• Veterinarians and wildlife experts from FOUR PAWS are on-site at former Zoo Luján in Buenos Aires province for a complex emergency mission launched on 23 October
• Until the end of November, the FOUR PAWS team will be carrying out veterinary assessments of over 60 tigers and lions, as well as two brown bears
• FOUR PAWS is committed to finding species-appropriate long-term solutions for the animals

Global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS has started the first phase of its emergency mission at former Zoo Luján in Argentina, which was closed in 2020 due to serious animal welfare concerns. Veterinarians and wildlife experts are now on-site, providing over 60 big cats and two bears with urgent care. The month-long veterinary assessment – the largest of big cats in a zoo ever carried out in such a short timeframe in Latin America – presents a major logistical challenge. Many enclosures at the former zoo are small and overcrowded, housing large groups of big cats, often lions and tigers together. The bears are kept separately, also in confined conditions.

In August 2025, FOUR PAWS and the Environmental Control Brigade of the National Undersecretariat of the Environment conducted an initial visual assessment of the animals at former Zoo Luján. Following this visit, FOUR PAWS took over responsibility for the care of the big cats and bears at the site.

“We have serious concerns over the animals’ safety, health, and well-being. Some require critical attention. It is vital that we check the health status of each animal to ensure their immediate needs are addressed. To do this, every lion, tiger and bear must be sedated and moved to a temporary veterinary field unit on-site. There, two veterinary teams carry out examinations and perform emergency surgeries if needed. Our work will not end with the veterinary assessment. We are already planning next steps to ensure the animals have a better chance in life,” explains veterinarian Dr Amir Khalil, who leads the FOUR PAWS emergency mission in Argentina.

Agreement with Argentine government to better protect big cats

Easing the current animal welfare emergency at the former Zoo Luján marks the first step in delivering a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), agreed between FOUR PAWS and the Argentine government in July 2025. The MoU outlines the collective goal to end the private keeping and commercial trade of big cats in the country. It was signed by Daniel Scioli, the Secretary of Tourism, Environment, and Sports, and Luciana D’Abramo, Chief Programme Officer at FOUR PAWS.

Notes to Editor:

FOUR PAWS has been active in Argentina in recent years, carrying out several big cat rescue missions. In 2022, FOUR PAWS rescued four Bengal tigers – Mafalda, Gustavo, Messi and Sandro – that had been confined in train carriages for over 15 years. In a complex, multi-continent mission, they were relocated to LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary in South Africa. In 2023, FOUR PAWS rescued two neglected tigers from an illegal breeding farm in Balcarce. With no suitable sanctuaries for big cats available in Argentina, the animals were transferred to Al Ma’wa for Nature and Wildlife in Jordan.