What to Look for in an Animal Charity
A lot of us are familiar with the idea of an animal charity, but, do you know what to look for to ensure they are actually working to make the world a better place for animals?
Here at FOUR PAWS, we can certainly be defined as an animal charity. However, we are more accurately an international animal welfare organisation.
As a non-governmental organisation (NGO), we operate at a not-for-profit level independently from the Government. Essentially, this means that we don’t rely on Government funding to carry out our work. This is why we are so grateful for the supporters who help to make our visions a reality, and why we want to use their donations as effectively as possible.
What to Look for in an Animal Charity: Our Main Focuses
When you’re analysing an animal charity, it’s understandable that you’re going to want to know where they values and focuses are. As an international animal charity, we operate on many different channels to maximise the impact we have. This way, we can help as many animals as possible in as many places as possible. Find out more on our main areas, below:
Companion Animals as an Animal Charity
Companion animals, more commonly known as pets, includes everything from dogs and cats through to smaller animals, like guinea pigs. Although these animals offer us companionship, it’s a sad reality that no all are able to live out their lives in a loving home. As an animal charity, we work to ensure that stray animals in many countries around the world can have a chance at a happy life and a happy home.
As an animal charity, you can expect from us: 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 page.
Farm Animals as an Animal Charity
Another thing that can expect from us as an animal charity, is our vision to change how we perceive farm animals. We understand that farm animals are much more than the commodities that they are farmed for. In fact, they are living, sentient beings that have personalities and are capable of
As an animal charity, 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.
Wild Animals as an Animal Charity
One of our main focuses as an animal charity is to ensure that wild animals stay wild and free. To ensure they can live a life free from human exploitation and free from the suffering caused by human intervention. As an animal charity, you can expect us to be campaigning to end the wildlife trade. You can also view our initiative Travel Kind, which aids to offer guidelines on how to travel in a cruelty-free manner.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.
Animal Charity Emergency Missions
Another thing that you can expect from us as an animal charity, is for us to have our boots on the ground when it comes to rescuing animals and attending to them during crisis situations. This approach has seen our team carry out missions across the globe, all made possible by our fantastic supporters.
As an animal charity, you can expect to see rescues such as 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 a happier and companion filled life.
What to Expect from an Animal Charity: After Rescue Care
As an animal charity, not only can you expect us to be active in our rescue of animals, you can also expect us to be active in their wellbeing. Thanks to our supporters, we are able to offer animals a home all over the world in our diverse range of sanctuaries.
Find out more about some of them below:
BEAR SANCTUARY Mueritz: The biggest bear sanctuary in Western Europe
BEAR SANCTUARY has been managed by FOUR PAWS since 2006, and currently operates as a happy home for 15 brown bears that were rescued from captivity. As an animal charity, you can expect us to be offering these bears a species appropriate and happy life in our care. We’re here to offer them a second chance at happiness.
BEAR SANCTUARY Arbesbach: An animal-friendly home for abused bears since 1998
BEAR SANCTUARY Arbesbach, Since its founding in 1998 and extension in 2009, offers a beautiful near-natural territory for bears that were former circus bears, or owned privately and kept in unsuitable conditions. As an animal charity, we maintain this animal-friendly home that operates on a total area of 14,000 square metres. As of writing, Arbesbach houses 6 bears.
With transformation the bedrock of its inception, LIONSROCK, a sanctuary for big cats, was previously an existing park. The site gets its name from a prominent rock in the centre of the area known as “Lionsrock”. As an animal charity, we offer more than 100 animals a home here. These are predominantly big cats that have been rescued from zoos, private captivity, or the entertainment industry.
Big Cat Centre FELIDA: Our FOUR PAWS rescue centre for big cats in the Netherlands
FELIDA Big Cat Centre is another one of our sanctuaries that works to provide a species-appropriate home for big cats that have been subject to suffering and exploitation at the hands of humans. As of writing, we currently house one tiger and five lions. These animals have been rescued from a diverse range of backgrounds, including circuses, private keeping, and war-torn zoos. As an animal charity, we’re here to ensure their future is much better.
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. There is plenty to explore and plenty to expect from the future!
Donating to an Animal Charity
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.