World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/sun-bear-vs-moon-bear): Sun Bear vs Moon Bear: The Two Most Trafficked Asian Bears.

## Briefing
If you have heard of bear-bile farming, you have probably heard of one or both of these species. The sun bear and the moon bear are the two bears most affected by the bile-farming industry and the wider Southeast Asian bear trade. WARN's partner-network focus for these bears is Indonesia and Malaysia; other range states such as Vietnam and Cambodia feature as wider search context, and are central to both species' range and to the bile-farming question. Our briefing on moon bears in Vietnam covers the bile industry directly. Sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) Size. 40-65 kg — the world's smallest bear. Coat. Short, sleek, jet-black. Chest patch. U-shaped or sun-shaped, cream-yellow. Tongue. Unusually long for extracting insects, honey and termites. Range. Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos. Status. Vulnerable; CITES Appendix I. Moon bear (Asiatic black bear, Ursus thibetanus) Size. 100-200 kg — much larger than the sun bear. Coat. Long, shaggy, with a distinctive thick ruff around the neck. Chest patch. V-shaped or crescent-shaped (hence "moon bear"), white. Range. Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, the Himalayas, Vietnam, China, the Russian Far East, Japan. Status. Vulnerable; CITES Appendix I. The bile-farming connection Both species' gall bladders contain ursodeoxycholic acid, which has long-standing use in some traditional medicine traditions. The synthetic form of the same molecule has been available pharmaceutically for decades. Bile-farming captures bears (most often moon bears in Vietnam, sun bears more often in Indonesia and Malaysia) and surgically extracts bile through a permanent catheter, a procedure now formally prohibited in Vietnam but still ongoing in some neighbouring countries. The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has flagged bear-bile farming as a welfare and biosecurity concern. Rescue work focuses on lifetime sanctuary care for retired bile bears, which is where partner sanctuaries WARN intends to support fit in. Rescue outcomes Most bears rescued from the bile industry or the trafficking trade cannot be released. They have spent years in cages, are habituated to humans, and frequently have skeletal deformities, dental damage and chronic disease. Lifetime sanctuary care is the standard outcome — and is expensive. A single rescued moon bear typically costs £8,000-12,000 per year to keep in a high-standard sanctuary. Sources: IUCN Red List, CITES, WOAH, UNEP-WCMC. We need your support to make this happen World Animal Rescue Network is at the launch stage of this work. We do not yet have rescue numbers to share — and that is exactly why your support matters now. Every donation helps us put trained teams on the ground, secure veterinary supplies and equipment, and reach the first animals before they are lost. Donate today to fund our first deployments, or sponsor an animal to back a specific species through rehabilitation. You can also join the network as a volunteer, fundraiser, or monthly supporter.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/pangolin-species-explained): Pangolin Species Explained: All Eight of the World's Most Trafficked Mammal.

## Summary
The eight pangolin species — Chinese, Indian, Sunda and Philippine pangolins in Asia, and white-bellied, black-bellied, giant and Temminck's ground pangolins in Africa — are all CITES Appendix I and collectively the most trafficked mammals on earth.

## Excerpt
There are eight pangolin species — four in Africa and four in Asia. All eight are trafficked. Here is the briefing.

## Takeaway
Eight species: four Asian (Chinese, Indian, Sunda, Philippine), four African (white-bellied, black-bellied, giant, Temminck's).

## Takeaway
Most trafficked mammal in the world by recorded seizure tonnage.

## Takeaway
All eight species are CITES Appendix I — no commercial international trade.

## Takeaway
Asian pangolin populations have collapsed, driving traffickers toward African species.

## Takeaway
Pangolin scales are keratin (the same protein as fingernails) and have no clinically demonstrated medicinal effect.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/pangolin-species-explained): Pangolin Species Explained: All Eight of the World's Most Trafficked Mammal.

## Briefing
The pangolin is the most trafficked mammal in the world by recorded seizure tonnage. There are eight species — four Asian and four African — and all eight are listed on CITES Appendix I. The four Asian pangolins Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) — Critically Endangered. Range across southern China, Vietnam, Laos, Bhutan, Nepal and northern India. Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) — Endangered. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh. Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) — Critically Endangered. Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar. Philippine pangolin (Manis culionensis) — Critically Endangered. Endemic to the Palawan island group. The four African pangolins White-bellied (tree) pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis) — Endangered. Central and West African rainforests. Black-bellied (long-tailed) pangolin (Phataginus tetradactyla) — Vulnerable. Central African rainforests. Giant ground pangolin (Smutsia gigantea) — Endangered. Equatorial Africa. Temminck's ground pangolin (Smutsia temminckii) — Vulnerable. East and Southern Africa, including Kenya and Tanzania. Why pangolins are trafficked Pangolin scales — made of the same keratin as human fingernails and hair — are used in some traditional-medicine markets despite no clinically demonstrated medicinal effect. Pangolin meat is also a luxury food in parts of East Asia. The combination drove Asian populations to functional collapse over the past two decades, which is why African pangolins are now under intensifying trafficking pressure. How pangolins are seized UNODC's World Wildlife Crime Report documents seizures of multiple-tonne pangolin-scale shipments at major Asian and African ports. A single shipping container can hold the scales of thousands of pangolins. How WARN fits in WARN's planned pangolin work aims to support partner rehabilitation work in Malaysia, Vietnam and East Africa. Pangolins seized in raids urgently need expert care — they are notoriously hard to keep alive in captivity, which is exactly why dedicated pangolin sanctuaries matter so much. Sources: IUCN Red List, CITES Appendix I, UNODC World Wildlife Crime Report, UNEP-WCMC. We need your support to make this happen World Animal Rescue Network is at the launch stage of this work. We do not yet have rescue numbers to share — and that is exactly why your support matters now. Every donation helps us put trained teams on the ground, secure veterinary supplies and equipment, and reach the first animals before they are lost. Donate today to fund our first deployments, or sponsor an animal to back a specific species through rehabilitation. You can also join the network as a volunteer, fundraiser, or monthly supporter.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/what-is-cites): What Is CITES? The Treaty That Controls the Global Wildlife Trade.

## Summary
CITES — the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora — is an international treaty in force since 1975 that regulates the cross-border trade of more than 38,000 plant and animal species through three Appendices of increasing restrictiveness; almost every country in the world is a party.

## Excerpt
CITES — the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species — controls the international trade of more than 38,000 species. Here is the plain-English explainer.

## Takeaway
International treaty in force since 1975.

## Takeaway
More than 38,000 species listed across three Appendices.

## Takeaway
Appendix I: no commercial international trade — the most endangered species.

## Takeaway
Appendix II: trade permitted with export permits — controlled but not banned.

## Takeaway
Appendix III: trade controls requested by individual range states.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/what-is-cites): What Is CITES? The Treaty That Controls the Global Wildlife Trade.

## Briefing
CITES — the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora — is the international treaty that controls the cross-border movement of wild animals and plants. It has been in force since 1975, has been signed by more than 180 countries, and currently regulates the trade of more than 38,000 species. The three Appendices Appendix I. Species threatened with extinction. No commercial international trade. Includes tigers, all great apes, pangolins, all rhinos, sea turtles, many parrots and many cetaceans. Examples: Pongo pygmaeus (Bornean orangutan), Manis javanica (Sunda pangolin), Panthera tigris (tiger). Appendix II. Species not currently threatened with extinction but at risk if trade is uncontrolled. Trade permitted with export permits. Includes hippos, many crocodile species, many corals, many timber species, many parrots and cacti. Appendix III. Species protected at the request of a specific range state. Trade controls limited to specified countries. How CITES actually works CITES is enforced at national borders. Each party country designates a Management Authority (which issues permits) and a Scientific Authority (which assesses sustainability). Importers and exporters must obtain CITES permits before moving listed species across borders, including dead specimens, parts and derivatives. A pangolin scale is as regulated as a live pangolin. What CITES does not do It does not control domestic trade. Each country sets its own internal rules. Some countries ban domestic ivory sales entirely (including the UK); others permit them. It does not address welfare. CITES is a trade-control treaty. Welfare standards for transported animals fall under separate frameworks (notably IATA Live Animals Regulations and WOAH). It does not list every endangered species. A species can be Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List without being on a CITES Appendix, and vice versa. Why this matters for WARN supporters Every animal WARN's partner rescues handles is implicitly a CITES question. Confiscated pangolins, parrots, slow lorises and primate species are CITES Appendix I or II. International transfer between sanctuaries requires CITES permits. Returning rescued wildlife to range countries requires CITES permits. The treaty is the operating system of international wildlife rescue. Sources: CITES Secretariat, UNEP-WCMC, UNODC World Wildlife Crime Report. We need your support to make this happen World Animal Rescue Network is at the launch stage of this work. We do not yet have rescue numbers to share — and that is exactly why your support matters now. Every donation helps us put trained teams on the ground, secure veterinary supplies and equipment, and reach the first animals before they are lost. Donate today to fund our first deployments, or sponsor an animal to back a specific species through rehabilitation. You can also join the network as a volunteer, fundraiser, or monthly supporter.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/what-is-iucn-red-list): What Is the IUCN Red List? The Global Standard for Extinction Risk.

## Summary
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species, maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and classifies species into nine categories from Least Concern through Vulnerable, Endangered and Critically Endangered to Extinct in the Wild and Extinct.

## Excerpt
The IUCN Red List is the world's most comprehensive measure of biodiversity loss — and the source we cite for every species status on this site. Here is what it does, and what it doesn't.

