Four Paws
Four Paws (stylized FOUR PAWS) is a global animal welfare organisation headquartered in Vienna, Austria. It focuses on improving the living conditions of animals under direct human influence, by revealing suffering, rescuing animals in need, and protecting them.
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![]() Four Paws International | |
| Founded | 4 March 1988 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Helmut Dungler (1963–2020) |
| Type | 501(c)(3) |
| Focus | Animal welfare |
| Headquarters | Vienna, Austria |
Region served | Worldwide |
| Fields |
|
| |
| Subsidiaries | Australia, Austria, Belgium (EU office), Bulgaria, Cambodia, France, Germany, Kosovo, Netherlands, South Africa, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam |
| Website | four-paws.org |
Four Paws (stylized FOUR PAWS) is a global animal welfare organisation headquartered in Vienna, Austria. It focuses on improving the living conditions of animals under direct human influence, by revealing suffering, rescuing animals in need, and protecting them.[1]
History
[edit]
Four Paws was founded on 4 March 1988 by Helmut Dungler and friends to protect animals from being farmed for their fur.[2]
In 1991, Four Paws demanded the mandatory labelling of eggs and a total ban on battery cages for egg-laying hens.[3] In 1998, the organisation opened the first sanctuary for bears in Arbesbach, Austria.[4] In 1999, the foundation brought about the closure of Austria's largest battery cage egg producer.[5]
In 2000, Bear Sanctuary Belitsa opened in Bulgaria, and the first three former dancing bears moved in.[6] In 2002, animal welfare entered Germany's basic law, and Federal Minister Renate Künast thanked Four Paws by name.[7] In 2005, the Federal Animal Welfare Act came into force in Austria and banned both fur farming and the use of wild animals in circuses.[8] In 2008, the Lionsrock Big Cat Sanctuary opened in Bethlehem, South Africa.[9] Helmut Dungler was awarded the Silver Order of Merit for Services Rendered to the Republic of Austria.[10]
In 2010, Four Paws started a collaboration with the Princess Alia Foundation of Jordan, with the Al Ma'wa for Nature and Wildlife project.[11] In 2012, an EU-wide ban on conventional battery cages for hens came into force.[12]
In 2014, the Bear Sanctuary Prishtina in Kosovo was opened. In 2015, Four Paws initiated a campaign against canned lion hunting, which attracted 281,000 supporters.[13] In 2018, the organisation rescued lions and bears from "Europe's worst zoo", in Tirana, Albania.[14] The same year, the first International Animal Welfare Summit was organised by Four Paws in Vienna, with famous guests that included Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.[15]
On 17 January 2018, Switzerland took a step against anonymous pet trafficking on the internet. From 1 March 2018, online traders have had to provide their full name and address as well as the country of origin and breeding of the dogs offered for sale.[16]
On 5 January 2020, Four Paws founder and president, Helmut Dungler, died unexpectedly.[17] That month, Four Paws rescued sick lions from a zoo in Khartoum, Sudan, after worldwide outrage following concerning reports of the animals' condition.[18] On 16 April, claims by Four Paws in The Independent stated that there had been a surge in consumption of dog and cat meat in Vietnam as a result of fake news suggesting it would cure COVID-19.[19] Four Paws' former head of stray animal care in Asia Katherine Polak was quoted as saying she strongly suspected doctors were now recommending cat and dog meat to treat the condition. However, on 24 April, the fact-checking nonprofit PolitiFact rated the claim as false.[20] Reporter Tina Nguyen called it mind-boggling and a nasty racist attack.[21] Four Paws responded with an official statement defending their claims[22] and referring to market research studies conducted between January and March 2019 in Cambodia[23] and May–August 2019 in Vietnam.[24] On 4 September, the organisation, together with veterinarians Amir Khalil and Frank Goeritz from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, examined and approved "the world's loneliest elephant", Kaavan, for travel from the Islamabad Zoo in Pakistan to an elephant sanctuary in Cambodia.[25] The rescue mission to the Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary, at the end of November 2020, was supported by singer Cher's NGO Free the Wild and by businessman Eric Margolis.[26][27]
In January 2021, Four Paws published the Austrian edition of the Meat Atlas, in cooperation with the Heinrich Böll Foundation and the environmental protection organization Global 2000.[28]
