2024 Rescues & Accomplishments
A look back at some of our highlights and achievements for animals this year
2024 was a remarkable year for FOUR PAWS. We carried out 36 rescue missions, including our latest emergency mission to help stray animals impacted by war in Lebanon. Our amazing veterinarians completed 134 medical checks at our sanctuaries around the world, and our dedicated sanctuary staff cared for the more than 300 rescued animals in our care. Here are just a few of the highlights from 2024!
Rescues, Transfers & Emergency Missions:
Emergency Mission to Lebanon
This November, our Rapid Rescue team has been working tirelessly to provide support to stray animals in war-torn Lebanon.
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Elephant Madhubala
After years of suffering and loneliness, Madhubala was relocated to her new home at Karachi Safari Park in Pakistan where she has been reunited with her sisters, Malika & Sonia.
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Sun Bear Anuk
Anuk was rescued from illegal wildlife trafficking in Vietnam, and though the 5-month-old cub needed intensive veterinary care, she is now a healthy, curious, playful bear who is thriving at our BEAR SANCTUARY Ninh Binh.
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Elephant Charley/Duma
After decades of loneliness, Charley, renamed Duma, was relocated to the nearly 25,000 acre species-appropriate Shambala Private Reserve in South Africa.
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Brown Bears Dina & Potapych
Our vet team at BEAR SANCTUARY Domazhyr treated bears Dina & Potapych after Wild Animal Rescue saved the bears when the zoo where they lived in Donetsk, Ukraine was bombed.
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Lion Diego
Originally rescued from private keeping in the Czech Republic, lion Diego was transferred to our FELIDA Big Cat Sanctuary in the Netherlands and is settling in well to his new home!
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Tiger Cubs Snow & Sky
Confined to a tiny room, without the care they needed, tiger cubs Snow & Sky were rescued from illegal keeping and are now adjusting to their new home at LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary in South Africa.
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Lion Manuschka
A former circus lion, Manuschka was rescued and cared for at our TIEARART Wild Animal Sanctuary in Germany before transferring to her permanent home at FELIDA Big Cat Sanctuary in the Netherlands.
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White Lion Romeo
Rescued from a French circus, lion Romeo started a new chapter at our LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary where he has been thriving since his arrival.
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Lions Nikola & Vasylyna
Lions Nikola and Vasylyna were each rescued separately from traumatic circumstances, and the two developed a fondness for one another and were socialized at FELIDA Big Cat Sanctuary. This year, the duo, nicknamed, “Nikolyna” were transferred to LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary where they live happily together.
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Foxes Ronja & Tomek
Foxes Ronja & Tomek were rescued from a fur farm in Poland, and they now have a new lease of life at TIERART Wild Animal Sanctuary in Germany.
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Asiatic Black Bear Chinh
Bear Chinh was kept in a tiny cage and abused for his bile for almost two decades before he was rescued and brought to a species-appropriate home at BEAR SANCTUARY Ninh Binh in Vietnam.
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20 Animals in Sudan
In a mission with many challenges and setbacks, FOUR PAWS was able to rescue 20 animals, including 11 lions, from a conflict zone in Sudan. The lions are now thriving at LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary in South Africa.
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Bears in Azerbaijan
Along with our partners, FOUR PAWS has made several trips to Azerbaijan to give veterinary treatment to rescued brown bears in need.
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Accomplishments: Legislation, Partnerships & Special Events
In the United States
Massachusetts Bans Wild Animals in Circuses and Traveling Acts
After twenty years of advocacy, Massachusetts finally bans the use of wild animals in circuses and traveling shows, including elephants, big cats, primates, giraffes and bears.
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March Napness
Bear Dushi from BEAR SANCTUARY Müritz was crowed the champion of the second annual March Napness competition when she hibernated longer than all her competitors.
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Chef Priyanka visits Müritz
Celebrity chef, Priyanka Naik visited BEAR SANCTUARY Müritz in Germany in order to make a very special treat for the Dream Team of bears who took home the March Napness 2024 championship.