## Takeaway
Nine official categories: NE, DD, LC, NT, VU, EN, CR, EW, EX.

## Takeaway
Critically Endangered (CR) is the highest threat category before Extinct in the Wild.

## Takeaway
Each species is reassessed periodically based on population size, range, decline rate and threats.

## Takeaway
The Red List is data; it does not directly trigger legal protection — that requires CITES and national law.

## Takeaway
Approximately 30% of assessed species are currently threatened with extinction.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/what-is-iucn-red-list): What Is the IUCN Red List? The Global Standard for Extinction Risk.

## Briefing
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is the world's most authoritative measure of extinction risk. It is maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, has assessed more than 160,000 species, and is the source WARN cites for almost every species status on this site. The nine categories EX — Extinct. No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. EW — Extinct in the Wild. Survives only in captivity or in introduced populations. CR — Critically Endangered. Facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. EN — Endangered. Facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild. VU — Vulnerable. Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. NT — Near Threatened. Close to qualifying for a threatened category. LC — Least Concern. Widespread and abundant. DD — Data Deficient. Insufficient information to assess. NE — Not Evaluated. Not yet assessed. See our explainer on Endangered vs Critically Endangered for a deeper look at the difference between the threat categories. How the categories are decided Each species is assessed against quantitative criteria — population size, rate of decline, geographic range, fragmentation — by specialist groups of biologists. Assessments are reviewed every 5-10 years (more frequently for species of high conservation interest). What the Red List is not It is not a legal framework. A Critically Endangered listing does not by itself prohibit trade or hunting — that requires CITES, national wildlife law and protected-area designation. It is not a funding decision. Many of the most-endangered species receive less conservation funding than well-known charismatic species in lower categories. It is not complete. Most invertebrates, fungi and plants are under-assessed or unassessed. Recent assessments WARN cites often African forest elephant — Critically Endangered (2021). African savanna elephant — Endangered (2021). Komodo dragon — Endangered (2021). Snow leopard — Vulnerable (2017, downlisted from Endangered). Sources: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, IUCN SSC Species Survival Commission. We need your support to make this happen World Animal Rescue Network is at the launch stage of this work. We do not yet have rescue numbers to share — and that is exactly why your support matters now. Every donation helps us put trained teams on the ground, secure veterinary supplies and equipment, and reach the first animals before they are lost. Donate today to fund our first deployments, or sponsor an animal to back a specific species through rehabilitation. You can also join the network as a volunteer, fundraiser, or monthly supporter.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/endangered-vs-critically-endangered): Endangered vs Critically Endangered: What the Difference Actually Means.

## Summary
Critically Endangered (CR) and Endangered (EN) are the two highest threat categories of the IUCN Red List below extinction: Critically Endangered means the species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild, typically with population decline of 80% or more over three generations, while Endangered means a very high risk of extinction with typical population decline of 50% or more over three generations.

## Excerpt
The two terms get used interchangeably in fundraising copy. They are not the same. Here is the IUCN definition of each, with examples.

## Takeaway
Both are formal IUCN Red List threat categories.

## Takeaway
Critically Endangered (CR) is one step above Extinct in the Wild — the most severe living category.

## Takeaway
Endangered (EN) is the category below CR.

## Takeaway
Both are defined by quantitative criteria: population size, decline rate, geographic range, fragmentation.

## Takeaway
A species can move between categories in either direction — recoveries are downlisted, declines are uplisted.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/endangered-vs-critically-endangered): Endangered vs Critically Endangered: What the Difference Actually Means.

## Briefing
"Endangered" and "Critically Endangered" are used interchangeably by most charity fundraising — including, in the past, by us. They are not the same thing. The IUCN Red List defines them very precisely. Critically Endangered (CR) The highest threat category before Extinct in the Wild. A species qualifies if it meets any of the following (simplified): Population decline of 80% or more over three generations or ten years (whichever is longer). Wild population fewer than 250 mature individuals, and continuing decline. Wild population fewer than 50 mature individuals. Quantitative analysis showing 50%+ probability of extinction within ten years or three generations. Examples WARN cites: Javan rhino, Sumatran rhino, Amur leopard, Sumatran tiger, Sunda pangolin, African forest elephant, West African lion, Hawksbill sea turtle. Endangered (EN) One category below CR. A species qualifies if it meets any of (simplified): Population decline of 50% or more over three generations or ten years. Wild population fewer than 2,500 mature individuals, and continuing decline. Quantitative analysis showing 20%+ probability of extinction within 20 years or five generations. Examples WARN cites: Asian elephant, African savanna elephant, Bornean orangutan, Sumatran orangutan, African wild dog, Komodo dragon. Why the distinction matters The categories are designed to be policy-relevant. A Critically Endangered species typically needs emergency intervention — captive-breeding insurance populations, intensive anti-poaching, sometimes translocation. An Endangered species typically still has wild range and a recoverable population if the threats are addressed. This matters for fundraising honesty. When a charity says "this Endangered species is on the brink of extinction," that is often technically untrue — the Critically Endangered category is the brink-of-extinction category. We try not to write that way at WARN. The species we cover are accurately categorised because the IUCN's categories are the standard, not because rounding everything up to Critically Endangered sells more. Sources: IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria (v3.1). We need your support to make this happen World Animal Rescue Network is at the launch stage of this work. We do not yet have rescue numbers to share — and that is exactly why your support matters now. Every donation helps us put trained teams on the ground, secure veterinary supplies and equipment, and reach the first animals before they are lost. Donate today to fund our first deployments, or sponsor an animal to back a specific species through rehabilitation. You can also join the network as a volunteer, fundraiser, or monthly supporter.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/african-wild-dog-endangered-painted-wolf): The African Wild Dog: Endangered, Misunderstood and Snare-Vulnerable.

## Summary
The African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) — also called the painted wolf — is an Endangered carnivore of Sub-Saharan Africa with an estimated 6,600 mature individuals remaining in fragmented populations; it is one of the carnivore species most consistently injured or killed by wire snares set for bushmeat.

## Excerpt
Also called the painted wolf, the African wild dog is one of Africa's most endangered carnivores. Fewer than an estimated 6,600 mature individuals remain.

## Takeaway
Listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.

## Takeaway
Estimated 6,600 mature individuals remain across fragmented Sub-Saharan populations.

## Takeaway
Highly social: lives in packs of 6-20 with strong cooperative hunting.

## Takeaway
Snaring is one of the leading causes of pack mortality — directly addressed by WARN's Elephant Appeal.

## Takeaway
Vaccine-preventable diseases (canine distemper, rabies) are a serious threat to small populations.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/african-wild-dog-endangered-painted-wolf): The African Wild Dog: Endangered, Misunderstood and Snare-Vulnerable.

## Briefing
The African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) — increasingly called the painted wolf in conservation literature — is one of the most socially cooperative and most steeply declining of Africa's carnivores. Where lions and elephants get the photographs, wild dogs get the snares. WARN is preparing to operate in Kenya and Tanzania , two countries that hold meaningful African wild dog populations — and that have some of the most active anti-snaring rescue work on the continent. How many wild dogs are left? The IUCN Red List estimates around 6,600 mature individuals across all of Sub-Saharan Africa, in fragmented populations. Strongholds include the Selous-Niassa ecosystem (Tanzania and Mozambique), the Okavango (Botswana), Kruger (South Africa), Zimbabwe's lowveld and northern Kenya. Why wild dogs are Endangered Snaring. Wide-ranging pack carnivores are disproportionately exposed to snare lines set for bushmeat species. Snares are the leading non-disease cause of wild-dog pack disruption documented by long-term studies. Habitat fragmentation. Wild dogs need extremely large home ranges — a single pack can use 500-2,000 km². As savannas are fenced and converted, pack viability drops. Retaliatory killing. Packs that take livestock are shot, speared or poisoned. Wild dogs are highly visible during daytime hunts, which makes them easier to kill than nocturnal carnivores. Vaccine-preventable disease. Canine distemper and rabies — both transmissible from domestic dogs — have repeatedly wiped out small wild-dog populations. This is one of the few wildlife-rescue problems with a direct solution: vaccinate domestic dogs in adjacent communities. What is working Snare-removal patrols, rapid-response veterinary teams that can dart and treat snared dogs, and domestic-dog vaccination programmes in communities adjacent to wild-dog range are the three interventions with the strongest evidence base. Tourism conservancies that share revenue with pastoralist communities have repeatedly reduced retaliatory killing. How WARN fits in Wild dogs are one of the species our planned snare-removal work is most directly designed to help. Snare-removal patrols and snared-animal veterinary response are core to the appeal, and African wild dogs benefit as much as any other species from this work — possibly more. Sources: IUCN Red List, UNEP-WCMC, CITES Appendix II listing. We need your support to make this happen World Animal Rescue Network is at the launch stage of this work. We do not yet have rescue numbers to share — and that is exactly why your support matters now. Every donation helps us put trained teams on the ground, secure veterinary supplies and equipment, and reach the first animals before they are lost. Donate today to fund our first deployments, or sponsor an animal to back a specific species through rehabilitation. You can also join the network as a volunteer, fundraiser, or monthly supporter.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/in-memory-giving-pet-tribute-guide): Giving in Memory of a Pet: A Complete Guide to Tribute Donations and Pet Memorials.

## Summary
To give in memory of a pet with WARN, email info@worldanimalrescuenetwork.org with your pet's first name and species; WARN directs your gift to the programme protecting the same species (cat, dog, horse, donkey or small pet) and acknowledges every tribute by email — there are no postal costs.

## Excerpt
How to give in memory of a much-loved pet, what a tribute donation actually does, how memorial walls work, and how WARN matches your gift to the same species your animal belonged to.

## Takeaway
An in-memory donation is a charitable gift made in the name of a much-loved animal who has died.

## Takeaway
WARN's in-memory giving is species-matched: a tribute for a cat helps community cats, a dog tribute helps street-dog welfare, an equine tribute funds a working-equine clinic.

