Bears all over the world are threatened due to loss of habitat, habitat fragmentation illegal hunting and abuse by humans. In many places bears are mistreated for entertainment as dancing bears, in circuses, theatre and film industry.

The Bears in Mind mission is to protect nature, the bear and its wild habitat in particular as well as other animal species sharing this habitat. Bears in Mind also focuses on the welfare of captive bears. Bears in Mind, formerly Alertis - Fund for Bear and Nature Conservation, was established in 1993. The first and most well-known project is the Bear Forest in Ouwehand Zoo Rhenen, the Netherlands. In this large bear enclosure formerly mistreated bears, such as dancing and circus bears, live in a 2 hectare forest area with European wolves. In contrast with their former life, they can enjoy being a bear.

Bears in Mind is mainly involved in conservation of the large bear species. The nonprofit organisation supports research projects, nature conservation and educational projects. These are carried out mainly in European countries like Bulgaria, Georgia, Croatia, Romania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Greece, Spain, Slovakia, but also outside Europe, in India, Russian Far East, Lao, Vietnam, China, Indonesia and Venezuela.

Animal Protection Denmark is a non-profit association founded in 1875 and works to help animals in need, stop animal abuse and fight for a respectful and sustainable relationship between animals, people and nature. Animal Protection Denmark continues to form the debate about animal welfare and animals’ conditions as they work to improve the lives of both farm animals, pets and wildlife.

They influence decision-makers at national, EU and international levels, advocating for an agricultural production that takes the animals’ natural needs and behaviour into account. They inform and advise pet owners about responsible ownership and rescue abandoned pets through our shelters. Animal Protection Denmark also solves animal welfare cases and cares for wildlife at our rescue stations, so that they can return to the wild.

Climate change, poaching, illegal wildlife trade and habitat destruction are just some of the contributing factors for displaced wildlife needing refuge in the thousands of sanctuaries and rescue centres around the world. Many sanctuaries and rescue centres are operating on limited resources which can be really challenging when they are constantly striving to provide the best possible care for the animals and improve animal welfare. Global Animal Welfare offers bespoke training with a vision to facilitate optimum care in wildlife sanctuaries and rescue centres, promoting good welfare and encouraging suitable release. Global Animal Welfare offers bespoke training opportunities building capacity.

Since 1977, LAV has been fighting for animal rights through direct actions, investigations, and emergency interventions. For over forty-five years, we have been promoting a cruelty-free lifestyle and building a new way of life that values the lives of all living beings and protects the environment. In 2024 we started construction of our animal sanctuary “La Casa degli Animali LAV”, to provides a safe home for hundreds of animals rescued from farms, circuses, illegal trafficking, and vivisection

AAP Animal Advocacy and Protection, founded in the 1960s, is dedicated to a better future for exotic mammlas, such as primates, raccoons, degus and lions. AAP has two centres, one in Almere (the Netherlands) and one in Alicante (Spain), named Primadomus.

In 2015 AAP received 995 rescue requests from all over Europe, rescued 199 animals, cared for a total of  454, and outplaced 116. AAP has quarantine, rehabilitation and resocialization facilities, as well asa bio-safety level 2 chimpanzee facility. Parallel to rescuing individual animals, AAP focuses on prevention and better legislation and works to influence policymakers and public opinion. AAP is frequently asked for help with confiscations by governments across Europe. AAP is a Member of Eurogroup for Animals, the Species Survival Network, the Dutch Animal Coalition and InfoCircos (Spain), among other collaborations.

Animanatura Wild Sanctuary, located in the heart of the Maremma region of Tuscany, serves as a permanent refuge for animals that can no longer be returned to the wild. The sanctuary’s origins date back to 1996 with the establishment of the Wildlife Rescue Center of Maremma (C.R.A.S.M.), a project initiated by WWF Italy in collaboration with the Province of Grosseto. In the years that followed, the center expanded into a C.R.A.S.E. (Centro di Recupero per Animali Selvatici Esotici) to accommodate exotic species in need of specialized care.

Since its inception, Animanatura has provided assistance to over 18,000 native animals and more than 3,000 exotic and wild animals many of which were rescued from illegal trafficking, seizures, or confiscations.

Today, the sanctuary spans over 80 hectares, with 23 hectares specifically dedicated to housing approximately 450 animals in spacious, semi-natural enclosures. Officially recognized by the Italian Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Region of Tuscany, Animanatura is committed not only to the long-term care of animals but also to promoting environmental education and public awareness.

