FOUR PAWS

FOUR PAWS FOUR PAWS International is the global animal welfare organization which reveals suffering, rescues animals in need, and protects them. Get to know us!
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For over 30 years the organization advocates for a world where humans treat animals with respect, empathy and understanding. From bears and big cats, orangutans and elephants, cows and pigs, to cats and dogs, our sustainable campaigns and projects focus on improving the lives of animals! We have:
• Offices in 15 countries including this one right here in Boston, Massachusetts
• 7 bear sanctuaries

across Europe, one in Vietnam
• An orphan academy for baby orangutans in Borneo, Indonesia
• Stray Animal Care (SAC) unit provided spay/neutering and medical services
• Our Emergency and Disaster Response teams quite literally goes where no one else goes
• Our “pride” and joy LIONSROCK in South Africa, one of the largest Big Cat Sanctuaries in the world

For more information, visit https://www.fourpawsusa.org/

To read up on our Netiquette, please visit https://www.fourpawsusa.org/about-us/netiquette

Not all white fur is the same ☝️At first glance, tigress Charlota 🐯 and mink Liesel 🐾 at our TIERART Wild Animal Sanctua...
05/31/2026

Not all white fur is the same ☝️

At first glance, tigress Charlota 🐯 and mink Liesel 🐾 at our TIERART Wild Animal Sanctuary (TIERART Wildtierstation) may seem to have something in common...
..but the reason behind their white coloring is very different.

Charlota’s off-white coat is caused by a rare recessive gene mutation called leucism. This means her pigmentation is reduced, but not completely absent. Typical characteristics include blue eyes, as well as a pink nose and paw pads. Even with her light fur, the tiger’s iconic dark stripes remain visible ⚪️

Because this recessive gene must be inherited from both parents, white tigers in captivity are often the result of inbreeding. Sadly, this can lead to lifelong health problems, including impaired vision, deformities, and heart or kidney disease. 💔

Mink Liesel, on the other hand, shows signs of albinism—a genetic condition that completely prevents the production of melanin, the pigment responsible for darker coloring.

Typical features include a fully white coat and red eyes 👁️ The red appearance occurs because the iris lacks pigment, allowing the blood vessels in the retina to show through. 🌈

Forgive, but never forget 👁️‍🗨️ 🐆This is what we see in Bakari’s eyes: a quiet reminder of all he has endured.Bakari was...
05/30/2026

Forgive, but never forget 👁️‍🗨️ 🐆

This is what we see in Bakari’s eyes: a quiet reminder of all he has endured.

Bakari was once used as a photo prop. Another victim of a cruel trade that turns sentient beings into tourist attractions.

Wild animals are not photo props or toys or for our entertainment.

If you’d like to see leopards like Bakari, please visit like our Big Cat Sanctuary, where the animals can choose whether to show themselves or tuck away in their favorite hiding spot. 🐾

A true sanctuary ensures the needs of its residents always come first.

Learn more about our work to rescue and rehabilitate big cats: https://www.fourpawsusa.org/campaigns-topics/animals/big-cats

🐈 Over the many years that we've been active for stray dogs and cats, we've met countless people with deep compassion an...
05/29/2026

🐈 Over the many years that we've been active for stray dogs and cats, we've met countless people with deep compassion and love for these animals. 🐕

Sadly, sometimes we also encounter those who are unable to care for their companion animals and are forced to surrender them or leave them behind.
🇺🇦

This was the case for cat Baba Sima who was brought to our Project Kishka facility in Chernihiv, Ukraine.

She had been in labor for six days, unable to give birth. Upon examination, it became clear that the kittens had died inside her body.

Without immediate medical intervention, Sima would not have survived. Our veterinarian, Valeriia Buhaichenko, acted without hesitation. Resuscitation began at once. It was a race against time...

Against all odds, Baba Sima survived. And slowly, day by day, her strength returned. With it, her gentle, resilient personality began to shine through.

Baba Sima remains under our care at the municipal facility in Chernihiv, until we can find her a forever home. A place to rest easy knowing she is safe and loved.

Learn more about how we help stray cats and dogs: https://www.fourpawsusa.org/campaigns-topics/topics/help-for-strays

Look at bear Flora is living her best life at our BEAR SANCTUARY Müritz in Germany. 🐻🌿(BÄRENWALD Müritz) It warms our he...
05/29/2026

Look at bear Flora is living her best life at our BEAR SANCTUARY Müritz in Germany. 🐻🌿(BÄRENWALD Müritz)

It warms our hearts to witness her incredible progress since her rescue from Albania last year. 💚

At the moment, Flora’s favorite place to relax and soak up the sunshine is the wooden enrichment structure in her enclosure. 🏰☀️

We hope you also get the chance to enjoy nature and unwind a little, every chance you get—just like Flora ✨

Learn more about our work to help these beautiful sentient beings under human influence: https://www.fourpawsusa.org/campaigns-topics/campaigns/save-the-saddest-bears

When Zaher fled South Lebanon, he refused to leave his dogs behind. 🐾Originally from Marjeoun Blat, Zaher worked in farm...
05/28/2026

When Zaher fled South Lebanon, he refused to leave his dogs behind. 🐾

Originally from Marjeoun Blat, Zaher worked in farming before the conflict forced him to leave his home and seek safety in Beirut.

Today, he is displaced and staying near the Beirut International Exhibition & Leisure Center (Biel), together with his dogs Spero, Nemra, and Riagn. ❤️

His extended family found shelter in a crowded house, but there was no space for the dogs. Faced with an impossible choice, Zaher decided to live in a tent so he could stay with them.

For Zaher, these dogs are his family. 💔

Stories like this are why continues to provide emergency support for displaced people and their animals: helping families stay together, distributing food and supplies, and making sure animals are not left behind during this crisis.