## Takeaway
WARN acknowledges every tribute by email — no postal costs, so every pound goes to animal welfare.

## Takeaway
A free funeral collection PDF is available for funeral directors and orders of service.

## Takeaway
Memorial wall entries are first names only, opt-in, and reviewed before publication; WARN does not contact in-memory supporters again unless asked.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/in-memory-giving-pet-tribute-guide): Giving in Memory of a Pet: A Complete Guide to Tribute Donations and Pet Memorials.

## Briefing
An in memory donation — sometimes called a tribute donation , a memorial donation for a pet , or simply giving in memory — is a charitable gift made in the name of a much-loved animal who has died.

It is one of the oldest forms of philanthropy and, for many supporters, one of the most personal.

This guide explains how in memory giving works, what a pet memorial can look like, and how to do it through WARN.

What is in-memory giving?

In-memory giving is a donation made in someone's name after they have died.

Historically it was reserved for people; today, with growing recognition of the grief that follows pet loss, more and more supporters use it to remember a pet .

The gift is paid to a charity of your choice, the charity records the tribute in the animal's name, and the funds are directed to work that honours the memory.

Some charities send a card to confirm the gift.

Some publish the animal's name on a public memorial wall, with the family's permission.

Why give in memory of a pet?

People give in memory for many reasons.

Some find that doing something concrete for another animal eases the early weeks of grief.

Some prefer it to flowers at a funeral or wake.

Some want to mark the anniversary of a pet's death in a quiet, private way.

Whatever the reason, an in-memory donation is a way of saying that the love did not stop when the animal did.

How WARN's in-memory giving is different Most in-memory donations are general — they go to "the charity's work".

WARN's in memory giving is matched to the same species your pet belonged to: In memory of a cat → community cat rescue, vaccination, and humane catch-neuter-vaccinate-return across our planned Global Cat Protection Appeal .

In memory of a dog → street-dog welfare in Karachi through our planned Karachi street dogs appeal .

In memory of a horse or donkey → mobile veterinary clinics for working equines through our planned working-equine programme .

In memory of a rabbit, hamster or other small pet → confiscated-wildlife veterinary triage and partner sanctuary capacity through our planned exotic-pet rescue work .

The animal you loved helps an animal like them, somewhere they are needed most.

How to give in memory of a pet: step by step Email WARN at info@worldanimalrescuenetwork.org with your pet's first name and species.

Choose how to give.

A one-off gift in their memory, a name on the pet memorial wall , or a free funeral collection PDF for a service or wake.

(Optional) Add your pet to the memorial wall.

First names only, opt-in, and reviewed before publication.

What about funeral collections?

If you would like mourners at a service or wake to give in memory rather than send flowers, WARN provides a free funeral collection PDF.

It explains how guests can give online, includes suggested wording for the order of service, and contains no postal envelopes.

We do not send paper packs by post — the saving goes to animals.

Will WARN keep contacting families?

No.

Giving in memory is a sensitive moment and should not be followed by marketing.

WARN does not contact in-memory supporters again unless they explicitly ask to be kept in touch.

This is a deliberate policy.

Pet loss support If you are reading this in the first hours or days after losing an animal, we are so sorry.

Many supporters tell us that doing something concrete in their pet's memory eases the early weeks — but there is no hurry, and grief is real grief.

We have written a short, sensitive guide on pet loss support , covering what to do practically and emotionally when an animal you love dies.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/in-memory-giving-pet-tribute-guide): Giving in Memory of a Pet: A Complete Guide to Tribute Donations and Pet Memorials.

Start an in-memory tribute To start a tribute, add a name to the pet memorial wall , or request a free funeral collection PDF, please visit our In memory giving page , donate online , or email info@worldanimalrescuenetwork.org.

We reply personally to every message.

Remember a much-loved animal An in memory donation with WARN is matched to the same species your pet belonged to.

Visit the In memory giving page to choose how you would like to remember them, or see the pet memorial wall .


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/uk-animal-charities-explained): UK Animal Charities Explained: A Friendly Guide to 10 of the Biggest, and How They Differ.

## Summary
The biggest UK animal charities each have a slightly different focus: the RSPCA covers all species and cruelty investigation, Dogs Trust focuses on dogs, Battersea on dogs and cats in London, Cats Protection on cats, Blue Cross on pet welfare and bereavement, PDSA on subsidised vet care, The Donkey Sanctuary on donkeys worldwide, Brooke on working equines internationally, and Wood Green and Mayhew on pet rehoming and community support. WARN focuses on international field rescue in regions with no equivalent UK-style rehoming infrastructure.

## Excerpt
Who does what across UK animal welfare? A neutral, supporter-friendly guide to ten of the biggest UK animal charities — RSPCA, Dogs Trust, Battersea, Cats Protection, Blue Cross, PDSA, The Donkey Sanctuary, Brooke, Wood Green and Mayhew — with each charity's own donate link, and an honest section on where international field rescue fits in.

## Takeaway
There is no single 'best' UK animal charity — they each cover a different part of animal welfare, and the right one for you depends on what you care most about.

## Takeaway
For UK dog rehoming, Dogs Trust, Battersea, Wood Green and Mayhew are the most established networks.

## Takeaway
For UK cat rehoming, Cats Protection and Battersea are the most established networks.

## Takeaway
For subsidised veterinary care, PDSA and Blue Cross are the two big providers.

## Takeaway
For international animal welfare, Brooke (working equines) and The Donkey Sanctuary (donkeys worldwide) are established UK-registered charities working abroad, alongside World Animal Rescue Network — a launch-stage not-for-profit focused on field rescue.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/uk-animal-charities-explained): UK Animal Charities Explained: A Friendly Guide to 10 of the Biggest, and How They Differ.

## Briefing
If you live in the UK and care about animals, you have a lot of choice.

Britain is home to some of the oldest and best-resourced animal welfare charities in the world, and each one has its own focus.

This guide explains who the biggest UK animal charities are, what each one is known for, and how to support them directly.

We have included every charity's own website link so you can give to them in one click.

At the end, we explain where World Animal Rescue Network fits in — and, honestly, where you might want to give to one of the others instead.

This page is meant to be useful, not partisan.

We genuinely admire the work of every organisation listed below.

1.

RSPCA — the original, and the broadest The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is the world's oldest animal welfare charity, founded in 1824.

It covers every species — companion animals, farm animals, wildlife and exotics — and is the only UK animal charity with a recognised role in cruelty investigation in England and Wales.

The RSPCA runs rescue centres, prosecutes cruelty cases under the Animal Welfare Act, campaigns on welfare law, and rehomes thousands of animals every year.

Founded: 1824 · Focus: All species, all welfare · Coverage: England and Wales Donate to the RSPCA → 2.

Dogs Trust — the UK's largest dog welfare charity Dogs Trust (originally founded in 1891 as the National Canine Defence League and renamed in 2003) is the UK's largest dog welfare charity.

It runs a national network of rehoming centres, supports dog owners through training and behaviour resources, and operates a long-standing no-destruction policy for healthy dogs in its care.

If your interest is specifically dogs — UK rehoming, training, or owner support — this is the heavyweight.

Founded: 1891 · Focus: Dogs only · Coverage: UK-wide rehoming network Donate to Dogs Trust → 3.

Battersea — dogs and cats, since 1860 Battersea Dogs & Cats Home is one of the most recognised animal welfare brands in the country and one of the oldest, founded in 1860.

It rehomes both dogs and cats from three centres in London, Old Windsor and Brands Hatch.

Battersea is known for taking in animals other rescues cannot — including dogs with complex behaviour needs — and for its 24-hour intake policy.

Founded: 1860 · Focus: Dogs and cats · Coverage: London and South-East England Donate to Battersea → 4.

Cats Protection — the UK's biggest cat charity Cats Protection (founded 1927) is the UK's largest cat-only welfare charity, with a national branch and adoption-centre network largely run by volunteers.

It rehomes cats, neuters strays and ferals through subsidised schemes, and provides community-level cat care for owners struggling with vet bills or housing changes.

If your sympathies are with cats specifically, this is the obvious choice.

Founded: 1927 · Focus: Cats only · Coverage: UK-wide volunteer branch network Donate to Cats Protection → 5.

Blue Cross — pet welfare and pet bereavement Blue Cross (founded 1897) is a UK pet welfare charity that operates rehoming centres, runs low-cost veterinary clinics for pets of owners on means-tested benefits, and provides one of the UK's best-known pet bereavement support services.

Blue Cross is a good choice if you want a charity that supports pets and the humans who love them through hard moments.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/uk-animal-charities-explained): UK Animal Charities Explained: A Friendly Guide to 10 of the Biggest, and How They Differ.

Founded: 1897 · Focus: Pet welfare, vet care, bereavement support · Coverage: UK-wide Donate to Blue Cross → 6.

PDSA — vet care for pets in need The People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (founded 1917) is a veterinary charity.

Where other charities focus on rehoming or campaigning, PDSA focuses on keeping pets in homes by making veterinary treatment affordable for owners on certain means-tested benefits.

PDSA Pet Hospitals operate across the UK and are one of the country's largest providers of subsidised veterinary care.

Founded: 1917 · Focus: Subsidised vet care for pets of owners on means-tested benefits · Coverage: UK-wide Pet Hospital network Donate to PDSA → 7.

The Donkey Sanctuary — donkeys worldwide The Donkey Sanctuary (founded 1969) is a UK-registered charity that has grown into one of the largest equine welfare organisations in the world.

It rescues and cares for donkeys in the UK and Ireland, and runs welfare and veterinary programmes for working donkeys in some of the lowest-income countries on earth.

