4 October 2021 – Global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS rescued three female and four male lions on 29 September from unsafe keeping conditions Picior de Munte in Southern Romania. After a journey across Europe through Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Germany, the seven lions finally reached their new home at FELIDA Big Cat Sanctuary in the Netherlands, on 1 October. FOUR PAWS will keep negotiating with the former owner to end breeding on-site for good and find a species-appropriate solution for three lions he refused to part with. After years of being exploited and kept in inappropriate conditions, the seven rescued lions can now finally start a life worthy of a lion.

The FOUR PAWS team travelled around 40 hours and 2,000 kilometers and crossed five borders to bring the lions to their new home. 

While lions Elza and Simba, who were kept separate from the others and need special care, will most likely stay at FELIDA, FOUR PAWS plans to bring the five younger lions to its LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary in South Africa as soon as possible.

FOUR PAWS CEO Josef Pfabigan was also on-site in the Netherlands to welcome the new arrivals: “These seven lions represent thousands of wild animals in captivity worldwide. When we turn the spotlight on these lions rescued from private keeping, we bring all those animals out of the dark who are still suffering. Our rescue missions are not only about providing a better life for individual animals but also about creating awareness that we need to treat all creatures in this world with respect, empathy and understanding.”

Owner changed his mind on agreement to end breeding

Three lions – the parents of the seven rescued lions as well a recently born cub – stayed behind as the owner refused to part with them. He initially agreed to let FOUR PAWS vasectomise the adult male lion to permanently prevent further breeding on-site. However, during the rescue mission, he changed his mind. The FOUR PAWS team was not allowed to treat the lion accordingly but was able to give temporary anti-conception to the female. “We are disappointed about this setback, but we are not giving up on these lions so easily. Wild animals belong in the wilderness. If they are forced into captivity by humans and cannot be released into the wild, we can offer species-appropriate care tailored to the needs of the individual animals. Moreover, if we can prevent any further animals from being bred and suffering the cruel fate of inappropriate keeping or commercial exploitation, we will do everything in our power to make it happen. We urge the former owner to respect the agreement signed with FOUR PAWS and ensure that further breeding and trade of big cats will not be possible on his property,” says Dungler.

Dutch sanctuary for traumatised big cats

FELIDA Big Cat Sanctuary in the Netherlands is one of multiple FOUR PAWS sanctuaries worldwide for rescued wild animals. It functions as a special care facility for physically and mentally traumatised big cats. The big cats that recover from the hardships of their past can be transferred to LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary in South Africa. Animals that need lifelong intensive and special care, stay at FELIDA.