help for bears

Unfortunately, not every bear gets to live freely in the wild: many are forced to perform in circuses, are kept as baiting bears that must fight to survive or are forced to pose for selfies with tourists. These bears are regarded as a lucrative source of income for their owners, and are usually kept in terrible conditions. 

Worldwide, there are many forms of cruel bear keeping and abuse, and it is our task to intervene. Support our campaigns to end the keeping of bears in unsuitable and cruel conditions! 

bear in need

meet the bears


starring in our national TV campaign to Rescue Bears

Read their story
bear in need

rescue captive bears now


Help end their suffering

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support the #saddestbears campaign

Help us to end the keeping of bears in conditions unsuited to the species

Bile bear in a cage

bile bear farms in vietnam

FOUR PAWS fights for bears abused for bile in Vietnam

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bear in cage

Bears in Southeast Europe

FOUR PAWS campaigns for a legal ban of cruel bear keeping in Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Serbia

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bear in cage

bears in ukraine

FOUR PAWS campaigns against illegal bear-baiting in Ukraine and rescues former baiting bears

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Our work for bears

meet our rescued bears

Bear Potap

Rescue Bear Potap

Potap is now able to enjoy a peaceful life in a near-natural environment


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Jambolina looks over her new home

Rescue Bear Jambolina

After many years in the circus, a new life is finally beginning for the brown bear


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Bear Luna

Rescue Bear Luna

One of Europe’s saddest bears rescued


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Bears May and Binh Yen

Rescue Bears May and Binh Yen

FOUR PAWS ends the keeping of bile bears in Ninh Binh province


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Rescue Bear Cubs Mochi, Nara and Nikko

Rescue Bear Cubs Mochi, Nara and Nikko

Three bear cubs saved in Vietnam from illegal wildlife traders


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Bear Jeta

Rescue Bear Jeta

New home for one of Europe's saddest bears


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Bear Teddy in a tiny cage

Rescue Bear Teddy

Bear Teddy gets the life he deserves in BEAR SANCTUARY Belitsa!


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7 bile bears rescued

Rescue Seven Bile Bears

Asiatic black bears La, Lam, Sang, Dua, Khe, Oi and Xoai begin their new lives at BEAR SANCTUARY Ninh Binh 


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our bear sanctuaries

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

Bear Erich at BEAR SANCTUARY Arbesbach

BEAR SANCTUARY Arbesbach

A FOUR PAWS project for abused bears in Austria since 1998

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Bear Cuc BEAR SANCTUARY Ninh Binh

BEAR SANCTUARY Ninh Binh

A FOUR PAWS project in Vietnam since 2017

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Bear Amelia at Arosa Bear Sanctuary

Arosa Bear Sanctuary

A cooperation project between FOUR PAWS and Arosa tourism in Switzerland since 2011

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Bear Pashuk at BEAR SANCTUARY Prishtina

BEAR SANCTUARY Prishtina

A FOUR PAWS project in Kosovo since 2013

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Bear Ruta taking a bath at BEAR SANCTUARY Domazhyr

BEAR SANCTUARY Domazhyr

The FOUR PAWS forever home for abused brown bears in Ukraine since 2016

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Bear Standy at Belitsa

BEAR SANCTUARY Belitsa

A FOUR PAWS cooperation project in Bulgaria since 2000

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Bear Luna at BEAR SANCTUARY Müritz

BEAR SANCTUARY Müritz

A FOUR PAWS project in Germany since 2006

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Bear Bodia at BEAR SANCTUARY Domazhyr

meet the animals we rescued!


Stories about bears we freed from captivity

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