In 2022, Four Paws provided emergency veterinary care during the war in Ukraine.[29] In March, four tigers were rescued from Argentina to find a new home in South Africa. It was the organization's first rescue in South America.[30] Further rescue operations were carried out in Albania,[31] Pakistan,[32] Romania,[33] Sudan,[34] and Vietnam.[35] Politically, the organisation stepped up its campaign against European fur farming[36] and in favour of climate protection.[37]
In 2023, the organisation provided emergency aid following the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.[38] Other measures included supporting the European Citizens' Initiative "Fur Free Europe", which collected over 1.5 million signatures for an EU-wide ban on fur farming[39] and ending the use of mulesed wool at Nike.[40]
In 2024, Four Paws participated in negotiations on the UN pandemic agreement at the World Health Organization to establish prevention through improved animal welfare.[41] In addition to rescue missions in Bulgaria[42] and Slovakia,[43] a new organisational strategy was implemented, which led, among other things, to the expansion of infrastructure in rescue centres such as Felida Big Cat Sanctuary in the Netherlands.[44] In June, the Four Paws documentary Dethroned premiered in Vienna.[45] In November, the documentary Eating the Future had its world premiere at the Films for Future Festival at the Rote Fabrik in Zurich, Switzerland.[46]
In 2025, Four Paws chaired the first animal welfare session at the World Health Summit and anchored the "One Health" approach in the global pandemic agreement.[47] The organisation also participated in the drafting of a new EU law to combat the illegal trade in dogs and cats.[48] In October, Four Paws led one of its largest missions to date to rescue over 60 big cats and two bears from a former zoo in Argentina.[49] Other campaigns targeted mulesing at Michael Kors.[50]
Objectives
[edit]
Organisation
[edit]Four Paws, which finances its work through donations, positions itself as "a strong, global, and independent voice for animals under direct human control" by offering sustainable solutions for animals in need, changing consumer behaviour, driving legal change, and building partnerships. Its purpose is to inform the general public about animal welfare. The organisation also supports a ban on farming animals for fur, strict limitations on keeping wild animals in private captivity, and a ban on wild animals in circuses.[1]
The work of Four Paws is divided into different areas of expertise, which operate across various countries and ensure that animal welfare activities are implemented into both national and global agendas. Four Paws is represented in 16 national offices worldwide and operates 13 wild animal sanctuaries and cooperation projects such as Bear Sanctuary Belitsa (with the Brigitte Bardot Foundation), Bear Sanctuary Domazhyr, Bear Sanctuary Müritz, Bear Sanctuary Ninh Binh, and Bear Sanctuary Prishtina. The organisation is a partner of organisations like the European Citizens' Initiative and Eurogroup for Animals.[51]
Projects
[edit]Four Paws projects include the following:[1]
- Bears: Four Paws rescues bears forced to live in poor conditions in circuses, zoos, or in private hands. The organisation has projects in Albania,[52] Slovenia,[53] Vietnam,[54] Austria,[55] Bulgaria,[56] Poland,[57] Ukraine,[58] and Kosovo.[59]

- Big cats: Four Paws has established sanctuaries and projects for big cats in South Africa,[60][61] Jordan,[62][63][61] and the Netherlands,[64] The organisation also cooperates and works with several partner organisations within the welfare sector.[65]
- Stray animals: Four Paws creates solutions to prevent outbreaks of disease and uncontrolled levels of reproduction among strays in places such as Thailand,[66] Moldova,[67] Myanmar,[68] Romania,[69] Ukraine,[70] and Cambodia[71] In addition, the organization is working to sustainably end the dog and cat meat trade.[72]
- Orangutans: Four Paws looks after orphaned orangutans and prepares them to live independently in the wild.[73] Furthermore, the organisation funds a forest school in Indonesia's East Kalimantan.[74]
- Fur farming: Four Paws supports a ban on farming animals for fur, a legal obligation to label all fur products and, in the long term, a Europe-wide ban on importing and selling all fur products.[75][76] In August 2018, Four Paws joined the Fur Free Alliance to launch a new campaign urging fashion brand Prada to adopt a fur-free policy like Gucci, Versace, Armani, Donna Karan, and Hugo Boss.[77] In February 2021, the organisation published a statement on the assessment conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the World Organisation for Animal Health, and the World Health Organization on SARS-CoV-2 in animals used for fur farming, demonstrating high risks for public health.[78]
