Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago

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🆘#EmergencyMissionArgentina – Veterinary Assessments Completed! 🎉

To begin with the words of mission leader Dr Amir Khalil:
“One team, one dream – nothing is impossible.” ⭐

In less than a month, our expert team, together with the FOUR PAWS veterinarians and the vets from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, treated:
🦁 32 lions
🐯 30 tigers
🐻 2 bears
at the former Zoo Luján in Argentina.

All of this was only possible thanks to outstanding teamwork, and the invaluable support and cooperation of the police, the ministry, and the dedicated staff on-site.
We are incredibly proud of this achievement — but above all, we are grateful that we were able to help so many animals and relieve their pain! 🩵

Our vets treated numerous wounds caused by inappropriate keeping conditions leading to fights between the animals. Thanks to the castration of ALL male big cats and the regrouping of some of the animals, we expect far less tension and many fewer conflicts in the future, allowing for more harmony within their groups.

Another major finding from the assessments was that many of the animals suffer from kidney and liver issues — common diseases in big cats in captivity without species-appropriate care. Many also had broken teeth with open root canals from biting the bars of their enclosures, meaning countless hours went into essential dental work. 🦷

Unfortunately, many of the lions and tigers were declawed when they were young. This was once a common practice in facilities that used big cats for human entertainment, which can lead to long-term health issues such as arthritis, lameness, and deformities of the paws.

Reaching a total of 64 veterinary checks marks the completion of a monumental task — one where every animal was treated with respect and understanding, receiving the medical care they urgently needed.
But none of this would have been possible without you — our incredible community! 💚

The #EmergencyMissionArgentina is far from over... This was only the first step towards a long-term, species-appropriate solution for these animals.

➡️ Keep an eye on our updates in the coming months to follow the next developments in the lives of the animals from the former Zoo Luján!

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