The sanctuary collaborates with leading national and international organizations, including the Born Free Foundation, One Voice, WWF, Half-Earth, and LAV. Through these partnerships, Animanatura actively contributes to the global effort to protect animals and preserve biodiversity.

In 1993, ARCTUROS environmental NGO in Greece established the ARCTUROS Environmental Centre in an effort to solve the problem of the dancing bears, and captive bears that live in appalling conditions, and to establish a national campaign for public awareness and environmental education for large carnivores in Greece. The centre, that includes a veterinary centre for large carnivores, is located in the village of Aetos, Florina, West Macedonia. The Bear Sanctuary and the Bear Information Centre is located in the traditional mountain village Nymfeo. The Wolf Sanctuary with the Wolf Information Centre is located in the village of Agrapidies. ARCTUROS 

Environmental Centre cares for 13 bears and 10 wolves which are confiscated from bear trainers, private owners, zoos, or found in the forests as orphan cubs or pups. It is equipped with a specialised surgery and veterinary care facilities, with modern exhibition and education facilities, as well as an office and facilities to host volunteers; it is supervised by the Greek Ministry of Environment.

BEAR SANCTUARY Arbesbach is one of the five own sanctuaries for mistreated bears run by the global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS and located in the countryside of Arbesbach-Schönfeld in Lower Austria’s Waldviertel, which is approximately 150 km north-west of Vienna. The sanctuary was opened in 1998 and is the first and smallest sanctuary for captive brown bears in need established by FOUR PAWS. Today the sanctuary is home to brown bears from Austria and Slovakia. It is planned to enlarge the sanctuary soon. Visitors have the opportunity to observe the bears on the approx. 500 m long, barrier-free circular route, for example, during the feed search or to get a more in-depth insight into this animal protection project during a guided tour.

BEAR SANCTUARY Belitsa was opened in 2000 and is located in Rila Mountain at about 180 km south of Sofia. The sanctuary is run by the global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS in cooperation with the French Fondation Brigitte Bardot. The sanctuary is currently providing an appropriate, lifelong home for former dancing bears from Bulgaria and Serbia and bears from other cruel private keepings from Croatia, Albania, and North-Macedonia. Thanks to the work of FOUR PAWS, Fondation Brigitte Bardot and BEAR SANCTUARY Belitsa, the cruel chapter of “traditional” dancing bears could be closed in Bulgaria and Serbia, and all of the bears could have been rescued. The sanctuary can be visited for guided tours from the 1st of April until the 1st of December. These guided tours offer visitors comprehensive information about the sad conditions in which the bears suffered before they were rescued and raise awareness about the main natural requirements of brown bear species and their conservation.

BEAR SANCTUARY Müritz is one of the five own sanctuaries for mistreated bears run by the global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS and located in the natural Mecklenburg Lake District area in the north-eastern region of Germany. The sanctuary was opened in 2006 and currently provides an appropriate, lifelong home for brown bears that were kept in inadequate conditions in zoos, circuses or private captivity in Germany, Poland, Serbia and Albania. BEAR SANCTUARY Müritz is open for visitors all year long. In recent years, unique visitor attractions established are the nature visitor trail, the “bear academy”, the organic bistro, and the “boulevard of the region”, which includes a shop selling mainly local products and souvenirs.

https://www.baerenwald-mueritz.de/en

BEAR SANCTUARY Prishtina is one of the five own sanctuaries for mistreated bears run by the global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS and located 20 kilometres from the capital of Kosovo, Pristina. The sanctuary currently provides an appropriate, lifelong home for brown bears that were kept as restaurant bears in Kosovo and Albania. Thanks to FOUR PAWS and BEAR SANCTUARY Prishtina’s work, no more bears have lived under private ownership in Kosovo since 2014. BEAR SANCTUARY Prishtina is open for visitors from February until December. The sanctuary houses brown bears and helps raise awareness about the need to preserve wild animal species in Kosovo.

http://www.vier-pfoten.org/en/projects/bears/bear-sanctuary-prishtina/

The Centro Tutela e Ricerca Fauna Esotica e Selvatica Monte Adone was established in 1989 and is located in the Province of Bologna, Italy. It is a voluntary association with the aim of safeguarding and conserving local and exotic fauna. The centre is committed to recovering and rescuing wounded autochthonous wild animals (deer, raptors, hedgehogs, foxes, dormice, etc.). The emergency rescue service operates 24 hours a day on the territory of Emilia Romagna Region. On average they rescue 500 autochthonous wild animals every year. The rescued animals are provided with veterinary treatment, care and rehabilitation to facilitate reinsertion to the wild. Monte Adone also assist with the rescue and protection of abandoned or abused exotic fauna that often includes mistreatment and unauthorised trade and possession (large felines, primates, parrots, etc.). When possible these animals are introduced into specific facilities in Europe where they can live in appropriate social groups for the species and in semi free environment. For others, as well as for the rescued local fauna for which the release is not possible, the centre becomes a permanent home. Among others, today the centre is a sanctuary for 12 chimpanzees, 4 tigers, 3 lions, 1 lynx and 10 monkeys. Besides animal rescue and care, an important part of our work constitutes education and sensitization of the general public towards environmental issues through guided visits, school lectures, conferences etc., and collaborating with universities for behavioural research of the animals in our care.

