FOUR PAWS INTERNATIONAL INC

FOUR PAWS' EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY WORK ON BEHALF OF ANIMALS - FOUR PAWS IS WORKING TO EDUCATE AND MOBILIZE PEOPLE TO TAKE ACTIONS THAT PROVIDE SUPPORT AND PROTECTION, AND POSITIVE SOCIAL AND LEGISLATIVE CHANGES FOR ANIMALS. FOUR PAWS IS DOING THIS IN SEVERAL WAYS: PROTECTING WILD ANIMALS FROM SUFFERING WORLDWIDE: FOUR PAWS IS WORKING TO END THE GLOBAL AND ONGOING EXPLOITATION OF BIG CATS. THIS INCLUDES OUR EXTENSIVE CAMPAIGN WORK TO BREAK THE VICIOUS CYCLE IN SOUTH AFRICA, WHERE AFRICAN LIONS ARE BRED AND USED IN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS AND KILLED FOR THE BRUTAL TROPHY HUNTING AND LION BONE TRADE INDUSTRIES, TO ENDING THE TIGER TRADE IN EUROPE AND STOPPING THE COMMODIFICATION OF OTHER BIG CATS LIKE TIGERS, LEOPARDS, AND JAGUARS WHO ARE ALSO INTENSIVELY BRED AND COMMERCIALLY TRADED FOR THEIR BODY PARTS TO BE USED AS LUXURY ITEMS OR FOR TRADITIONAL MEDICINES IN ASIA. THROUGH PUBLIC AND GOVERNMENT ENGAGEMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA, EUROPE, AND THE UNITED STATES, WE AIM TO END THE FARMING AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE OF BIG CATS AND STRIVE TO PROTECT ENDANGERED AND THREATENED BIG CAT SPECIES AROUND THE WORLD. IN THE U.S. IN 2024, FOUR PAWS ADVOCATED FOR INCREASED FEDERAL PROTECTIONS FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES, SPOKE ABOUT OUR GLOBAL WORK TO PROTECT BIG CATS AT CONFERENCES, AND HELD THE FIRST U.S. SCREENING OF OUR NEW DOCUMENTARY DETHRONED, WHICH PROVIDES A CAPTIVATING AND DEEPLY THOUGHT-PROVOKING LOOK INTO HUMANITY'S CONNECTION WITH BIG CATS. FOUR PAWS WORKS TOWARDS ENDING THE USE OF WILD ANIMALS IN CIRCUSES. MANY WILD ANIMALS ARE STILL SUFFERING IN CIRCUSES, WHICH ARE CONSTANTLY MOVING FROM LOCATION TO LOCATION AND ARE UNABLE TO PROVIDE ANY SPECIES-APPROPRIATE LIVING CONDITIONS FOR THE ANIMALS OR ROOM FOR THE ANIMALS TO EXHIBIT THEIR NATURAL BEHAVIORS. IN THE U.S., FOUR PAWS ADVOCATES FOR STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATION TO BAN THE USE OF WILD ANIMALS IN CIRCUSES, WHILE ALSO EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT LIFE IS REALLY LIKE FOR ANIMALS USED FOR ENTERTAINMENT AND TOURISM. IN 2024, FOUR PAWS AND OUR COALITION PARTNERS CELEBRATED THE PASSAGE OF LEGISLATION IN MASSACHUSETTS TO END THE USE OF CERTAIN WILD ANIMALS IN TRAVELING SHOWS, A MAJOR VICTORY AFTER DECADES OF HARD WORK BY ANIMAL ADVOCATES IN THE STATE. FOUR PAWS IS SAVING THE SADDEST BEARS. FOUR PAWS STRIVES TO FIND SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS FOR BEARS SUFFERING IN POOR CONDITIONS IN CAPTIVITY AROUND THE WORLD. FOUR PAWS ADVOCATES FOR BEARS ON A LEGISLATIVE LEVEL, FIGHTING TO MAKE BEAR BAITING ILLEGAL AND BANNING THEIR USE IN ENTERTAINMENT AND AS PETS, ALONG WITH RESCUING BEARS AND PROVIDING THEM SAFETY FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES IN OUR SEVEN BEAR SANCTUARIES (SIX SANCTUARIES ACROSS EUROPE AND ONE IN VIETNAM). IN VIETNAM, FOUR PAWS'S CAMPAIGN WORK FOCUSES ON SAVING ASIATIC BLACK BEARS FROM APPALLING CONDITIONS ON FARMS WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN USED FOR THE CRUEL PRACTICE OF BILE EXTRACTION, A TERRIFYING AND PAINFUL PROCESS THAT INCLUDES REPEATEDLY PIERCING A BEAR'S ABDOMINAL WALL AND GALLBLADDER TO EXTRACT BILE FOR USE IN TRADITIONAL MEDICINE. IN THE U.S., FOUR PAWS ALSO ADVOCATES FOR LEGISLATIVE CHANGES TO PROTECT BOTH WILD AND CAPTIVE BEARS FROM ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION. THIS INCLUDES SUPPORTING STATE BANS ON THEIR USE IN CIRCUSES, LIKE THE ONE PASSED BY MASSACHUSETTS IN 2024. ALSO IN 2024, FOUR PAWS REACHED NEW AUDIENCES WITH THE THIRD ANNUAL MARCH NAPNESS COMPETITION, AN ANNUAL TOURNAMENT-STYLE BRACKET COMPETITION THAT HIGHLIGHTS RESCUED BEARS. INSPIRED BY MARCH MADNESS, MARCH NAPNESS IS AN AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT AND PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN CELEBRATING OUR RESCUE BEARS AND THEIR STORIES OF RESILIENCE AND HOPE. IN JULY 2024, WE WELCOMED AWARDING-WINNING AUTHOR AND PLANT-BASED CHEF PRIYANKA NAIK TO BEAR SANCTUARY MURITZ. HERE SHE FILMED IN THE BEAR KITCHEN WHERE SHE ASSEMBLED A TREAT FOR THE BEARS, MANY OF WHICH PARTICIPATED IN MARCH NAPNESS. CHEF PRIYANKA GRACIOUSLY USED HER PLATFORMS TO SHARE THE MESSAGING BEHIND MARCH NAPNESS AND OUR EFFORT TO SAVE THE SADDEST BEARS. WHILE ADVOCATING FOR THE WELFARE OF BEARS ON THE LEGISLATIVE LEVEL, OUR SANCTUARIES ENABLE US TO RESCUE WILD ANIMALS LIVING IN TERRIBLE SITUATIONS AND PROVIDE THEM WITH SPECIES-APPROPRIATE HOMES FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. FOUR PAWS' RUNS BEAR SANCTUARIES IN AUSTRIA, BULGARIA, GERMANY, KOSOVO, UKRAINE, SWITZERLAND, AND VIETNAM. IN TOTAL, FOUR PAWS CARES FOR OVER 140 RESCUED BEARS AT OUR SANCTUARIES. IN VIETNAM, FOR EXAMPLE, WE PROVIDE ON-THE-GROUND SUPPORT FOR BEARS IN NEED ON BILE FARMS AND ASSIST THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT WITH THEIR ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS BY PROVIDING LIFE-LONG HOMES AT OUR BEAR SANCTUARY NINH BINH FOR BILE BEARS THAT WERE CONFISCATED OR VOLUNTARILY HANDED OVER BY THE OWNER. IN UKRAINE, OUR BEAR SANCTUARY DOMAZHYR PROVIDES A SPECIES-APPROPRIATE HOME AND LIFELONG CARE TO MORE THAN 30 BROWN BEARS ABUSED AS BAITING BEARS TO TRAIN HUNTING DOGS, CIRCUS BEARS, BEARS KEPT IN SMALL CAGES NEXT TO RESTAURANTS TO ATTRACT CUSTOMERS, AND BEARS HELD IN OTHER INADEQUATE CONDITIONS. OUR LIONSROCK BIG CAT SANCTUARY IN SOUTH AFRICA PROVIDES A PERMANENT, SPECIES-APPROPRIATE HOME FOR OVER 100 RESCUED BIG CATS. ANIMALS RESCUED FROM CIRCUSES, PRIVATE KEEPING, CANNED HUNTING FACILITIES, AND WAR-TORN ZOOS ACROSS THE WORLD CALL THIS SANCTUARY HOME. OUR FELIDA BIG CAT SANCTUARY IN THE NETHERLANDS SPECIALIZES IN THE INTENSIVE CARE OF TRAUMATIZED BIG CATS. WHILE SOME BIG CATS WILL REMAIN AT FELIDA, OTHERS THAT ARE MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY WELL ENOUGH ARE LATER TRANSFERRED TO LIONSROCK. OUR TIERART WILD ANIMAL SANCTUARY IN GERMANY CARES FOR RESCUED TIGERS ALONG WITH PROVIDING SANCTUARY AND REHABILITATION FOR NATIVE WILDLIFE SUCH AS FOXES, RABBITS, DEER AND MORE. THE GOAL IS TO RELEASE THE NATIVE WILDLIFE BACK INTO