- Farm animals: Four Paws advocates for the welfare of farm animals through projects that address issues with procedures like mulesing,[50] promote reduced meat consumption,[79] support higher animal welfare standards,[80] and push for improved farming practices.[81] The organization also works to reduce animal transport times and lobbies for legislative change.[82]
- Assistance for animals in distress: Four Paws rescues animals after natural disasters and helps local people whose livelihood depends upon the animals.[83]
- European Union: The organisation has urged the European Parliament to call for stricter regulation on the trade in live wild animals, a clear commitment to step up efforts to combat the illegal wildlife trade, as well as EU and member states' financial support to wildlife rescue centres and sanctuaries.[84]
Awards
[edit]- 2025: People's Choice Awards (Smiley Charity Film Awards) for the Four Paws animated film Be Their Voice.[85]
- 2025: Gold Award for the Four Paws documentary Dethroned in the Wildlife and Conservation category of the International Tourism Film Festival Africa.[86]
- 2024: UK Film Festival Award for the Four Paws documentary Eating the Future in the Best Feature Documentary category.[87]
Publications
[edit]See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c PDF; 5,8 MB Annual Report: Organisation
- ^ "Helmut 'Heli' Dungler: 18th November 1963 – 5th January 2020". Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ "How many more live transport tragedies have to happen before something changes?" (PDF). Retrieved 2 April 2026., Eurogroups for Animals Magazine
- ^ "Bear sanctuary Arbesbach". baerenwald.at. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ "30 Years of Four Paws". FOUR PAWS International. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ "Dancing Bears Park Belitsa". four-paws.bg. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ "How many more live transport tragedies have to happen before something changes?" (PDF). Retrieved 2 April 2026., Eurogroups for Animals Magazine
- ^ Vier Pfoten: Spotlight on Al Ma'wa Wildlife Rescue Centre in Jordan Archived 23 October 2019 at the Wayback Machine, Eurogroupforanimals.org, 27 August 2018
- ^ "Big cat sanctuary opens". The Witness. 27 February 2008. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ "Vier Pfoten Gründer Helmut Dungler erhält das Silberne Verdienstzeichen Österreichs" [Four Paws founder Helmut Dungler receives the Silver Medal of Merit of Austria.]. OTS.at (in German). Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ "Al Ma'wa for Nature and Wildlife". four-paws.org. 28 April 2022. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
- ^ Mondelez now uses cage free eggs in Toblerone
- ^ 'Canned hunting': the lions bred for slaughter, Theguardian.com, 3 June 2013
- ^ Three lions, a bear and seven other animals rescued from "hellish" zoo, Newsweek.com, 29 October 2018
- ^ Four Paws: 300 mark 30 years of Four Paws at 1st International Animal Welfare Summit 2018, Eurogroupforanimals.org, 2 May 2018 Archived 7 February 2019 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Switzerland bans the anonymous online trade of dogs, Carodog.eu, 17 January 2018
- ^ "Four Paws Family Mourns Its Founder and President Heli Dungler". four-paws.org. 6 January 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
- ^ Rescue mission aids starving lions in neglected Sudan zoo, retrieved 29 January 2020 in Washingtonpost.com.[dead link]
- ^ "Coronavirus causes dog and cat meat sales 'to surge' in Vietnam and Cambodia". The Independent. 16 April 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ "PolitiFact – Evidence lacking that cats eaten as COVID-19 cure". PolitiFact. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ @tina_nguyen (10 May 2020). "I had an inkling there would be nasty racist attacks against Asians during the pandemic but this is the most mind-boggling one" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "A Four Paws Statement on DCMT". Animal Charity – Animal Welfare Organisation – FOUR PAWS UK. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ "A summary report on Dog Meat Consumption in Cambodia" (PDF). Retrieved 2 April 2026., Four Paws – Animal Rescue Cambodia
- ^ "A summary report on Dog and Cat Meat Consumption in Vietnam" (PDF). Retrieved 2 April 2026., Four Paws