If donkeys move you, no charity is more focused.

Founded: 1969 · Focus: Donkeys, UK and worldwide · Coverage: Global, with UK sanctuaries Donate to The Donkey Sanctuary → 8.

Brooke — for working horses, donkeys and mules Brooke (founded 1934) is a UK-registered international charity dedicated to the welfare of working equines — horses, donkeys and mules that pull carts, carry water and support entire family economies across Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Brooke runs mobile veterinary clinics, trains community animal health workers, and works on equine welfare policy across multiple countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Founded: 1934 · Focus: Working horses, donkeys and mules · Coverage: International Donate to Brooke → 9.

Wood Green — the animals charity Wood Green (founded 1924) is a UK pet welfare and rehoming charity based in Cambridgeshire.

It rehomes dogs, cats, rabbits and small pets, and provides outreach and community support to pet owners facing financial or housing difficulty so that animals are not surrendered unnecessarily.

It is known for a strong emphasis on keeping pets with their families wherever possible.

Founded: 1924 · Focus: Pet rehoming and community pet support · Coverage: UK, primarily East of England Donate to Wood Green → 10.

Mayhew — London-based animal welfare Mayhew (founded 1886) is a London-based animal welfare charity that rehomes dogs and cats, runs subsidised veterinary care and community programmes in London, and supports overseas animal welfare projects in countries including Afghanistan and Georgia.

It is one of the smaller charities on this list, with a focused community footprint.

Founded: 1886 · Focus: Dog and cat rehoming, community welfare, some international projects · Coverage: London + selected overseas projects Donate to Mayhew → UK animal charities: frequently asked comparisons What is the difference between Dogs Trust and the RSPCA?

Dogs Trust is a dogs-only charity, founded in 1891, focused on rehoming, training and behavioural support, with a long-standing no-destruction policy for healthy dogs in its care.

The RSPCA, founded in 1824, is a multi-species charity covering all domestic and many wild animals — and is the only UK animal charity with a recognised role in cruelty investigation in England and Wales.

They are complementary: Dogs Trust focuses deeply on one species; the RSPCA covers the whole welfare landscape.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/uk-animal-charities-explained): UK Animal Charities Explained: A Friendly Guide to 10 of the Biggest, and How They Differ.

What is the difference between Battersea and Dogs Trust?

Battersea (founded 1860) takes in both dogs and cats and operates three centres in London and the South-East.

Dogs Trust (founded 1891) is a dogs-only charity with a much larger UK rehoming network.

If you specifically want to support dog rehoming at the largest UK scale, Dogs Trust is the bigger network; if you want to support a dog-and-cat home with a strong London identity, Battersea is the established choice.

What is the difference between the RSPCA and PDSA?

The RSPCA focuses on animal welfare across all species, cruelty investigation and rehoming.

PDSA (the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals, founded 1917) is a veterinary charity that provides affordable veterinary care to pets of owners on means-tested benefits.

The two charities do not compete — they cover different parts of animal welfare and are often used by the same families.

What is the difference between Cats Protection and Blue Cross?

Cats Protection is a cat-only charity (founded 1927) with a UK-wide volunteer branch network and a strong focus on neutering and feral cat welfare.

Blue Cross (founded 1897) is a multi-pet charity covering dogs, cats, horses and small pets, with rehoming centres, low-cost vet clinics and a well-established pet bereavement support service.

Cats Protection is the deeper option for cats; Blue Cross is broader and includes bereavement support.

Which UK animal charity helps animals abroad?

Most UK animal charities focus on the UK.

The exceptions on this list are Brooke (working equines internationally), The Donkey Sanctuary (donkeys worldwide), and Mayhew (selected overseas projects).

World Animal Rescue Network is a registered global not-for-profit animal welfare organisation (Company no.

17298990) focused specifically on international field rescue — the gap between UK rehoming and large international policy organisations.

Which UK animal charity should I donate to?

It depends on what kind of animal welfare matters most to you.

For UK dog rehoming , Dogs Trust, Battersea, Wood Green and Mayhew.

For UK cat rehoming , Cats Protection and Battersea.

For subsidised veterinary care , PDSA and Blue Cross.

For cruelty investigation and broad welfare , the RSPCA.

For working horses, donkeys and mules , Brooke.

For donkeys specifically , The Donkey Sanctuary.

For international field rescue in regions with no UK-style rehoming infrastructure , World Animal Rescue Network.

The best answer is often: pick one for the UK and one for international.

Where World Animal Rescue Network fits in WARN is a registered global not-for-profit animal welfare organisation (World Animal Rescue Network CIC, Company no.

17298990), currently building country programmes for 2026.

We do not rehome dogs or cats in the UK — the charities above already do that, and they do it well.

What WARN exists for is the gap they cannot reach: street dogs in cities like Karachi where there is almost no rescue capacity, orangutans trapped in active palm-oil concessions in Indonesia, parrots and primates confiscated from the international pet trade in South America, snared elephants and wild dogs in East African conservancies, working equines in cull zones — animals for whom the UK rehoming model simply does not apply because they are too far away, too wild, or too numerous.

If you already give to one of the UK charities above, we are genuinely glad.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/uk-animal-charities-explained): UK Animal Charities Explained: A Friendly Guide to 10 of the Biggest, and How They Differ.

If you would like to add international field rescue to your giving — small monthly amounts make a real difference at our stage — please consider supporting WARN as well.

Help launch international field rescue World Animal Rescue Network is at the launch stage.

We are not asking you to leave the UK charity you already love — we are asking you to help open up a new front for animals that no UK rehoming charity can reach.

Donate to WARN today to back our first deployments in Pakistan, Indonesia, Peru and East Africa, or sponsor an animal through rehabilitation.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/uk-animal-charities-explained): UK Animal Charities Explained: A Friendly Guide to 10 of the Biggest, and How They Differ.

## What is the difference between Dogs Trust and the RSPCA?
Dogs Trust is a dogs-only charity, founded in 1891, focused on rehoming, training and behavioural support, with a long-standing no-destruction policy for healthy dogs in its care. The RSPCA, founded in 1824, is a multi-species charity covering all domestic and many wild animals — and is the only UK animal charity with a recognised role in cruelty investigation in England and Wales. They are complementary: Dogs Trust focuses deeply on one species; the RSPCA covers the whole welfare landscape.

## What is the difference between Battersea and Dogs Trust?
Battersea (founded 1860) takes in both dogs and cats and operates three centres in London and the South-East. Dogs Trust (founded 1891) is a dogs-only charity with a much larger UK rehoming network. If you specifically want to support dog rehoming at the largest UK scale, Dogs Trust is the bigger network; if you want to support a dog-and-cat home with a strong London identity, Battersea is the established choice.

## What is the difference between the RSPCA and PDSA?
The RSPCA focuses on animal welfare across all species, cruelty investigation and rehoming. PDSA (the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals, founded 1917) is a veterinary charity that provides affordable veterinary care to pets of owners on means-tested benefits. The two charities do not compete — they cover different parts of animal welfare and are often used by the same families.

## What is the difference between Cats Protection and Blue Cross?
Cats Protection is a cat-only charity (founded 1927) with a UK-wide volunteer branch network and a strong focus on neutering and feral cat welfare. Blue Cross (founded 1897) is a multi-pet charity covering dogs, cats, horses and small pets, with rehoming centres, low-cost vet clinics and a well-established pet bereavement support service.

## Which UK animal charity helps animals abroad?
Most UK animal charities focus on the UK. The exceptions are Brooke (working equines internationally), The Donkey Sanctuary (donkeys worldwide), and Mayhew (selected overseas projects). World Animal Rescue Network is a registered global not-for-profit animal welfare organisation (Company no. 17298990) focused specifically on international field rescue in regions with no UK-style rehoming infrastructure.

## Which UK animal charity should I donate to?
It depends on what kind of animal welfare matters most to you. For UK dog rehoming: Dogs Trust, Battersea, Wood Green or Mayhew. For UK cat rehoming: Cats Protection or Battersea. For subsidised veterinary care: PDSA or Blue Cross. For cruelty investigation and broad welfare: the RSPCA. For working horses, donkeys and mules: Brooke. For donkeys specifically: The Donkey Sanctuary. For international field rescue: World Animal Rescue Network. The best answer is often: pick one for the UK and one for international.

## What is the biggest animal charity in the UK?
By scale and recognition, the RSPCA is the largest and oldest UK animal welfare charity, founded in 1824 and covering all species. Dogs Trust is the largest dogs-only charity, and Cats Protection is the largest cats-only charity.

## Is World Animal Rescue Network a UK charity?
World Animal Rescue Network (WARN) is World Animal Rescue Network CIC (Company number 17298990), a registered UK Community Interest Company — not a registered charity. Unlike most UK animal charities, WARN focuses on international field rescue rather than UK rehoming.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/what-is-an-animal-sanctuary): What Is an Animal Sanctuary? How Sanctuaries Work, Who They Help, and How to Support One.

## Summary
An animal sanctuary is a facility that provides permanent, lifetime care for animals that cannot be rehomed — due to injury, trauma, age, wildness, or the fact that no suitable home exists. Unlike shelters and rescues, sanctuaries do not rehome their residents; the animals live there for the rest of their lives.

## Excerpt
Animal sanctuary, animal shelter, animal rescue — the terms are often used interchangeably, but they mean different things. This guide explains the difference, what life inside a sanctuary looks like, and how you can support sanctuaries in the UK and internationally.

## Takeaway
A sanctuary provides permanent, lifetime care; a shelter or rescue rehomes animals into new homes.

## Takeaway
Not all animals can be rehomed — animals that are severely injured, wild-born, aged, or deeply traumatised often need sanctuary care instead.