Please help us continue supporting Animals Lebanon and the lifesaving work they do for animals and the people who love them:

https://donate.fourpawsusa.org/s/lebanon?tfa_310=701PP00001YCI1xYAH

The circus industry calls it entertainment. 💔But there have been at least 122 documented attacks and escapes involving w...
05/28/2026

The circus industry calls it entertainment. 💔

But there have been at least 122 documented attacks and escapes involving wild animals in circuses, zoos, and private keeping in the past ten years.

85 incidents resulted in human injury.

Wild animals are not performers. They are stressed, confined predators forced into unnatural environments surrounded by noise, lights, transport, and crowds.
That is not safe for them. And it's not safe for us.

Say no to circuses that use live animals in their shows.🙅

TIM NEEDS YOU! 🆘🐻FOUR PAWS has set itself the goal of ending the private and inappropriate keeping of brown bears in Slo...
05/27/2026

TIM NEEDS YOU! 🆘🐻

FOUR PAWS has set itself the goal of ending the private and inappropriate keeping of brown bears in Slovenia.

Our efforts for the bears living in cruel captivity in Slovenia were successful, and we were able to put an end to their use in restaurants by rescuing bears Felix and Mici in 2025.

Unfortunately, our help came too late for Mascha and Mitko. Both died before FOUR PAWS got the chance to relocate them.

However, one bear, Tim, continues to suffer from inappropriate living conditions in Slovenia, and the relevant ministries are blocking his relocation. Furthermore, Tim’s owner, Mr. Rožmanec, has no intention of voluntarily giving him up. 💔
We need your help now!

🔉 Please raise your voice for Tim! As he is kept in a zoo, we call on the authorities to introduce stronger regulations on animal keeping in Slovenia: ➡️ https://help.four-paws.org/en-US/end-suffering-captive-bears-slovenia

Your actions today could change Tim’s life and shield countless animals from inappropriate keeping in the future!

Meet Rudo and Kali 🦁🦁 Together, they chase, tumble, and share moments of joy - leaving the past behind and embracing the...
05/27/2026

Meet Rudo and Kali 🦁🦁

Together, they chase, tumble, and share moments of joy - leaving the past behind and embracing the love, safety, and freedom of their forever home at our LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary in South Africa. ❤️✨

Years ago, their lives took an unexpected turn when authorities confiscated them and their pride from a government-owned game reserve in South Africa, due to illegal breeding practices and non-compliance with keeping conditions.

On November 9, 2022, after months of hurdles and paperwork, Rudo, Kali, and their pride found refuge at our LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary. Here, the pride was greeted with ample space for them to roam in their species-appropriate enclosures.

Together, they can play and live in peace, leaving behind the past and embracing their newfound forever home.

Meet more of our rescued animals at https://www.fourpawsusa.org/our-stories/rescues

Every year, our TIERART Wildtierstation sanctuary in Germany gives about 20–25 injured or orphaned fox cubs a second cha...
05/26/2026

Every year, our TIERART Wildtierstation sanctuary in Germany gives about 20–25 injured or orphaned fox cubs a second chance at life. 🦊💕

Each little fox arrives with a different story, but since 2012, over 200 foxes have been successfully rehabilitated and released back into safe forest habitats where hunting is not permitted.

From tiny, milk-dependent cubs to wild, independent foxes, their journey is incredible to witness.

In their early weeks, they’re cared for in small enclosures where they can receive the attention and medical support they need. As they grow, they move into larger outdoor spaces where they learn to rely less on humans, rediscover their natural instincts, and become wary again, just as they should be in the wild. 🌿

By around 5-6 months old, they’re ready. Released in small groups into carefully chosen, quiet areas far from roads and people, they begin their new lives in nature. While we can’t control where they roam, we give them the very best possible start. 🐾

Every time we open those enclosure doors, it’s a truly special moment. Watching them run free after months of care is something we’ll never take for granted. 😭💕

Help more baby foxes by supporting our rescue, rehab, and rewilding work today: https://donate.fourpawsusa.org/s/?tfa_310=701PP000007poOYYAY

A horrific 4,000 lives lost at sea... 🐑🐐 We are devastated by reports that approximately 4,000 sheep and goats have died...
05/26/2026

A horrific 4,000 lives lost at sea... 🐑🐐

We are devastated by reports that approximately 4,000 sheep and goats have died after a livestock vessel was attacked, caught fire, and ultimately capsized during transport in the Middle East. 💔

On May 13th, a cargo ship carrying animals from Somaliland to the UAE was struck in an incident whose cause remains unclear.

The attack ignited a fire that quickly spread across the vessel. While all 14 crew members were able to escape and be rescued, the animals onboard were not afforded the same chance. Trapped at sea, they perished as the ship burned and sank beneath them.

We cannot look away from the immense suffering these animals endured in their final moments. Confined, frightened, and unable to escape, their lives ended in one of the most horrific ways imaginable.

This tragedy is yet another stark reminder of the inherent risks of transporting live animals by sea. Time and again, these journeys end in unimaginable suffering, and there is simply no meaningful way to fully protect animals on board.

At any moment, something can go wrong: mechanical failures, fires, sinkings, or the risk of passage through conflict zones.

Sea transport is inherently dangerous and is something animals should never be subjected to.

We continue to call for an end to the live export of animals by sea. No animal should be sent on long, dangerous journeys, especially not into regions affected by conflict.

Their suffering must not be ignored! 😣

Learn more about our efforts to stop this cruel practice: https://www.fourpawsusa.org/campaigns-topics/topics/farm-animals/live-animal-transport-in-europe

Address

36 Bromfield Street, Suite 410
Boston, MA
02108

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+16179421233

Website

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