![A lion on a leash? Absolutely NOT! | FOUR PAWS | [SUBS] @FOURPAWS.International](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/DeerGhDk16k/maxresdefault.jpg)
Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
“A lion on a leash” is a sentence that should not exist. 💔
A lion cub is being walked on a leash on the street. Two bear cubs are being “cuddled” by their private owners. In just a few weeks, we have received reports from Albania showing videos of wild animals being treated as pets and exploited on social media.
And whilst many users may only see harmless young animals, we see a systemic issue that requires URGENT attention. 🚨 These are not isolated cases: used as trophies and status symbols; private owners showcase wild animals on their channels, posing significant risks to the safety of both animals and people.
Wild animals are not pets. ❌
A lion or a bear cannot be domesticated, as they are not adapted to human contact. Even animals snatched from their mother at a young and hand-raised eventually become too big and too dangerous to keep, often ending up being sold or living in unsuitable conditions. This leads to long-lasting health issues.
We have seen over the years many cases demonstrating the devastating consequences private keeping of wild animals can have. Normalising such interactions with big cats or bears fuels commercial breeding, poaching and illegal wildlife trade. Large predators end up living in backyards, and even for the few lucky ones that are rescued, their early start in life under human exploitation often leads to abnormal behaviours as they try to cope with fear and trauma.
Help us raise awareness and restore respect for wild species by keeping them where they belong: in the wild.
Please donate to your local FOUR PAWS office should your country have one. This ensures you maximise the appropriate tax deductions according to your country's tax code.
*FOUR PAWS International*
🫴 DONATE: donate.four-paws.org/s
❤️ ADOPT: four-paws.org/get-involved/adoption-programme
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FOUR PAWS International
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“A lion on a leash” is a sentence that should not exist. 💔
A lion cub is being walked on a leash on the street. Two bear cubs are being “cuddled” by their private owners. In just a few weeks, we have received reports from Albania showing videos of wild animals being treated as pets and exploited on social media.
And whilst many users may only see harmless young animals, we see a systemic issue that requires URGENT attention. 🚨 These are not isolated cases: used as trophies and status symbols; private owners showcase wild animals on their channels, posing significant risks to the safety of both animals and people.
Wild animals are not pets. ❌
A lion or a bear cannot be domesticated, as they are not adapted to human contact. Even animals snatched from their mother at a young and hand-raised eventually become too big and too dangerous to keep, often ending up being sold or living in unsuitable conditions. This leads to long-lasting health issues.
We have seen over the years many cases demonstrating the devastating consequences private keeping of wild animals can have. Normalising such interactions with big cats or bears fuels commercial breeding, poaching and illegal wildlife trade. Large predators end up living in backyards, and even for the few lucky ones that are rescued, their early start in life under human exploitation often leads to abnormal behaviours as they try to cope with fear and trauma.
Help us raise awareness and restore respect for wild species by keeping them where they belong: in the wild.
Please donate to your local FOUR PAWS office should your country have one. This ensures you maximise the appropriate tax deductions according to your country's tax code.
*FOUR PAWS International*
🫴 DONATE: donate.four-paws.org/s
❤️ ADOPT: four-paws.org/get-involved/adoption-programme
Don't forget to subscribe to this channel to be informed when we upload a new video! Thanks for your support! The FOUR PAWS team
🔗 *LET'S CONNECT*
FOUR PAWS International
Instagram ➜ four-paws.org/instagram
Facebook ➜ four-paws.org/facebook
LinkedIn ➜ four-paws.org/linkedin
Threads ➜ threads.net/four_paws_international
X ➜ https://x.com/fourpawsint
TikTok ➜ tiktok.com/@fourpawsinternational
![A lion on a leash? Absolutely NOT! | FOUR PAWS | [SUBS]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/DeerGhDk16k/mqdefault.jpg "A lion on a leash? Absolutely NOT! | FOUR PAWS | [SUBS]
“A lion on a leash” is a sentence that should not exist. 💔
A lion cub is being walked on a leash on the street. Two bear cubs are being “cuddled” by their private owners. In just a few weeks, we have received reports from Albania showing videos of wild animals being treated as pets and exploited on social media.
And whilst many users may only see harmless young animals, we see a systemic issue that requires URGENT attention. 🚨 These are not isolated cases: used as trophies and status symbols; private owners showcase wild animals on their channels, posing significant risks to the safety of both animals and people.
Wild animals are not pets. ❌
A lion or a bear cannot be domesticated, as they are not adapted to human contact. Even animals snatched from their mother at a young and hand-raised eventually become too big and too dangerous to keep, often ending up being sold or living in unsuitable conditions. This leads to long-lasting health issues.