## Takeaway
UK animal sanctuaries typically care for farmed animals, horses, donkeys and small pets alongside dogs and cats.

## Takeaway
International animal sanctuaries care for primates, big cats, elephants, bears and trafficked wildlife that cannot be released back into the wild.

## Takeaway
You can support a sanctuary through adoption sponsorship — where you fund a named resident's food, vet care and enrichment without taking them home.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/what-is-an-animal-sanctuary): What Is an Animal Sanctuary? How Sanctuaries Work, Who They Help, and How to Support One.

## Briefing
The words animal sanctuary , animal shelter and animal rescue are used interchangeably online — on donation pages, in charity names, in news stories — but they describe meaningfully different things.

Understanding the difference helps you support the right organisation for the cause you care about, and it helps you understand what the animals in each type of facility actually need.

What is an animal sanctuary?

An animal sanctuary is a facility that provides permanent, lifetime care for animals that cannot be rehomed.

The animals who live in sanctuaries are not available for adoption — they will spend the rest of their lives at the sanctuary, cared for by staff and volunteers, in an environment designed to meet their physical and psychological needs as well as possible given their situation.

Animals end up in sanctuaries for many reasons.

They may be too old to adapt to a new home.

They may have injuries or medical needs that most families cannot manage.

They may have been wild-born — primates, big cats, bears, elephants — and cannot safely live with humans or return to the wild.

They may have been so severely traumatised that the process of rehoming would cause them serious harm.

The defining feature of a sanctuary is that the animals' welfare is the goal, not their placement.

A sanctuary's residents are not "waiting" — they have arrived.

The job is to make the rest of their life as good as it can possibly be.

Animal sanctuary vs animal shelter: the key difference A shelter takes in stray, abandoned or surrendered animals and works to place them in new homes.

Shelters are measured by their rehoming rates.

The better shelters provide enrichment, behavioural support and veterinary care to maximise each animal's chances of finding a good home as quickly as possible.

A sanctuary takes in animals who have either failed to find a home after extensive time in a shelter, or who were never candidates for rehoming in the first place.

Sanctuaries are measured by the quality of life they provide — not by how many animals they move on.

Many organisations do both: they operate as a rescue and shelter for animals that can be rehomed, and as a sanctuary for those that cannot.

The two functions often sit side by side within the same charity, which is why the terminology gets blurred.

Animal sanctuary vs animal rescue A rescue is an active operation — it goes into dangerous situations and removes animals.

Street cull operations, hoarding cases, disaster zones, illegal wildlife trade interceptions.

The rescued animals then go through rehabilitation and, if possible, rehoming.

A sanctuary is the destination for animals that have been through rescue and rehabilitation, but for whom no suitable home exists.

The two functions are complementary.

Without sanctuaries, many rescued animals would have nowhere to go after rehabilitation — which means rescue operations could not take them in the first place.

What animals live in sanctuaries?

UK animal sanctuaries Most UK animal sanctuaries focus on species that fall outside the mainstream dog-and-cat welfare system.

Horses and donkeys are common — animals from neglect or overwork situations that cannot be ridden or driven.

Farm animals rescued from slaughter or hoarding: pigs, goats, sheep, cattle.

Small animals with high needs: elderly rabbits, guinea pigs with chronic conditions, birds requiring specialist care.

Some UK organisations, such as the Donkey Sanctuary in Devon, focus entirely on one species.

Others, like Wythall Animal Sanctuary in the West Midlands, care for a range of smaller animals including rabbits, guinea pigs and birds alongside dogs and cats.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/what-is-an-animal-sanctuary): What Is an Animal Sanctuary? How Sanctuaries Work, Who They Help, and How to Support One.

International animal sanctuaries Internationally, sanctuaries often exist specifically for animals confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade or removed from abusive tourist attractions.

This includes: Primates — orangutans, chimpanzees, capuchins, slow lorises confiscated from pet trade or palm-oil habitat clearance Big cats — lions and tigers rescued from canned hunting operations or private ownership Bears — Asiatic black bears (moon bears) rescued from bear bile farms in Vietnam and China Elephants — removed from logging operations or tourist entertainment Parrots and macaws — confiscated from trafficking operations across South America These animals almost never return to the wild.

They have been through too much, or were born in captivity, or their wild habitat no longer safely exists.

For them, a high-quality international sanctuary is the best possible outcome.

How to support an animal sanctuary Animal sponsorship The most popular form of sanctuary support is animal sponsorship — sometimes called adoption sponsorship or "sponsor a resident".

You make a regular monthly contribution (typically a small amount) and it funds a named animal's food, veterinary care, enrichment and habitat maintenance.

In return, you receive updates about your sponsored animal.

The animal does not come to live with you — they stay at the sanctuary — but your money directly pays for their daily life.

Sponsorship is particularly powerful because it provides sanctuaries with predictable, recurring income that allows them to plan veterinary treatment and staffing.

A one-off donation is valuable, but monthly sponsors are what keep sanctuary doors open year after year.

Volunteering Many UK sanctuaries welcome volunteers for tasks that do not involve direct animal contact — maintenance, administration, events, social media, fundraising.

Some offer animal care volunteering for experienced handlers.

International sanctuaries often run structured volunteer programmes, though these should be chosen carefully: any programme that allows close contact with wild animals (holding primates, riding elephants) is likely prioritising visitor experience over animal welfare.

Leaving a legacy A gift in a will — a legacy donation — is one of the most significant things a supporter can do for a sanctuary.

Sanctuaries carry long-term commitments: an orangutan rescued today may live for another 40 years.

Legacy gifts provide the financial foundation for that kind of long-term care.

Where WARN's sanctuary work fits in World Animal Rescue Network is building towards sanctuary capacity in several of our planned programme countries for 2026.

In each case, sanctuary care is the final destination for animals that our field rescue operations bring out of dangerous situations but for whom release is not possible — confiscated parrots, slow lorises, orangutans, primates removed from the pet trade.

Without sanctuary partnerships and capacity, field rescue cannot function: there is nowhere to take the animals once they are safe.

If you would like to support WARN's sanctuary development work, sponsoring an animal through our launch-stage programme directly funds the rehabilitation and sanctuary housing of our first case animals, or make a one-off donation to support our field teams and veterinary capacity.

We need your support to make this happen World Animal Rescue Network is at the launch stage of this work.

We do not yet have rescue numbers to share — and that is exactly why your support matters now.

Every donation helps us put trained teams on the ground, secure veterinary supplies and equipment, and reach the first animals before they are lost.

Donate today to fund our first deployments, or sponsor an animal to back a specific species through rehabilitation.

You can also join the network as a volunteer, fundraiser, or monthly supporter.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/fostering-a-rescue-dog-uk): Fostering a Rescue Dog in the UK: A Complete Guide for New and Experienced Foster Carers.

## Summary
To foster a rescue dog in the UK, contact a registered animal rescue or rehoming charity, complete their application and home check process, and agree to temporarily house a dog until a permanent home is found — typically for weeks to months. You provide the home environment and day-to-day care; the rescue covers veterinary costs.

## Excerpt
Fostering a rescue dog gives a dog in a shelter or rescue centre a temporary home while they wait for adoption — and it can make an enormous difference to their behaviour, health and chances of finding a permanent family. This guide covers how dog fostering works, what to expect, and how to get started.

## Takeaway
Dog fostering gives a rescue dog a home environment during the wait for adoption — which dramatically improves their behaviour, health and adoptability.

## Takeaway
Foster carers in the UK are typically unpaid but have all vet costs covered by the rescue organisation.

## Takeaway
Most rescues ask for a home check, reference, and short application before approving a foster placement.

## Takeaway
The 3-3-3 rule applies to foster dogs just as much as adopted dogs: 3 days to decompress, 3 weeks to learn the routine, 3 months to feel truly at home.

## Takeaway
Many foster carers end up adopting the dog they fostered — this is so common it has its own name: a 'foster fail' (a very successful outcome).


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/fostering-a-rescue-dog-uk): Fostering a Rescue Dog in the UK: A Complete Guide for New and Experienced Foster Carers.

## Briefing
Fostering a rescue dog is one of the most effective things an individual can do for animal welfare — and one of the most underused.

Shelters and rescue centres across the UK are short of foster carers .

Every dog in a foster home frees up a kennel space for another animal, gives the fostered dog a much better chance of successful adoption, and costs the rescue organisation far less per day than kennel care.

If you have ever thought about getting a dog but are not ready for a permanent commitment, fostering is the obvious place to start.

This guide covers everything you need to know.

What does fostering a dog involve?

When you foster a rescue dog, you temporarily take the dog into your home while the rescue organisation finds them a permanent family.

You provide: A safe, comfortable home environment Daily walks, exercise and mental stimulation Basic training reinforcement (sit, lead walking, house training) Socialisation and routine — the things that make a dog adoptable Honest feedback to the rescue about the dog's behaviour and needs The rescue organisation provides: Veterinary care — vaccinations, treatments, neutering if needed Usually food and basic supplies Support and advice from experienced staff or coordinators The adoption process — finding and vetting the permanent home Why fostering makes such a big difference Research consistently shows that dogs in home environments are less stressed, display their true personality more accurately, and are more successfully matched with adoptive families than dogs assessed only in kennels.

A kennel is a noisy, unfamiliar, socially isolating environment — many dogs shut down or become anxious in kennels even if they are calm and friendly in a home.

When a rescue can accurately describe a dog's behaviour with children, with cats, on a lead, when left alone, and with visitors — because a foster carer has lived with the dog and reported back — the adoption match is far more likely to stick.