- ^ "The 'world's loneliest elephant' is finally cleared to find a new home". washingtonpost.com. 5 September 2020. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
- ^ "Pakistan animal lovers prepare to say goodbye to Asian elephant Kaavan". gulfnews.com. 13 October 2020. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
- ^ "Cher – yes, Cher – helps a captive elephant find a new home in Cambodia". latimes.com. 26 November 2020. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
- ^ Fleischatlas: Daten und Fakten über Tiere als Nahrungsmittel Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, Global 2000, Vier Pfoten, 2021 (PDF; 5,27 MB)
- ^ "Aid groups in Ukraine help animals in danger". dw.com. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ "4 Circus Tigers Sent to Animal Sanctuary After Spending 15 Years in a Cage". newsweek.com. 18 March 2022. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
- ^ Bogdani, Nensi (12 December 2022). "Unbearable Life: Austrian Shelter Rescues Albania's Last Caged Bear". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ "Pakistan: Elephants treated after years of dental pain". dw.com. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ Lapizco, Karen (22 August 2022). "Five of Seven Lions Rescued from Romania That Were Being Used for Entertainment Arrive at Their Forever Home in South Africa". World Animal News. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ Lakhani-Kanji, Riya (18 March 2022). "Rescued Lions Thriving at Nature Reserve". Plant Based News. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ Vietnamese, R. F. A. (4 June 2024). "Animal welfare group calls for end to dog and cat meat trade in Vietnam". Radio Free Asia. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ "Foxes and raccoon dogs rescued from fur farm find sanctuary with Four Paws | Eurogroup for Animals". eurogroupforanimals.org. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ "EU conservatives score big win on industrial emissions rules". POLITICO. 11 July 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ "Four Paws calls on public to aid animals injured in Syria and Türkiye earthquake". TimesLIVE. 13 February 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ "Fur Free Europe". citizens-initiative-forum.europa.eu. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ Ndure, Isatou (22 June 2023). "Nike joins Adidas and Puma in certified wool standard, higher animal welfare". Just Style. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ "Governments progress on negotiations for a pandemic agreement to boost global preparedness for future emergencies". who.int. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ "Three rescued cubs returned home to Bulgaria". moew.government.bg. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ "Tigers Rescued from Illegal Captivity in Slovakia Arrive Safely at Four Paws' Sanctuary in South Africa". World Animal News. 16 August 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ "Construction of the new animal enclosures on schedule". FELIDA Big Cat Sanctuary – a project by FOUR PAWS. 4 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ Mourao-Fischer, Elisa (6 June 2024). ""Dethroned" Austrian Premiere: June 20th". Terra Mater Studios. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ "Programm – Rote Fabrik". rotefabrik.ch. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ Stoddard, Jill (23 May 2025). "Building a Legal Foundation for Prevention and One Health in the Pandemic Agreement". IPI Global Observatory. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ "European Parliament backs mandatory microchipping of all cats and dogs in the EU". euronews.com. 19 June 2025. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
- ^ Debre, Isabel (30 October 2025). "Years after Argentina shut a notorious zoo, the stranded animals are finally being rescued". AP News. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ a b Sim, Terry (23 October 2025). "Four Paws ups focus on consumer labelling on mulesing". Sheep Central. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ "2024 Jahresbericht" [2024 Annual Report] (PDF). paws.org (in German). 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ Cimili, Zana (18 December 2025). "Lion and bear kept as pets in Albania find new homes in German wildlife sanctuaries". AP News. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ "Medvedka Mici po 24 letih zapustila Završnico in odšla v avstrijsko zavetišče (FOTO)". N1 (in Slovenian). 25 November 2025. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ Four Paws ends bile bear keeping in Ninh Binh province Archived 2 December 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Tinmoitruong.vn, 27 April 2018