THE WILD, WHILE PROVIDING A HOME FOR ANIMALS THAT CANNOT BE RELEASED DUE TO HEALTH OR OTHER ISSUES. BECAUSE OF FOUR PAWS' RESOURCES, EXPERTISE, AND SKILLS IN RELOCATING AND CARING FOR BIG CATS AND BEARS, WE ARE ABLE TO ASSIST WITH THE PROPER ENFORCEMENT OF ANIMAL PROTECTION LEGISLATION BY PROVIDING CONFISCATED AND RESCUED BIG CATS AND BEARS WITH A SAFE AND SPECIES-APPROPRIATE FOREVER HOME. IMPROVING THE LIVES OF DOGS AND CATS: WE WORK TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF STRAY AND COMMUNITY-OWNED COMPANION ANIMALS BY PROVIDING SPAY AND NEUTER PROCEDURES, VACCINATIONS, AND MEDICAL CARE, CONDUCTING COMMUNITY OUTREACH, PROVIDING VETERINARY AND ANIMAL CARETAKER TRAINING, AND REHOMING DOGS AND CATS WHERE POSSIBLE. FOUR PAWS' STRAY ANIMAL CARE (SAC) PROJECTS CONTINUE IN EASTERN EUROPE AND SOUTHEAST ASIA, THAILAND, UKRAINE, MOLDOVA, AND BULGARIA FOR EXAMPLE, RESULTING IN THOUSANDS OF DOGS AND CATS NOW HAVING A BETTER AND SAFER FUTURE. THE FOUR PAWS SAC TEAMS HAVE BEEN WORKING IN VARIOUS CITIES IN UKRAINE SINCE 2012. THANKS TO MORE THAN A DECADE OF IN-COUNTRY EXPERIENCE AND CONNECTIONS, AND INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT, FOUR PAWS SUCCESSFULLY CONTINUED ITS EFFORTS FOR DOGS AND CATS IN UKRAINE THROUGHOUT 2024. IN 2024, WE DIRECTLY HELPED MORE THAN 11,600 DOGS AND CATS WITH STERILIZATIONS AND VACCINATIONS, MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH OUR MOBILE CLINIC ACTIVITIES, OUR UNIQUE PROJECT KISHKA TO HELP UKRAINE'S STRAY CAT POPULATION, AND OUR COLLABORATION WITH UKRAINIAN VETERINARY MEDICINE FOUNDATION (UVMF). THROUGH OUR HUMANE AND SUSTAINABLE EFFORTS TO REDUCE STRAY ANIMAL POPULATIONS, WE PREVENTED THE BIRTH OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PUPPIES AND KITTENS ON WAR-TORN STREETS. ADDITIONALLY, MORE THAN 820 SICK OR INJURED DOGS AND CATS RECEIVED LIFE-SAVING MEDICAL TREATMENTS. FOUR PAWS IS WORKING TOWARDS ENDING THE DOG AND CAT MEAT TRADE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA. FOUR PAWS HAS ESTABLISHED PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS WITH LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN CAMBODIA, VIETNAM, AND INDONESIA, ALONG WITH WORKING WITH GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND OTHER GROUPS CONNECTED TO THE TRADE IN ORDER TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY EDUCATION, RESCUES, VETERINARY SERVICES, SPAY/NEUTER PROGRAMS, AND OTHER IMPORTANT SERVICES. AN ESTIMATED 10 MILLION DOGS AND SEVERAL MILLION CATS ARE KILLED FOR THE MEAT TRADE EVERY YEAR IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, MAKING IT ARGUABLY ONE OF THE MOST SEVERE COMPANION ANIMAL WELFARE ISSUES IN THE REGION, IF NOT IN THE WORLD. IN 2024, FOUR PAWS SPONSORED AND SUPPORTED IMPORTANT EVENTS IN ALL THREE COUNTRIES, INCLUDING EVENTS ATTENDED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN VIETNAM WHERE WE ANNOUNCED OUR OVER TWO MILLION PETITION SIGNATURES RECEIVED IN SUPPORT OF ENDING THE TRADE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA AND DISCUSSED ENDING THE TRADE AND ITS CONNECTION TO ONE HEALTH AND RABIES PREVENTION.