That matters enormously: failed adoptions are stressful for the dog, expensive for the rescue, and demoralising for the family.

The 3-3-3 rule for foster dogs The 3-3-3 rule — first 3 days, first 3 weeks, first 3 months — is a widely used framework for understanding how a rescue dog settles into a new environment.

It applies equally to foster placements and permanent adoptions: Days 1–3: The dog is overwhelmed.

They may be quiet, shut down, not eating well, not playing.

This is normal.

Give them a safe space, keep things calm, do not push interaction.

Weeks 1–3: The dog begins to understand the routine — when walks happen, when mealtimes are, who is in the household.

They start to show more of their personality.

Some testing of boundaries is normal.

Months 1–3: The dog feels genuinely at home.

Their full personality is visible.

This is the most accurate picture of who they are and how they will behave in a permanent home.

For foster carers, the 3-3-3 rule is a useful reminder that what you see in week one is not what you will see in month two.

Be patient.

The dog is processing an enormous amount of change.

How to become a dog foster carer in the UK Step 1: Choose a rescue organisation National organisations with large foster networks include Dogs Trust, Many Tears Animal Rescue, RSPCA and Blue Cross.

Smaller local rescues often also have foster programmes and may be more flexible about placement types.

You can search for registered rescue charities on the Charity Commission website and contact them directly.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/fostering-a-rescue-dog-uk): Fostering a Rescue Dog in the UK: A Complete Guide for New and Experienced Foster Carers.

Step 2: Apply Most rescues have an online application form asking about your home, your experience with dogs, your working hours, your other pets and any children.

Be honest — the more accurately the rescue understands your household, the better the match they can make.

Step 3: Home check Most UK rescues require a home visit before approving a foster placement.

A coordinator will check that your home is safe for a dog — secure garden, no obvious hazards — and discuss what type of dog would suit your household.

Step 4: Matching The rescue will propose a dog for you based on your application.

You are not obliged to accept every dog offered — if a proposed placement does not feel right, say so.

A good rescue will work with you to find a dog that suits both of you.

What if you cannot keep the dog when the placement ends?

Fostering is always temporary unless you choose to adopt.

When a permanent home is found, the rescue will manage the transition.

If your circumstances change during a placement, contact your rescue coordinator as early as possible — they will arrange alternative care.

You are not trapped.

What happens when animals cannot be fostered out of trouble For millions of dogs around the world, the UK foster model is not available.

Street dogs in Pakistan, dogs in the Southeast Asian meat trade, free-roaming dogs in cities without rescue infrastructure — no foster network reaches them.

What reaches them is in-country rescue and welfare intervention : vaccination, neutering, emergency extraction, and field medicine run by organisations working in those countries.

If you want to support dogs that no UK foster programme can reach, donating to WARN or sponsoring a rescue dog through our launch-stage programme directly funds the international equivalent of what UK foster carers do every day — giving a dog the care and stability they need to survive.

Help the rescue dogs WARN is being built for WARN's launch programme in Karachi will fund partner dog rescues and the animal shelter capacity they urgently need — humane catch-neuter-vaccinate-return work, veterinary care for injured street dogs, and responsible in-country adoption of rescue dogs into safe Pakistani homes.

Read the Karachi street dogs appeal for the full plan, or donate today to fund our first surgeries, vaccinations and shelter weeks.

Every pound helps another rescue dog get a fair start.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/fostering-a-rescue-dog-uk): Fostering a Rescue Dog in the UK: A Complete Guide for New and Experienced Foster Carers.

## What does fostering a dog mean?
Fostering a dog means temporarily housing a rescue dog in your home while the dog waits for a permanent adoptive family. You provide the home environment, exercise, socialisation, and day-to-day care. The rescue organisation retains responsibility for the dog's veterinary care and ongoing support. Fostering is unpaid but the rescue covers costs.

## How long does dog fostering last?
It varies widely depending on the dog and the rescue. Short-term foster placements can be as brief as a week for a dog between transport and adoption. Typical placements run for a few weeks to a few months. Some dogs stay in foster care for longer if they have complex needs or are waiting for a very specific home.

## How do I become a dog foster carer in the UK?
Contact a registered rescue organisation in your area or a national charity that operates a foster network. Complete their application, which usually includes information about your home, whether you have other pets or children, and how much time you can commit. Most rescues conduct a home check. If approved, they will match you with a suitable dog.

## Do you get paid to foster a dog in the UK?
Most UK rescue organisations do not pay their foster carers, but they cover all veterinary costs, usually provide food for the fostered dog, and offer support and guidance throughout the placement. Fostering is a volunteer role — the reward is the difference you make to the dog.

## Can I foster a dog if I have other pets?
It depends on the rescue and the dog. Many foster placements work well in multi-pet households — some dogs actually do better with a calm resident dog as a social guide. Rescues will match you with a dog known to be suitable for your household. Be honest on your application about the temperament of your existing pets.

## What is a foster fail?
A 'foster fail' is when a foster carer ends up adopting the dog they were fostering — it is called a fail because the original plan was a temporary placement, but it is widely regarded as a wonderful outcome. Many rescue dogs find their permanent family through their foster home.

## What if I cannot keep fostering?
Life changes. Most rescue organisations understand this and will take the dog back and find a new foster placement if your circumstances change. Be honest with your rescue coordinator as early as possible so they have time to arrange an alternative — the dog's continuity of care is the priority.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/animal-rescue-near-me): Animal Rescue Near Me: How to Find a Reputable UK Rescue and What to Look For.

## Summary
To find a reputable animal rescue near you in the UK, search the Charity Commission register for registered charities in your area, check for transparent adoption processes and published veterinary standards, and look for honest animal profiles that include known behaviour challenges as well as positives.

## Excerpt
Searching for an animal rescue near you? This guide explains how to find a registered animal rescue in the UK, what to look for before you adopt or donate, the red flags to avoid, and what happens to the animals that no local rescue can reach.

## Takeaway
Always check a UK rescue is registered with the Charity Commission (England & Wales), OSCR (Scotland) or CCNI (Northern Ireland) before donating or adopting.

## Takeaway
Reputable rescues will always health-check, vaccinate, microchip and neuter animals before adoption — and will tell you if an animal has known behaviour challenges.

## Takeaway
Red flags include cash-only donations, no home-check process, animals in very poor condition with no veterinary history, and pressure to adopt quickly.

## Takeaway
Breed-specific rescues exist for almost every breed — if you want a specific type of dog or cat, a breed rescue may find you a better match than a general shelter.

## Takeaway
For animals that no local rescue can reach — street dogs abroad, trafficked wildlife — international organisations like WARN fill the gap.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/animal-rescue-near-me): Animal Rescue Near Me: How to Find a Reputable UK Rescue and What to Look For.

## Briefing
If you are looking for an animal rescue near you — to adopt a dog or cat, to surrender an animal, to volunteer, or to donate — this guide gives you the tools to find a reputable organisation and avoid the small number of bad actors in the sector.

How to find a registered animal rescue near you The Charity Commission register The most reliable starting point in England and Wales is the Charity Commission register at register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk.

Search for charities in your postcode area with "animal" or "rescue" in their name or objects.

Every legitimate UK animal charity is registered — if an organisation is not on the register, be very cautious about donating.

In Scotland, use the OSCR register (oscr.org.uk).

In Northern Ireland, use the CCNI register (charitycommissionni.org.uk).

National rescue networks The largest national organisations — Dogs Trust, RSPCA, Battersea, Cats Protection, Blue Cross — all have local branches, centres or foster networks.

If you are open to any dog or cat rather than a specific type, these organisations have the widest selection and the most rigorous adoption processes.

Breed-specific rescues For almost every dog breed and many cat breeds, there are specialist breed rescues staffed by people who know the breed well.

Breed rescues often have animals in foster homes rather than kennels, which means better behavioural assessments and more honest animal profiles.

The Kennel Club maintains a directory of breed rescue contacts.

Local independent rescues Smaller local rescues — sometimes run from private homes, sometimes with small shelter facilities — can be excellent.

They often have more flexibility on adoption criteria and more detailed knowledge of individual animals.

Always verify their charity registration before donating.

What to look for in a reputable rescue Transparent health and welfare standards A reputable rescue will health-check, vaccinate, microchip and neuter every animal before adoption.

They will tell you about known medical issues and current medications.

They will not knowingly place a sick or untreated animal.

Honest animal profiles Look for profiles that mention challenges as well as positives.

A rescue that describes every dog as "great with children, cats and other dogs, loves cuddles, easy to walk" is not giving you accurate information.

Real rescue animals have real histories and real quirks.

Honest profiles — "needs to be the only pet", "still working on lead manners", "better with older children" — are a sign of a well-run organisation.

A proper adoption process Reputable rescues require an adoption application and almost always conduct a home visit before approving an adoption.

This is for the animal's benefit, not to be obstructive.

They will also have a return policy — if the adoption does not work out for any reason, they will take the animal back.

Clear fee structure Adoption fees exist to cover some of the rescue's costs: veterinary treatment, neutering, microchipping, transport.

A rescue should be able to explain what the fee covers.

The fee should not be a profit margin.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/animal-rescue-near-me): Animal Rescue Near Me: How to Find a Reputable UK Rescue and What to Look For.

Red flags to avoid No charity registration — check before you donate or adopt Pressure to adopt quickly or no time to visit the animal more than once Animals for "sale" with no welfare-based adoption process No home check or application process for high-need animals Cash-only donations with no receipts or paper trail Animals in poor condition with no veterinary records offered Online-only operations where you cannot visit and meet the animal Different types of rescue and what they do Type Focus Best for General shelter All species, usually dogs and cats Adopters open to any animal Breed rescue One breed or type Adopters committed to a specific breed Foster network Animals placed in homes rather than kennels Better behavioural profiles; good for nervous dogs Wildlife rescue Injured or orphaned wild animals People who find injured wildlife; not adoption-based International rescue Animals in countries with no UK-equivalent rescue infrastructure Donors who want to help animals abroad What about the animals no local rescue can reach?

