• We work alongside governments to change laws - aiming to end the inappropriate keeping of bears and big cats in zoos, circuses and in private keeping
• We reveal suffering and cause momentum with petitions
• We rescue animals in need on challenging missions
• We protect these animals by providing them a life-long home at our sanctuaries

The commercial trade with captive tigers is legal and out of control throughout the EU. Whether performing in circus shows, bought as pets or killed and turned into traditional medicine, a lack of regulation in Europe is putting an almost extinct species at great risk. No authority or country knows how many tigers are currently kept in the European Union or what happens to them during their life or once they’re dead.

We’re fighting to change that!

South Africa has more than 300 captive wildlife facilities that breed and keep an estimated 10,000-12,000 lions, cheetahs, leopards, caracals, tigers and even ligers (crossbreed between a lion and tiger). Its estimated that 500-1,000 tigers are in captivity in South Africa.

FOUR PAWS operates a rapid response, highly skilled expert unit equipped to help animals in the face of natural disaster or catastrophes caused by humans.

Tiger Laziz arrived at LIONSROCK in August 2016 after being rescued from Khan Younis Zoo in Gaza. The zoo was named as the worst zoo in the world. Laziz, the only surviving big cat, was one of 15 animals left in the zoo – the survivors from what had once been a collection of hundreds of animals. His rehabilitation has been challenging, but it is clear that he’s recovering from his horrible past. After first arriving at LIONSROCK all seemed well, until the first seasonal thunderstorm struck. Months of rehabilitation was compromised in an instant as he associated the sound of this storm with that of bomb attacks. It took several months for him to cope with these regular summer storms in the Free State. The team of caretakers had to put a lot of adaptive measures in place to make him feel at ease in his surrounding again. Besides that, special care and attention was given to him through which the team gained his trust again.

LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary is a big cat sanctuary established by FOUR PAWS, dedicated to rescuing animals held in captivity. The rescued animals originate from Austria, Bulgaria, Congo, France, Gaza, Germany, Switzerland, Jordan, Serbia, Romania, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and South Africa, Iraq and Syria.  

LIONSROCK has already rescued more than 150 big cats from all over the world. These animals are provided with a lifelong home and habitat appropriate to their species.