FELIDA Big Cat Sanctuary in the Netherlands is one of multiple FOUR PAWS sanctuaries worldwide for rescued wild animals. FOUR PAWS is the global animal welfare organisation for animals under direct human influence, which reveals suffering, rescues animals in need and protects them. At the end of 2013, FOUR PAWS was requested to help an old centre in the Netherlands. Due to acute financial problems, bad animal welfare and serious overdue maintenance, a significant number of animals were in distress. FOUR PAWS eventually took over of the old centre in 2014 and named it FELIDA Big Cat Sanctuary. FELIDA functions as a special care facility for physically and mentally traumatised big cats. The big cats that recover from the hardships of their past can be transferred to LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary in South Africa. Animals that need lifelong intensive and special care, stay at FELIDA.

The foundation runs two Alternative Bear Parks in Germany which serve as sanctuaries. The first was established in 1996 in Thuringian Worbis and the second in 2010 in the Black Forest. In both parks animals who have experienced bad living conditions in captivity have found a new, behaviourally appropriate home for life. Since the establishment of the parks 33 bears, 36 wolves and 2 lynxes have been saved and given shelter. Many other animals, among them 85 bears, over 50 wolves, 8 lynxes, 18 big species of the feline family but also monkeys, horses and numerous ungulates, have been relocated into better accommodation. 

The mission of Lakeview Monkey Sanctuary is to ‘Rescue, Re-home and Rehabilitate’. They provide a lifelong home to monkeys who have come from a variety of situations and backgrounds, but predominately pets. These monkeys arrive with varying degrees of physical and psychological problems, due to poor diets, housing and the lack of socialization with other monkeys. The aim of Lakeview aim is to provide these intelligent creatures with the opportunity to live within species appropriate social groups, usually the first time in their lives. They are introduced to a suitable diet, given veterinary treatment and allowed access to the great outdoors, where they can see and hear the other monkeys. Lakeview Monkey Sanctuary is not open to the public; they believe the monkeys deserve the chance to live in peace and tranquility and at last, achieve ‘sanctuary’.

The Mona Foundation was established in 2000 to rescue illegal held and traded primates in Spain. In 2001 the Foundation established a sanctuary near Girona in Spain which provides a home for rescued chimpanzees and other primates where they can live in a natural environment, and where people can be inspired to understand and respect them. Currently Mona rescues chimpanzees and Barbary macaques. The main goals of Mona Foundation are: to create a sanctuary to home, rehabilitate and rescue chimpanzees from the illegal pet trade and the entertainment industry; to create a facility with a natural environment where people interested in primatology can conduct behavioural studies; and to provide a place where the public can observe the primates living within social groups. In addition to primate rescue and rehabilitation Mona Foundation is also involved in guided visits, schools activities, non-invasive research programmes, primate behavioural courses, and campaigns against use of chimpanzees in entertainment.

The Natuurhulpcentrum Wildlife Rescue Centre comprises two main types of activity. The main activity is the provision of a rescue and rehabilitation for sick and injured native wildlife (foxes, birds of prey, songbirds and squirrels etc.). Most of the animals are brought to the rescue centre by the person that finds them, or are caught by centre staff (birds in chimneys, deer trapped in gardens etc.). Natuurhulpcentrum also operates a rescue centre for exotic animals (primates, big and small mammals, and reptiles). Most of these animals are confiscated by the authorities or surrendered by their owners because they became too aggressive. Every year, Natuurhulpcentrum takes in over 7000 animals. Native wildlife is released back into the wild, and new homes for exotic species are sought in other rescue centers or zoos. Natuurhulpcentrum currently has approximately 16,000 members.