Every UK animal rescue operates within its catchment area.

Their animals come from UK streets, UK homes and UK surrenders.

The millions of street dogs in South Asia, the dogs and cats caught in the Southeast Asian meat trade, the slow lorises being sold as pets in Indonesia, the snared wild dogs in East Africa — none of these animals are reachable by any UK local rescue, no matter how good it is.

If you already support a UK rescue and want to extend your giving to animals that no local charity can reach, international field rescue charities fill that gap.

World Animal Rescue Network is a registered global not-for-profit animal welfare organisation (Company no.

17298990) built specifically for that purpose — for animals too far away, too wild, or too numerous for the UK rehoming model to help.

You can donate to WARN to fund our first international deployments, or read our UK animal charities guide to understand how the different types of organisation fit together.

We need your support to make this happen World Animal Rescue Network is at the launch stage of this work.

We do not yet have rescue numbers to share — and that is exactly why your support matters now.

Every donation helps us put trained teams on the ground, secure veterinary supplies and equipment, and reach the first animals before they are lost.

Donate today to fund our first deployments, or sponsor an animal to back a specific species through rehabilitation.

You can also join the network as a volunteer, fundraiser, or monthly supporter.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/animal-rescue-near-me): Animal Rescue Near Me: How to Find a Reputable UK Rescue and What to Look For.

## How do I find an animal rescue near me in the UK?
The most reliable method is to search the Charity Commission register (register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk) for registered charities in your area whose objects include animal welfare. You can also search platforms like Petfinder, Pets4Homes rescue listings, or the RSPCA's find a rescue tool. Local Facebook groups often list smaller, newer rescues — always verify their charity registration status before donating.

## What should I look for in a reputable animal rescue?
Look for: charity registration (verifiable on the Charity Commission website); transparent adoption process with a home check; honest animal profiles that mention known challenges; health checks, vaccinations, microchipping and neutering before adoption; clear adoption fees with an explanation of what they cover; and willingness to take animals back if the adoption does not work out.

## What are the red flags for animal rescue scams?
Red flags include: no verifiable charity registration; cash-only donations with no receipts; animals for sale rather than adoption with a welfare-based fee; pressure to adopt quickly without a home check; unwillingness to answer questions about the animal's history or health; online-only operations with no physical address or viewable animals; and fees significantly higher than local rescue norms for the same species.

## Is there a difference between an animal rescue and an animal shelter?
In UK usage, both terms refer to organisations that take in stray, abandoned or surrendered animals and rehome them. 'Rescue' often implies a more proactive intake process — actively removing animals from dangerous situations — while 'shelter' implies a more passive intake (animals are brought to them). In practice, most UK organisations do both and use the terms interchangeably.

## What is a breed-specific rescue?
A breed-specific rescue focuses on one breed or type of animal — for example, greyhound rescues, German Shepherd rescues, or Siamese cat rescues. They often have deep expertise in that breed's particular needs, behaviour and medical profile. If you are committed to a specific breed, a breed rescue may find you a better match than a general shelter.

## What happens if no local rescue can take my animal?
UK rescues are under significant pressure on kennel space, especially for dogs. If you are trying to surrender an animal and cannot find space, contact your local council's dog warden service (for dogs found as strays), the RSPCA national line, or reach out to breed-specific rescues who may have foster network capacity even when kennels are full. As a last resort, some vets can advise on options.

## Are there animal rescues that help animals abroad?
Most UK animal rescues focus on UK animals. Charities that help animals internationally include Brooke (working equines), The Donkey Sanctuary (donkeys worldwide), and World Animal Rescue Network — a registered global not-for-profit animal welfare organisation (Company no. 17298990) focused on field rescue in countries with no equivalent rehoming infrastructure.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/trophy-hunting-explained): Trophy Hunting: What It Is, Why It Happens, and What the Evidence Says.

## Summary
Trophy hunting is the killing of wild animals for sport, with the hunter keeping part of the animal as a trophy. It is legal in around 60 countries and regulated internationally under CITES, but evidence that it benefits conservation is disputed.

## Excerpt
Trophy hunting is the practice of killing wild animals — often large, charismatic species — for sport, with the hunter keeping part of the animal as a trophy. It is legal in dozens of countries and regulated under CITES, but the science on whether it benefits conservation is deeply contested.

## Takeaway
Trophy hunting is legal in approximately 60 countries and generates significant fees, some of which are directed to wildlife management.

## Takeaway
The UK Government has been working towards a ban on importing hunting trophies since 2019; the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Act received Royal Assent in 2024.

## Takeaway
CITES regulates international trade in trophies from listed species — legal trade requires export permits from the source country.

## Takeaway
The IUCN's position is that trophy hunting can contribute to conservation in some contexts but only under conditions of strong governance, transparent revenue flow and genuine community benefit.

## Takeaway
Species most targeted include lion, leopard, elephant, Cape buffalo, rhinoceros (the 'Big Five'), as well as hippo, giraffe, polar bear and various antelope.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/trophy-hunting-explained): Trophy Hunting: What It Is, Why It Happens, and What the Evidence Says.

## Briefing
Trophy hunting is one of the most polarising topics in wildlife conservation.

It brings together questions of animal welfare, conservation finance, community rights, colonial history and political philosophy — and the evidence rarely points neatly in any direction.

This briefing sets out what trophy hunting is, where it happens, what the law says and what the contested evidence on conservation impact actually shows.

What is trophy hunting?

Trophy hunting is the killing of a wild animal for recreational sport.

The hunter typically pays a substantial fee — often many thousands of pounds — to a professional hunting operator in the country where the hunt takes place.

The "trophy" kept by the hunter is usually the head, hide, horns or skull of the animal.

It is legal in approximately 60 countries.

In sub-Saharan Africa — where the largest volume of trophy hunting takes place — major hunting countries include South Africa, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Zambia, Namibia and Botswana (though Botswana imposed a hunting ban from 2014 to 2019).

Outside Africa, trophy hunting takes place in Canada (bears, wolves), the United States (mountain lion, bears, wolves), Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan (argali sheep, ibex), and several other countries.

The animals most commonly targeted include the Big Five — lion, leopard, African elephant, Cape buffalo and rhinoceros — as well as hippopotamus, giraffe, polar bear, mountain lion and a wide range of antelope and ungulate species.

What does the law say?

At the international level, trade in trophies from CITES-listed species is regulated under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

A hunter who takes a CITES-listed animal legally needs an export permit from the source country.

The importing country may also require its own import permit.

For species listed on CITES Appendix I — the highest protection level, including most rhinoceros subspecies and certain elephant populations — commercial trade is effectively banned; trophy imports are only permitted under strict non-commercial conditions.

In the United Kingdom, the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Act 2024 introduced a broad ban on importing hunting trophies from hundreds of species into Great Britain.

The UK had been working towards this legislation since 2019.

Before its passage, CITES-compliant trophy imports were permitted.

The European Union began reviewing its own trophy import rules in the same period; several EU member states have introduced national bans or restrictions.

The conservation argument for trophy hunting The most serious argument in favour of regulated trophy hunting is economic.

In parts of sub-Saharan Africa, the argument runs, large areas of wildlife habitat would be converted to agriculture or lost to poaching if they did not generate revenue.

Trophy hunting, under this view, creates a financial incentive for landowners, governments and communities to maintain wildlife and habitat rather than replace it.

Proponents also argue that professional hunters and operators have a direct interest in maintaining healthy wildlife populations — no animals, no clients — and that they fund anti-poaching operations, wildlife management staff and habitat maintenance that would otherwise not be funded.

The IUCN's 2016 position statement on trophy hunting acknowledged this argument.

It said that trophy hunting can, in principle, contribute positively to conservation when it is "well-managed, well-regulated and provides clear benefits to local communities." The evidence — and its limits The problem is the qualification: "well-managed, well-regulated and provides clear benefits to local communities." Multiple peer-reviewed analyses have found that these conditions are rarely met in practice.

Studies examining the flow of trophy hunting revenues in several African countries have found that the proportion reaching local communities — as opposed to central government, national operators or international hunting companies — is often very small.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/trophy-hunting-explained): Trophy Hunting: What It Is, Why It Happens, and What the Evidence Says.

If local communities do not receive meaningful economic benefit, the incentive to protect wildlife rather than poach it or convert habitat is weakened.

The selective removal of large, mature males — the animals most sought as trophies — is also a documented concern.

In lion populations, for example, the removal of a dominant male triggers infanticide by incoming males, reducing population recovery rates.

In some cases the hunting quota system has been found to allow more animals to be taken than the population can sustain.

Defenders of well-run systems point to Namibia's community conservancy model as evidence that the economics can work — where communities genuinely control hunting rights and revenues, wildlife populations have recovered significantly.

The debate is not settled, and the outcomes vary enormously by country, species and governance quality.

What is changing?

Public and political opposition to trophy hunting has grown significantly over the past decade, particularly in the UK and Europe.

The 2015 killing of a named lion in Zimbabwe — whose death attracted global media attention — was a turning point in mainstream awareness.

Since then, several major airlines have banned the transport of hunting trophies, and multiple countries have tightened import regulations.

In parallel, photographic wildlife tourism — 'high-value, low-volume' game viewing — has expanded in many of the same regions, offering an alternative economic model for wildlife areas.