- ^ Bärenwald Arbesbach, Digitaljournal.com, Waldviertel.at, retrieved 1 August 2019
- ^ Saddest Bear in Europe Meets Love of His Life at Bulgaria Bear Park, Insideedition.com, retrieved 1 August 2019
- ^ "Help for bears in Poland". fourpawsusa.org. 20 August 2021. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
- ^ Four Paws: Pet food maker Royal Canin sponsoring bear-baiting, Digitaljournal.com, retrieved 23 July 2013
- ^ Kosovo moves against restaurants holding wild bears, Reuters.com, retrieved 1 August 2019
- ^ From king of the jungle to traded skeleton, Four-paws.org, 8 August 2018
- ^ a b Animals Rescued From the 'Worst Zoo in the World' in Gaza, Theatlantic.com, 25 August 2016
- ^ "Tigers from illegal breeding farm settle in at new home in Jordan". four-paws.org. 5 June 2023. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
- ^ Mosul Zoo's only surviving animals are rescued from war-torn Iraqi city, Independent.co.uk, 11 April 2017
- ^ Felida Big Cat Centre retrieved 13. April 2019 in Felidabigcats.org
- ^ "Rescue Lionesses Tomoyo and Illiana". FOUR PAWS in South Africa – Animal Welfare Organisation. 15 April 2025. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ Reader, The Animal (16 January 2025). "Stray cats sterilized for free at Buddhist temple in Thailand". The Animal Reader. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ Team, Catster Editorial (8 March 2026). "World Stray Animals Day 2026: When It Is & How to Participate". Catster. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ Captive lions rescued from horrific conditions on North West farm Archived 19 February 2021 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 1. August 2019 in Mmtimes.com
- ^ Four Paws Saves Mutilated Romanian Dog, Huffingtonpost.co.uk, 7 December 2013
- ^ Help for forgotten dogs of Chernobyl, Vettimes.co.uk, 22 August 2017
- ^ Harrowing images show 61 dogs packed into cages on way to slaughter for meat from 24. February 2021 in Mirror.co.uk
- ^ Dog Meat Slaughterhouse that Boasted About Drowning 200 Dogs a Day Is Shut Down retrieved on 9. March 2021 in People.com
- ^ Watch these orphaned orangutans learn the ropes at forest school, Treehugger.com, 20 August 2018
- ^ Orangutan forest school in Indonesia takes on its first eight students, News.mongabay.com, 21 June 2018
- ^ Down smackdown: The North Face v Patagonia on ethical feather standards, Theguardian.com, 22 August 2014
- ^ Save Kimi: 'When I grow up, I'm going to be a fur collar' – Burberry under fire from animal rights group, Independent.co.uk, 19 October 2014
- ^ Prada backlash spreads to Australia, Ragtrader.com.au, 25 September 2018
- ^ Four Paws Statement on new FAO OIE and WHO assessment on SARS-COV-2 risks related to fur farming retrieved on 11. March 2021 in Four-paws.org.au
- ^ Selby, Gaynor. "Animal welfare organization spotlights overconsumption of meat in the Netherlands". foodingredientsfirst.com. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ "Defra announces biggest animal welfare reforms in a generation". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ Mridul, Anay (8 July 2025). "In Switzerland, Meat Labels Must Now Disclose Animal Cruelty Practices". Green Queen. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ Times, The Brussels. "Live animal transport: European Parliament co-rapporteurs agree only on technical amendments". brusselstimes.com. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ Rescuers arrive in Lombok to help animals after devastating earthquakes, Dogsmonthly.co.uk, 24 August 2018
- ^ Four Paws recommendations for MEPs working on the Own Initiative Report on the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2030 Four Paws, retrieved on 31. August 2020 (PDF; 129 kB)
- ^ "Be Their Voice". Smiley Charity Film Awards. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ "Previous Winners". International Tourism Film Festival Africa. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ Woodfield, Murray (1 December 2024). "Congratulations to our 2024 Film Award Winners". UK Film Festival. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ^ "Meat Exhaustion Day – When meat is eating up the planet" (PDF). Retrieved 2 April 2026., Four Paws
- ^ "Meat Exhaustion Day Demonstrates Our Planetary Over-Consumption of Animals – vegconomist – the vegan business magazine". vegconomist.com. 5 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Vier Pfoten, Austrian headquarters website
