During the financial year FOUR PAWS Australia continued to advocate for animals under direct human influence, and work towards our vision of a world where humans treat animals with respect, empathy and understanding. Amongst other activities, in 2023 FOUR PAWS Australia: Continued efforts in Bali to help cats and dogs through vital intervention and care programs such as health days, mobile clinics, reporting hotline, free veterinary care, sterilization, and rabies vaccination; Expanded efforts to mitigate the threat of zoonotic diseases (including rabies) to humans and dogs, dog population mapping, stakeholder and community engagement; Campaigned to end the dog and cat meat trade in SE Asia, specifically in Indonesia, Cambodia and Vietnam; Expanded the FOUR PAWS global Wear it Kind (WiK) campaign to create a kinder fashion industry and to end the practice of live lamb cutting (mulesing) of sheep; Formed and strengthened partnerships with other Australian animal welfare organisations to lobby for better animal welfare outcomes for Australian animals; Campaigned for the rescue and rehabilitation of wild animals such as Bears and Big Cats, across the world; Campaigned to raise awareness and change buying habits of Australians on the animal welfare issues of the cruel puppy farming trade in Australia; Campaigned to End Bear Farming, bringing the attention of the Australian community to the plight of bile bears in Vietnam; Campaigned, raised funds and awareness for FOUR PAWS rapid response, highly skilled expert unit equipped to help animals in the face of wars, disasters or in conflict zones. Provided resources and raised awareness of companion animal guardians experiencing financial hardship as the costofliving crisis continues to impact millions of Australians; Raised funds and awareness of FOUR PAWS work to reveal suffering, rescue animals in need and protect them globally.
International Activities
In Bali, FOUR PAWS continued our ongoing support of Program Dharma, expanding into new districts with Program Dewata, working to eliminate animal cruelty, provide vital spay/neuter medical and rabies vaccination services, upskill local veterinarians and fight the cruel dog meat trade. In 2023, additional focus on One Health One Welfare, included work towards effective rabies vaccination coverage to sustain herd immunity. Since 2020, there have been multiple enforced lockdowns in Bali due to increased COVID-19 cases, which has led to increased numbers of rabies cases in dog populations across the region. With funding and resources dedicated to support efforts to mitigate the threat of rabies to humans and dogs, dog population mapping, stakeholder and community engagement and vital intervention and care programs such as health days, mobile clinics, reporting hotline, free veterinary care, sterilization, and rabies vaccination, our program is working towards a kinder world for animals.