NOVEMBER 18, 2025. Thirty-two lions, thirty tigers and two bears were examined during FOUR PAWS’ veterinary assessment in Argentina making it the largest mission of its kind ever completed in Latin America in such a short timeframe. This large-scale effort at the former Zoo Luján took a month and marked the first step in a comprehensive emergency mission by the global animal welfare organization.

The former zoo was closed in 2020 due to serious animal welfare concerns. In October, FOUR PAWS deployed a team of veterinarians and wildlife experts providing health checks and treatments. Most animals examined by FOUR PAWS veterinarians had health issues including infections of tails and eyes, open wounds, ingrown nails, kidney disease, and dental problems. Several animals had previously been declawed and required treatment for deformed paws. In some cases, the FOUR PAWS veterinarians discovered spinal deformities that had led to neurological problems. Two lions even required partial tail amputations due to severe infections.

“We found health issues in most of the animals we examined, many of which can be directly linked to inadequate keeping conditions and poor nutrition. One tigress suffered from a particularly painful condition: a claw that had repeatedly grown inward. We removed splintered pieces from her infected paw and surgically corrected the claw bed to allow proper regrowth. Witnessing the change in her behavior after relieving that pain is exactly why we do what we do,” said veterinarian Dr Amir Khalil, who leads the FOUR PAWS emergency mission at the former Zoo Luján.

Many of the former zoo’s enclosures are far too small and overcrowded, housing large groups of big cats, including lions and tigers together. Because of this overcrowding, the team had to plan operations meticulously and, on multiple occasions, worked on two sedated animals simultaneously. Beyond medical care, FOUR PAWS also improved the animals’ keeping conditions by repairing enclosures, separating and regrouping animals, and introducing species-appropriate diets.

Easing the animal welfare emergency at the former Zoo Luján is the first step in implementing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between FOUR PAWS and the Argentinian government, which aims to end private keeping and commercial trade of big cats in the country. As in the previous missions in Argentina, FOUR PAWS is committed to finding species-appropriate long-term solutions for the animals currently at the former Zoo Luján.