help for big cats

Thousands of big cats live in very poor conditions in circuses, zoos, and private ownership all around the world today. These wild animals suffer in captivity under inadequate keeping conditions including lack of veterinary care, frequent traveling, harsh training, and intensive interaction with humans. 

FOUR PAWS believes that big cats should not be kept as pets, used for entertainment, or breed and sold for commercial trade. Our work aims at finding solutions for unwanted and illegally kept big cats while our sanctuaries and centers offer rescued big cats a species-appropriate, forever home.

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New York Residents Take Action

You can help stop the abuse of captive wild animals in circuses in New York!  

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Tiger caged at a South African breeding farm

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Add your voice to ban the captive breeding of lions in South Africa

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Take action by becoming an animal-friendly traveler!

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Have a pressing Big Cat question?

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our big Cat sanctuaries & Rescue Centers

We provide species-appropriate homes for rescued big cats all over the world.

Lioness Neida at LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary

LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary

A FOUR PAWS project in South Africa since 2006

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Tigress Dehli at FELIDA Big Cat Sanctuary

FELIDA Big Cat Sanctuary

Our FOUR PAWS wild animal project in the Netherlands since 2014

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Tigress Varvara at TIERART Wild Animal Sanctuary

TIERART Wild Animal Sanctuary

A cooperation between FOUR PAWS and TIERART e.V. in Germany since 2013

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rescues

Stories about our rescued big cats.

Tiger in a circus truck in Slovakia

Rescue Tigresses Kenya and Samba

A new beginning for the last circus tigers in Slovakia

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Lion Ivan-Asen in FELDIA 2018

Rescue Lion Ivan-Asen

Rescued from a zoo in Bulgaria and brought to our FELIDA Big Cat Sanctuary

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Lions Masoud and Terez

Rescue Lions Masoud & Terez

Two Bulgarian lion cubs find a new home in our FELIDA Big Cat Sanctuary 

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Break The Vicious Cycle

Our campaign to ban the commercial trade of big cats in South Africa

Lion in a cage

Break The Vicious Cycle

End the commercial trade of all big cats in South Africa


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Lion at LIONSROCK

#BreakTheViciousCycle Milestones

Celebrating achievements and accomplishments in the fight against the big cat trade in South Africa


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Lion behind bars

The Life Cycle of Exploitation

Help us #BreakTheViciousCycle


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