We have seen over the years many cases demonstrating the devastating consequences private keeping of wild animals can have. Normalising such interactions with big cats or bears fuels commercial breeding, poaching and illegal wildlife trade. Large predators end up living in backyards, and even for the few lucky ones that are rescued, their early start in life under human exploitation often leads to abnormal behaviours as they try to cope with fear and trauma.
Help us raise awareness and restore respect for wild species by keeping them where they belong: in the wild.
Please donate to your local FOUR PAWS office should your country have one. This ensures you maximise the appropriate tax deductions according to your countrys tax code.
*FOUR PAWS International*
🫴 DONATE: https://donate.four-paws.org/s/
❤️ ADOPT: https://www.four-paws.org/get-involved/adoption-programme
Dont forget to subscribe to this channel to be informed when we upload a new video! Thanks for your support! The FOUR PAWS team
🔗 *LETS CONNECT*
FOUR PAWS International
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![Use this, the next time you go shopping! | FOUR PAWS | [SUBS]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/DsT1B3yKukg/mqdefault.jpg "Use this, the next time you go shopping! | FOUR PAWS | [SUBS]
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Check out the Directory here 👉 https://www.four-paws.org/campaigns-topics/campaigns/wearitkind/wik-brand-directory
Want to shop in a way that doesn’t hurt animals?
The Wear It Kind Directory helps you do exactly that! Our team has reviewed and rated 300+ fashion brands based on how they approach animal welfare. 🧥🦊
We review brands across four key animal welfare issues, such as live lamb cutting, fur use, down use and efforts to reduce animal materials.
Everything is rated so you can see where a brand stands at a glance.
How to use it:
🔍 Search a brand
🏷️ Check its rating
✅ Make a kinder choice
Head to the Directory and find out where your favourite brands stand!
👉 Explore the Wear It Kind Directory today: https://www.four-paws.org/campaigns-topics/campaigns/wearitkind/wik-brand-directory
#WearItKind #ProtectLambs #EndLiveLambCutting
Please donate to your local FOUR PAWS office should your country have one. This ensures you maximise the appropriate tax deductions according to your countrys tax code.
*FOUR PAWS International*
🫴 DONATE: https://donate.four-paws.org/s/
❤️ ADOPT: https://www.four-paws.org/get-involved/adoption-programme
Dont forget to subscribe to this channel to be informed when we upload a new video! Thanks for your support! The FOUR PAWS team
🔗 *LETS CONNECT*
FOUR PAWS International
Instagram ➜ https://www.four-paws.org/instagram
Facebook ➜ https://www.four-paws.org/facebook
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TikTok ➜ https://www.tiktok.com/@fourpawsinternational")
![Bear Tortured for Entertainment Learns to Trust and Love Again 💛 | FOUR PAWS Australia [SUBS]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/E6NasbvgB5I/mqdefault.jpg "Bear Tortured for Entertainment Learns to Trust and Love Again 💛 | FOUR PAWS Australia [SUBS]
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For 16 long years, Tyson the bear lived a nightmare. Snatched from his mother as a cub, he spent his life in a dilapidated cage at a remote hunting station in western Ukraine — abused for bear-baiting, a cruel “training” ritual where hunting dogs are set upon a chained bear. 💔
Then one day in 2017, everything changed.
FOUR PAWS rescued Tyson from his torture and brought him to BEAR SANCTUARY Domazhyr, where his healing began. There, surrounded by nature and care, Tyson finally started to trust again.
He’s now confident, gentle, and curious — a bear rediscovering the joy of simply being a bear. 🌿
Tyson loves exploring his pond, playing with enrichment, and spending his days beside his lifelong friend Mashutka. These two inseparable bears swim together in summer, nap side by side, and share dens through the winter. 💞💦
From being exploited to being liberated, from an object of entertainment to a beloved individual — this is what #FromForgottenToFamily is all about. A reminder that every animal deserves to be seen, respected, and loved. 💚
🐾 Tyson’s story is just one of many.
*EXPLORE MORE*: https://fpau.org/forgotten-to-family
⛑️ Be part of our next animal rescue mission:
*GET THE NEWS*: https://fpau.org/rescue-news
💝 *DONATE*: https://donate.four-paws.org.au/
Dont forget to subscribe to this channel to be informed when we upload a new video! Thanks for your support! The FOUR PAWS Australia team
🔗 * Follow FOUR PAWS for more inspiring rescue stories: *:
FOUR PAWS in Australia
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![Playtime in Arosa 🐻💚 | FOUR PAWS | [SUBS]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EiUGo7oy9mM/mqdefault.jpg "Playtime in Arosa 🐻💚 | FOUR PAWS | [SUBS]
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Friendships make life sweeter… who’s your favourite playmate? 💕
Meimo has no doubts, it’s Amelia! 🐻💛
.
