It’s hard to believe it’s been just 8 months since I joined FOUR PAWS. I’m so inspired by how much we have accomplished together already. We are changing the lives of animals around the world, and it couldn’t happen without people like you.

Despite the global challenges we faced individually and collectively, your support had a global impact on animals. These are not FOUR PAWS’ achievements; they are your achievements.

With so many wins for animals and so many reasons to be proud of our efforts to rescue and protect animals in need, I would like to take a moment to reflect on two stories in particular.  

For over three decades, Asian elephant Kaavan had been confined to an inadequate enclosure of the Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad, Pakistan. He lived alone for the first six years of his life until he was joined by a mate, elephant Saheli from Bangladesh. The two elephants spent the next 22 years together, until tragically, Saheli developed a leg infection from cuts caused by her chains and died in 2012. 

Deeply affected by the death of his life companion, Kaavan showed signs of stress and aggression which resulted in attention from animal rights activists who dubbed him the "world's loneliest elephant". Following campaigning efforts from animal rights activists and a storm of media attention, he was finally rescued by FOUR PAWS on the 29th November 2020 and relocated to Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary.  

We recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of Kaavan’s rescue, and it’s such a joy to see him thriving in his new home. With access to hectares of spacious jungle, a huge pool built just for him, and surrounded by other elephants, he is now living a happy and enriched life. I am so inspired by Kaavan’s story, whose resilience teaches us to never give up hope, even in our darkest moments.  

An issue very close to my heart is the exploitation of bears for their bile. I have seen first-hand the cruelty and suffering experienced by bears kept for this purpose. After working on the ground volunteering to help rehabilitate bears rescued from the bile industry, I was shocked at how little the world knew about this deeply cruel practice. This is just one of the reasons I joined the FOUR PAWS family and why we are determined to #SavetheSaddestBears.

(Scratch the image below to reveal the life we want to give bile bears at our sanctuary)

I know we say this a lot, but it’s true, you are what makes this work possible, and we can’t thank you enough. It’s not just the impact we’ve made together that I am proud of. I am constantly inspired by our supporters – every donation, every petition signature, every story you share on social media, is making a difference.   

There is nothing more powerful than a movement of people, who share the same values to reveal animal suffering, rescue animals in need, and protect the lives of all animals.  

So here’s to you and to making 2022 an even better year than the last!

For the animals,
Rebecca Linigen