. Find out more on our our page.

Sometimes, the biggest changes come with a shift of perspective. As an animal charity, we’re working to show farm animals as the living, sentient beings that they are, capable of personalities and suffering. In the world as it is, they are seen simply as a commodity.

To do this, we inspire our community to try plant-based alternatives, rally the call to end factory farming, and partner with farm animal sanctuaries to show a different side to farm animals. You can find out more on our page.

Our promise as an animal charity doesn’t just apply here at home, it’s flows throughout our international reach. This is because, across the world, millions of wild animals are suffering at the hands of humans. Whether they are being exploited through the tourism industry, or for their skins and body parts, the cruelty is immeasurable.

Our role, and promise, as an animal charity is to ensure that wild animals stay wild and free, free from human exploitation and free from the suffering caused by human intervention. To ensure this becomes a reality, currently campaigning to end the wildlife trade, and have launched Travel Kind, which aids to offer guidelines on how to travel in a cruelty-free manner.

The promise that we put forward as an animal charity isn’t something that is on auto-pilot, we carry it into our responsive work too. We are proud to be an organisation that carries out emergency missions for animals in crisis.

Thanks to our supporters, we have been able to achieve a range of successes as an animal charity. This includes rescuing sheep in a capsized ship off the coast of Romania, rescuing starving lions in a Sudanese zoo, and more recently, giving Kaavan, the world’s loneliest elephant, a chance at a happier and companion filled life.

Not only does our promise as an active animal charity include pursuing a world for better animals, it also includes giving them one. Our diverse range of sanctuaries allow us to do this. Find out more about some of them below:

BEAR SANCTUARY Mueritz: The biggest bear sanctuary in Western Europe

BEAR SANCTUARY Mueritz has been managed by FOUR PAWS since 2006, and currently operates as a happy home for 15 brown bears that were rescued from captivity. Thanks to our animal charity supporters, they now spend their days in a natural forest environment on the beautiful 16-hectare site. We are keeping our promise so they can live free from abuse and enjoy a second chance at happiness.

BEAR SANCTUARY Arbesbach: An animal-friendly home for abused bears since 1998

BEAR SANCTUARY Arbesbach was extended in 2009, and now proudly offers a near-natural territory for bears that were former circus bears, or owned privately and kept in unsuitable conditions. Due to animal charity supporters, this animal-friendly home operates on a total area of 14,000 square metres and houses 6 bears.

Big Cat Sanctuary LIONSROCK: Species appropriate home for more than 100 animals, mainly big cats in South Africa

LIONSROCK was previously an existing park that is now a haven for rescued big cats, serving as a beautiful tribute to the potential of change. This site is appropriately named after a prominent rock in the centre of the area known as “Lionsrock”. The sanctuary currently homes more than 100 animals, mainly big cats that have been rescued from zoos, private captivity, or the industry. Their new lives are a testimony to animal charity supporters and their role in us keeping our promise.

Big Cat Centre FELIDA: Our FOUR PAWS rescue centre for big cats in the Netherlands

For rescued big cats, we also have FELIDA. This sanctuary provides a species-appropriate home for big cats, such as tigers and lions (as of writing, one tiger and five lions). Much like the rest of our rescued animals, they have a diverse and rich selection of backgrounds, all of which are unified in their suffering. This includes private keeping, circuses and war-torn zoos. Just because they had a difficult start in life. Thanks to animal charity supporters, the rest of their lives will be very different.

Our sanctuaries are a testimony to our promise to make a real difference in the lives of the animals we rescue, and animal charity supporters are the ones who help us to keep it going. This list is far from exhaustive, and you can find out about the rest of our sanctuaries here. You can also find out more on the animals that now live in them through our rescues page. We’re sure you’ll be able to find your favourite, as well as get lost in their interesting backgrounds!

If you’re interested in donating to an animal charity, such as FOUR PAWS, you can do so through our donation form. This is a quick, easy, and simple way for you to donate on a one-time or monthly basis. Whichever suits you best, and whatever you can give, it all helps.

Alternatively, you can get in touch with us via our online contact form, or by giving us a call on 020 7922 7954. A member of our supporter care team will be more than happy to discuss your donation options with you.