The ongoing question is whether photographic tourism can generate comparable revenues in the more remote or lower-profile areas where trophy hunting currently occurs.

WARN's position WARN works in countries where both poaching and, in some cases, legal hunting affect wildlife populations.

Our work focuses on the animals — on the frontline rescue, veterinary care and anti-snare work that helps individual animals survive.

We source our wildlife data from the IUCN Red List and CITES, and we follow the evidence on what works at population level.

The legal and policy debates around trophy hunting are for legislatures, wildlife authorities and civil society to resolve.

What is not in doubt is that the animals targeted by trophy hunters — lions, elephants, leopards, rhinoceros — are also the animals most in need of active protection from poaching and habitat loss.

That is work we are building the capacity to support.

If you want to support WARN's wildlife protection work, you can explore where we work across East Africa and Southeast Asia, or make a general donation to fund our first deployments.

We need your support to make this happen World Animal Rescue Network is at the launch stage of this work.

We do not yet have rescue numbers to share — and that is exactly why your support matters now.

Every donation helps us put trained teams on the ground, secure veterinary supplies and equipment, and reach the first animals before they are lost.

Donate today to fund our first deployments, or sponsor an animal to back a specific species through rehabilitation.

You can also join the network as a volunteer, fundraiser, or monthly supporter.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/trophy-hunting-explained): Trophy Hunting: What It Is, Why It Happens, and What the Evidence Says.

## What is trophy hunting?
Trophy hunting is the practice of killing a wild animal — typically a large or charismatic species — for recreational sport, with the hunter paying a fee and keeping part of the animal (the 'trophy', usually the head, hide or horns) as a memento. It is distinct from poaching in that it is legal, licensed and takes place under government permit in the country where the hunt occurs.

## Is trophy hunting legal in the UK?
Hunting itself is not directly regulated in other countries by UK law, but the import of hunting trophies into the UK is. The Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Act 2024 bans the import into the UK of hunting trophies from a wide range of protected species. Previously, CITES-compliant imports were permitted.

## Can you bring hunting trophies into the UK?
The Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Act 2024 introduced a broad ban on importing hunting trophies of hundreds of species into Great Britain. The ban covers trophies from animals hunted on or after the date the relevant provisions came into force. Some exemptions apply.

## Does trophy hunting help conservation?
This is genuinely contested. Proponents argue that trophy hunting fees fund anti-poaching, habitat protection and community livelihoods in areas where other conservation funding is absent. Critics argue that the revenue often does not reach local communities, that the best individual animals (large males) are selectively removed, and that the evidence for net conservation benefit is weak. The IUCN's 2016 policy statement accepted that trophy hunting can contribute to conservation under strict conditions, but noted that those conditions are rarely met in practice.

## What animals are most targeted by trophy hunters?
The most sought-after species are the so-called Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant, Cape buffalo and rhinoceros. Beyond these, hunters target hippopotamus, giraffe, polar bear, mountain lion and a wide range of antelope species. Many of these are listed under CITES, requiring export and import permits for legal trade in their trophies.

## What is the difference between trophy hunting and poaching?
Trophy hunting is legal, licensed and regulated by the government of the country where the hunt takes place. Poaching is illegal hunting without permits. In practice, the boundary can be blurred — corrupt permit systems, quota-busting and laundering of illegally taken animals through trophy hunting channels are documented concerns.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/community-cats-indonesia): Community Cats in Indonesia: The Scale of the Crisis and Why Humane Management Works.

## Summary
Indonesia has one of the largest free-roaming cat populations in Southeast Asia. Humane catch-neuter-vaccinate-return (CNVR) programmes, supported by the World Health Organization and the World Organisation for Animal Health, are the evidence-based way to stabilise populations and reduce zoonotic disease risk.

## Excerpt
Indonesia is home to one of the largest community cat populations in Southeast Asia. Millions of free-roaming cats live in its cities and towns without veterinary care, vaccination or sterilisation — with serious implications for animal welfare and public health. Humane catch-neuter-vaccinate-return is the evidence-based response.

## Takeaway
Indonesia's free-roaming cat population is one of the largest in Southeast Asia, concentrated in cities including Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung and Bali.

## Takeaway
Indonesia is among the countries where dog-mediated rabies is still present; cats can act as secondary hosts and reservoirs in areas with active rabies transmission.

## Takeaway
The World Health Organization and World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) recognise CNVR as the only humane and effective method of stabilising free-roaming cat populations.

## Takeaway
Culling free-roaming cats is neither effective nor humane — removed animals are quickly replaced through immigration from surrounding areas, and the population rebounds.

## Takeaway
WARN's Global Cat Protection Appeal includes Indonesia as a priority country, with funding directed to licensed partner cat rescue and sterilisation programmes.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/community-cats-indonesia): Community Cats in Indonesia: The Scale of the Crisis and Why Humane Management Works.

## Briefing
Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world and home to one of the largest urban cat populations in Southeast Asia.

In its cities — Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung, Medan, Bali — free-roaming cats are an everyday presence: in markets, on temple grounds, in residential alleys, outside restaurants and in the green spaces between apartment blocks.

Most live without any veterinary care, without sterilisation and without vaccination.

The welfare implications are severe, and the public health dimension is real.

How large is the population?

Accurate national census data for free-roaming cats in Indonesia does not exist — as in most countries, no government body has comprehensively counted them.

What is known, from the studies that have been conducted in specific cities and from the scale of welfare organisation intake data, is that the population is very large and growing in most urban areas.

In the absence of widespread sterilisation, the reproductive rate of cats ensures rapid population growth.

A single unsterilised female cat can produce multiple litters per year, with typical litter sizes of four to six kittens.

Not all survive — kitten mortality in free-roaming populations is high — but the net effect is that cat populations in urban Indonesia continue to expand wherever sterilisation coverage is low.

The welfare reality Life as a community cat in an Indonesian city is hard.

Road traffic is the single largest cause of injury and death in urban free-roaming cat populations everywhere in the world, and Indonesian cities — with their density of vehicles, motorbikes and narrow streets — present a particularly severe risk.

Upper respiratory infections spread rapidly through unvaccinated populations.

Mange, ringworm, parasitic infections and malnutrition are common.

Female cats in continuous reproductive cycles are physically exhausted by repeated pregnancies.

Kittens born in exposed locations face predation, exposure and accident.

The small network of licensed cat rescue and welfare organisations working across Indonesia's cities does extraordinary work with very limited resources.

They take in injured, orphaned and sick cats, run vaccination clinics, conduct CNVR surgeries and, where possible, find responsible adopters for cats that can be safely rehomed.

They are chronically under-resourced relative to the scale of the need.

The public health dimension Indonesia has ongoing dog-mediated rabies in several provinces.

Cats can act as secondary hosts in areas with active rabies transmission — they can contract rabies from dog bites and transmit it to humans.

The World Health Organization's rabies elimination strategy for endemic countries includes cat vaccination as a component of effective control, alongside the primary focus on dog vaccination coverage.

Beyond rabies, unvaccinated free-roaming cat populations carry a range of pathogens — including toxoplasmosis, ringworm, and cat scratch disease — that present low but non-negligible risks to humans, particularly children and immunocompromised individuals.

Vaccination and population management reduce these risks as well as the welfare burden on the cats themselves.

Why humane management works and culling doesn't The instinctive response to large free-roaming cat populations — particularly from public authorities concerned about disease or nuisance — is often to cull.

This approach has been tried in many countries and consistently fails to achieve lasting population reduction.

The reason is well-understood: when cats are removed from a territory, unsterilised cats from surrounding areas quickly fill the vacuum.

The remaining population, better nourished with reduced competition, reproduces more rapidly.

Within months, the population rebounds to previous levels or higher.

This is known as the "vacuum effect" in population ecology.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/community-cats-indonesia): Community Cats in Indonesia: The Scale of the Crisis and Why Humane Management Works.

The World Health Organization and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) both recognise catch-neuter-vaccinate-return (CNVR) — also called trap-neuter-return (TNR) — as the only humane and effective method of stabilising free-roaming cat populations over time.

Neutered cats continue to hold their territory, vaccinated animals build herd immunity within the colony, and population growth ceases because no new kittens are being born.

Over years and with sufficient coverage, population size declines naturally.

The challenge in Indonesia, as in every country where community cat populations are large, is scale.

CNVR works — but it requires sustained, city-scale coverage to show population-level results.

That requires funding, trained veterinary staff, trap equipment, post-operative recovery facilities and long-term programme management that most local organisations cannot sustain alone.

What WARN is doing Indonesia is one of WARN's priority countries for our Global Cat Protection Appeal.

Our planned programme is designed to fund the licensed partner cat rescue and sterilisation organisations already doing this work across Indonesian cities — providing the capital support, operating cost contributions and veterinary supply chain access that allows them to expand their CNVR coverage.

We are not building new organisations.

We are funding the ones that already exist and already have the local knowledge, the community relationships and the veterinary capacity to do this work effectively.

Our role is to increase their reach — the number of cats they can sterilise, vaccinate and care for in a year.

Read the Global Cat Protection Appeal for the full programme plan, or make a donation today to fund our first CNVR surgeries and cat shelter weeks in Indonesia and across the other countries we work in.

Help the cats WARN is being built for WARN's Global Cat Protection Appeal will fund partner cat rescue and cat shelter capacity across Vietnam, Indonesia, Pakistan, Kenya and beyond — humane catch-neuter-vaccinate-return work, veterinary care for injured community cats, and responsible in-country cat adoption for rescue cats who can be safely rehomed.

Read the Global Cat Protection Appeal for the full plan, or donate today to fund our first surgeries, vaccinations and cat shelter weeks.

Every pound helps another rescue cat get a fair start.