The initial goal of Primadomus was defined as providing a permanent sanctuary for specific groups of primates rescued and socialized at AAP Rescue Centre for Exotic Animals for which outplacement was not available. AAP has relocated many stable primate groups previously rescued and socialized in The Netherlands to sanctuaries and zoos across Europe. AAP has also identified however that there is a substantial number of Barbary macaques smuggled from Morocco to Europe that need rescue. AAP plans to expand the activities of Primadomus, building a bigger quarantine and new socialization units, to facilitate the confiscation and rescue of more Barbary macaques. The ultimate goal is to return social groups of Barbary macaques back to their natural habitat on North Africa. This new direction for Primadomus represents an example of how AAP believes it can help to solve current problems. AAP and Primadomus are also assessing how they can play a role for the rescue of other exotic mammals in south-west Europe.

Refuge de l'Arche takes in exotic, wild and domestic animals which have been held in captivity (by individuals, circuses, laboratories, zoos, etc.). The one thousand 'residents', representing around a hundred different species, live on 22 hectares and stay there until the end of their lives or are transferred to more suitable places. Each animal has its own story. It is not always a happy one, and all too often it has been disrupted by contact with humans, as explained on the guided tour to raise awareness about animal welfare.The site is open to the public for educational and financial purposes, and attracts an average of 85,000 visitors per year.

The Lion Foundation is a rescue facility for big cats, which is situated on the Hoenderdaell Estate in Anna Paulowna, The Netherlands. In April 2012 the first big cats were moved to the Lion Foundation. The foundation aims to shelter big cats in need. If at all possible, shelter will be temporary and will prepare the animals for a return to their natural habitat. The rescued cats come for example from private parties or from circuses, which as a result of new legislation are no longer allowed. The owners look for a place where these lions and tigers can live in comfort for the rest of their lives. The Lion Foundation provides such a place. In 2015, the Foundation reached its first goal and brought the first lions to South-Africa to a protected area.

TIERART association was founded in 1999. The association bought a former US military site in order to give native and exotic wild animals a new home. A major motivation was the nationwide lack of such wild animal rescue stations in Germany. In addition to rescue and protection of wild animals, the main task is to provide information and education on the subject of animal welfare and species protection. Since 2013, TIERART e.V. has been cooperating with FOUR PAWS with the common goal of creating a species-appropriate facility for big cats and is now known as TIERART Wild Animal Sanctuary. The Sanctuary covers an area of 14 hectares. In addition to the big cats, TIERART Wild Animal Sanctuary houses and cares for numerous native wild animals such as foxes, badgers, wild cats, hares, raccoons, dormice and hedgehogs. Furthermore there is a large herd of sheep and goats. Since 2017, TIERART has been running a sanctuary for lynx in cooperation with the EU-LIFE-LUCHS project. Here, injured or orphaned lynx from the reintroduction program are taken in, cared for and then released back into the wild in the Palatinate Forest.

Founded in 2011, De Zonnegloed is a lifelong sanctuary for wild animals who can no longer return to nature due to neglect, abuse, or abandonment. Currently home to around 400 animals, the sanctuary provides permanent care after their rescue from temporary shelters, partner organisations, and public authorities such as the police, the Flemish Department of Animal Welfare, and Nature & Forest Agency. At De Zonnegloed, animals find safety, healing, and a new beginning among their own kind.

The aims of Wild Futures is to promote the welfare and conservation of primates; to end the trade in primates for any purpose and the abuse of primates in captivity; to conserve and restore natural habitats in the UK and abroad through funding, education and sustainable practices, and to provide a home for life to primates in need of rescue and rehabilitation. Wild Futures rescue and rehabilitation work is carried out at their sanctuary, based in Looe, Cornwall. Since 2001 Wild Futures has rescued 38 monkeys, guaranteeing a lifelong home and providing the opportunity for monkeys to socialise and form natural bonds with other monkeys. Underpinning all of Wild Futures work in conservation, campaigning and rehabilitation is their education work, believing that the only way to achieve conservation goals is by educating people. Open to the public for seven months a year, the sanctuary offers a unique insight to over 30,000 visitors each year, into primate conservation and welfare issues. Wild Futures campaign work is focused on the prevention of abuse of primates in captivity, with the specific aim of putting an end to the primate pet trade in the UK and abroad.

WildSide Exotic Rescue is a sanctuary for wild captive animals traded and kept as pets in the UK. We rescue and rehabilitate those animals in need and inspire humans to end the wild pet trade. WildSide is home to over 200 animals across 44 different species, from Meerkat to Mountain Lion.We are a not-for-profit community interest company that has been in operation since 2009. We are not open to the public, giving the residents here total peace and privacy. The rescues enjoy home grown vegetables and fruit grown in the muck created by the herbivore rescues. The addition of a fully kitted out vet room on site also means that managing animals health and dealing with operations is less stressful, involving no transportation off site.