FOUR PAWS estimates that dozens of bears are still being kept in poor captivity in Southeast Europe. Some of them live in the most appalling conditions and in cages that are far too small, badly structured and inadequately equipped. Not only private owners keep animals in conditions not suited to their species, also many zoos and animal parks do not fulfil the minimum standards for keeping wildlife as set out in the EU Zoos Directive.
FOUR PAWS aims to permanently improve the situation of captive brown bears in Southeast Europe.
overview of four paws help for bears in southeast europe
FOUR PAWS has already helped many bears in Southeast Europe and rescued some of them from catastrophic conditions. So far FOUR PAWS successfully ended the cruel practice of keeping dancing bears in Bulgaria and Serbia, and the illegal private keeping of bears outside of restaurants in Kosovo. Thanks to the initiative of FOUR PAWS and other animal welfare organisations, the keeping of bears outside of restaurants in Albania has also come to an end.
our solution
A new life for rescued animals in our bear sanctuaries