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Tiger Mural Wins Gold
Our tiger mural in NYC, created by the renowned artist Sonny Sundancer, won a gold award at the 2024 National Mural Awards.
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3 Features in PEOPLE Magazine
People.com features all the sleeping drama in our March Napness competition.
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March Napness Short Film
Comedian & miniaturist Sara Schaefer created a charming short film for our March Napness competition.
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Wear It Kind Sustainability Partnership
Towwn and Genevieve Padalecki partnered with FOUR PAWS to share strategies for sustainable fashion and recycling.
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Pittsburg Bans Sale of Foie Gras
The Pittsburgh City Council banned the sale of force-fed foie gras in the city. If signed into law, the Pittsburgh ban will join similar legislation in New York and California.
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Animal Lobby Day
FOUR PAWS joins over 100 attendees at the State House who gathered to learn about key animal protection bills from the MA legislators who sponsored them.
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Around the World
Global Stray Animal Care
Our Stray Animal Care team completed more than 30,000 spay and neuter procedures worldwide, including in Ukraine, Moldova, Bulgaria, Romania, Southeast Asia, and more.
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Birds of Prey & Owl Treatment
Our Owls & Birds of Prey Rescue Station Haringsee admitted more than 2800 animal patients in 2024.
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Wildlife Rehabilitation at TIERART
Our TEIRART Wild Animal Sanctuary in Germany treated 91 wild animals this year, including 6 young marten cubs.
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Documentary Film DETHRONED
FOUR PAWS worked in collaboration with photojournalist Aaron Gekowski , Terra Mater Studios, and Four Corners Films & Photography on the award-winning documentary, which sheds light on and invites viewers to examine their relationship with big cats.
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“Eating The Future” Premiere
“Eating The Future” is a documentary made in collaboration with Wildlight, which follows an undercover investigator haunted by her encounters inside factory farms. It recently premiered at screenings in the UK & Switzerland and will debut in the US in 2025.
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“Be Their Voice” Animation
“Be Their Voice” is a short, animated film, which raises awareness about live lamb cutting and encourages viewers to take action to protect millions of lambs.
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From Stray to Star Collaboration in Moldova
Renowned activist and photographer Sophie Gamand took stunning portraits of stray animals in Moldova which were put on display at the National Museum of History of in Chișinău.
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South Korea Bans the Dog Meat Trade
In a momentous step decision, South Korea banned the raising and slaughtering of dogs for food, as well as the distribution and selling of dog meat.
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Romania Bans Fur Farming
A monumental win for animal welfare, the Romanian Parliament has voted to ban chinchilla and mink farming, the country’s only fur farming industry branches.
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Uzbekistan Circus Ban
Starting January 1, 2025, Uzbekistan will ban the use of a long list of wild animal species in circuses.
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FOUR PAWS attends COP 19
FOUR PAWS represents animal welfare at this important international event, ensuring that the environmental impact of factory farming isn’t overlooked when discussing solutions to climate change.
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Rabies Workshop & Vaccination Drive in Bali
FOUR PAWS held a two-day workshop together with our partners and government officials in Bali to help raise awareness and combat this deadly disease.
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Australia Will End Sheep Exports by Sea
In a monumental decision, Australia officially passed legislation to end sheep exports by sea.
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Proposals to Ban Dog and Cat Meat Trade in Indonesia
In a crucial first step, proposals to ban the Dog and Cat Meat Trade have been submitted to Indonesian Parliament.
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Max Mara Goes Fur Free
After an outpouring of support and activism from passionate individuals and organizations worldwide, Max Mara Fashion Group finally went fur-free.
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5 Dog Meat Survivors Arrive in Cape Town, ZA
The dogs—Gamora, Shadow, Falcon, Drax, and Maximoff—who are all survivors of a harrowing journey from a Cambodian slaughterhouse, flew to South Africa to find their forever homes.
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Highway to Hell Report
An undercover investigation reveals the crucial involvement a single road has on the illegal dog and cat meat trade in Vietnam.
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United Nations & World Health Organization
Throughout the year, our team attends meetings and conferences at the UN and WHO to advocate for animal welfare and the connection between human, animal and environmental health.
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