Arosa Bear Sanctuary, Switzerland’s first of its kind, is run by the Arosa Bear Foundation together with FOUR PAWS, Arosa Tourism, and Arosa Mountain Railways. ⛰️
📸: © Stiftung Arosa Bären | VIER PFOTEN
#AnimalWelfare #BearSanctuary #Switzerland
Please donate to your local FOUR PAWS office should your country have one. This ensures you maximise the appropriate tax deductions according to your countrys tax code.
*FOUR PAWS International*
🫴 DONATE: https://donate.four-paws.org/s/
❤️ ADOPT: https://www.four-paws.org/get-involved/adoption-programme
Dont forget to subscribe to this channel to be informed when we upload a new video! Thanks for your support! The FOUR PAWS team
🔗 *LETS CONNECT*
FOUR PAWS International
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![First Snow, Endless Joy for Runa and Kodi! 🌨️🐻 | FOUR PAWS | [SUBS]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FyFOOGlsNzc/mqdefault.jpg "First Snow, Endless Joy for Runa and Kodi! 🌨️🐻 | FOUR PAWS | [SUBS]
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The two youngsters were absolutely thrilled by the season’s first snowfall at BEAR SANCTUARY Domazhyr. Their incredible caretakers even surprised them with snowmen stuffed with hidden treats—what a frosty feast! 🥕🌰
Every moment was pure joy, and we couldn’t stop smiling watching them play. 🐾☃️
.
#SanctuarySaturdays are for successful animal stories from FOUR PAWS Sanctuaries and cooperation partners around the world! 🌎
#SnowmanFun #BearCubs #AnimalWelfare #Ukraine
Please donate to your local FOUR PAWS office should your country have one. This ensures you maximise the appropriate tax deductions according to your countrys tax code.
*FOUR PAWS International*
🫴 DONATE: https://donate.four-paws.org/s/
❤️ ADOPT: https://www.four-paws.org/get-involved/adoption-programme
Dont forget to subscribe to this channel to be informed when we upload a new video! Thanks for your support! The FOUR PAWS team
🔗 *LETS CONNECT*
FOUR PAWS International
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![Zoras New Beginning | FOUR PAWS | [SUBS]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/GZyYAHb3gVg/mqdefault.jpg "Zoras New Beginning | FOUR PAWS | [SUBS]
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Looking at Zora’s tired eyes behind metal bars - the reality of private keeping becomes impossible to ignore. Her space was restricted, her claws cruelly removed, her environment barren, her life reduced to waiting. 🦁🐾
FOUR PAWS estimates that at least 2,000 big cats are still kept in poor conditions across Europe. Many are housed in inadequate enclosures, lacking proper care, enrichment, and space. Even more concerning: in several countries, private ownership of big cats remains legal, despite the severe welfare risks. 🦁
On the rescue day, every detail mattered:
🚚 The careful preparation of the transport crate
👩⚕️ The expertise of the veterinary team ensuring her safety
🤝 The coordination and communication behind every movement
🦁 The specialised Big Cat Ambulance designed to
make her journey as comfortable as possible
As she was finally transferred into the crate, it marked not just a physical move, but the beginning of a new life at FELIDA Big Cat Sanctuary . ✨
Because rescues like this are not just about relocation.
They are about ending a cycle. 🔄
Private keeping often leads to:
⚠️ Inadequate housing and chronic stress
💔 Malnutrition and untreated illness
🔄 Stereotypical behaviours caused by confinement
🧬 Uncontrolled breeding and inbreeding
🚫 Animals with no viable future placement, sometimes leading to uncontrolled trade or killing
These are not isolated cases — they are systemic outcomes of a system that allows wild animals to be kept without the expertise or facilities they need.
At FELIDA, this lioness will finally have what she has been denied: space, professional care, medical attention, and the chance to recover - physically and mentally.
👉 Our work is necessary because the system still allows private keeping of big cats.
👉 Awareness is crucial, but so is stronger legislation. 📢
This rescue is one story.
But it represents thousands more. 🧡
Please donate to your local FOUR PAWS office should your country have one. This ensures you maximise the appropriate tax deductions according to your countrys tax code.
*FOUR PAWS International*
🫴 DONATE: https://donate.four-paws.org/s/
❤️ ADOPT: https://www.four-paws.org/get-involved/adoption-programme
Dont forget to subscribe to this channel to be informed when we upload a new video! Thanks for your support! The FOUR PAWS team
🔗 *LETS CONNECT*
FOUR PAWS International
Instagram ➜ https://www.four-paws.org/instagram
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