World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/pet-loss-support/children-and-pet-loss): Explaining pet death to a child: a gentle, honest guide.

## Including children in goodbyes and a memorial
Being part of how the family says goodbye gives a child something active to do with their love, and a sense that they helped honour their friend rather than being a bystander to a loss decided over their head.

## Including children in goodbyes and a memorial
Keep it gentle and let them lead. A child might draw a picture of their pet, choose a favourite photo, pick the spot for ashes or a plant, write or dictate a few words, or place a toy or a flower. Older children might want to help plan a small ceremony or make a memory box.

## Including children in goodbyes and a memorial
These small rituals matter. They make the love visible, give grief a shape and an outlet, and create a memory the child can return to — proof that their friend was real, and loved, and mattered.

## Including children in goodbyes and a memorial
For inspiration that's easy to do with children, see our pet memorial ideas, and if your family finds comfort in the gentle imagery many people use to talk about pets who have died, our piece on the Rainbow Bridge offers a kind way to share that idea without frightening detail.

## When to seek extra support
Most children, with an honest, loving adult nearby, move through pet grief at their own pace and come out the other side. But sometimes a little extra help is wise.

## When to seek extra support
Consider speaking to your GP or doctor, your child's school, or a children's bereavement service if your child's distress is intense and not easing over many weeks, if they withdraw from friends and activities they used to love, if sleep or eating is badly disrupted for a prolonged period, or if you feel out of your depth. There is no shame in this — it is good parenting.

## When to seek extra support
Remember to tend to your own grief too. This was your pet as well, and children take their cues from the adults around them. Being kind to yourself is also being kind to your child. Our guide to coping with the loss of a pet may help you find your own footing.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/pet-loss-support/children-and-pet-loss): Explaining pet death to a child: a gentle, honest guide.

## How do I tell my child their pet died?
Pick a calm, private moment and tell them yourself, in simple true words: 'I have very sad news. Our cat died today. Her body stopped working and it can't start again.' Then pause and let them react. Answer questions honestly, allow your own sadness to show, and reassure them it was not their fault. You don't need perfect words — just honest, loving ones.

## Should I tell my child the pet was 'put to sleep'?
It's best to avoid 'put to sleep' with young children, who think literally and may become frightened of sleep, anaesthetic, or bedtime. Instead use clear words like 'died' and 'her body stopped working'. These sound blunt to adults but are calmer and less confusing for children, and they prevent frightening misunderstandings that can linger for weeks.

## Should a child be present when a pet is put to sleep?
There's no single right answer — you know your child best. If they're old enough to understand and ask to be there, you can offer it as a genuine choice after honestly explaining what will happen: the vet gives an injection, it doesn't hurt, and their pet will become still. Let them change their mind at any point, with a trusted adult ready to step out with them.

## How do I reassure my child it wasn't their fault?
Say it plainly and more than once, even if they haven't voiced any guilt: 'Nothing you did or didn't do made this happen.' Children aged roughly 5-9 are especially prone to 'magic thinking' — believing an angry thought or forgotten chore caused the death. Explain the real, simple reason ('his body was too old and poorly') so they have something true to hold onto.

## Why shouldn't I just say the pet ran away?
Telling a child the pet 'ran away' when it died usually backfires. They may watch the door for weeks, feel rejected by an animal they loved, blame themselves, or lose trust in you when they learn the truth. Honesty, said gently, is kinder. It lets your child grieve the real loss rather than wait for a return that won't come.

## Is it normal for my child to seem unbothered when their pet dies?
Yes. Children often grieve in short bursts — a wave of sadness, then straight back to play — because they can only hold so much feeling at once. Asking to go and play soon after the news isn't coldness; it's them coming up for air. The grief usually resurfaces later, at bedtime, through a drawing, or in a sudden question. Stay available for when it does.

## How do I explain pet death to a toddler or preschooler?
Keep it short, concrete and physical: 'Dead means his body doesn't work any more — he can't run, eat or feel anything, and it's forever.' Under-5s often don't grasp permanence yet and may ask the same questions repeatedly; that repetition is how they understand, not naughtiness. Gently reassure them this won't happen to them or to you any time soon.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/pet-loss-support/pet-bereavement-support): Pet bereavement support: where to find real help with pet loss.

## Quick answer
Pet bereavement support is help with the grief of losing a pet, and much of it is free and confidential. You can contact trained pet-loss helplines (called hotlines in the US), join online support communities, attend pet-loss groups, or see a grief counsellor. No loss is too small, and you do not have to grieve alone.

## Introduction
If you are reading this with a tight chest and a house that feels too quiet, please know you have come to the right place. The bond you shared was real, and so is this pain. Asking for support is not a sign that you are coping badly; it is one of the kindest things you can do for yourself right now.

## Introduction
This page is a genuine directory of where to find real pet bereavement support. Most of it is free, confidential, and staffed by people who understand exactly why you are hurting. We have gathered trusted services for readers in the UK, the US and further afield, so you can find a hand to hold wherever you are.

## Introduction
Take what helps and leave the rest. There is no right way to grieve a pet, and no timeline you are failing to meet.

## Key takeaway
Pet bereavement support is widely available, and a great deal of it is completely free and confidential.

## Key takeaway
Helplines (called hotlines in the US) and email services are staffed by trained, compassionate people who specialise in pet loss, not general advice lines.

## Key takeaway
No grief is too small, too late, or too 'silly' to deserve support, whatever the species or circumstances.

## Key takeaway
Online communities and pet-loss groups let you grieve alongside others who truly understand.

## Key takeaway
Pet loss can trigger or deepen depression and anxiety; this is common, treatable, and worth seeing a GP or doctor about.

## Key takeaway
If you ever have thoughts of harming yourself, please contact your GP or doctor, or a helpline or hotline in your country, straight away.

## What is pet bereavement support, and who is it for?
Pet bereavement support is any service that helps you cope with the grief of losing an animal companion. That includes telephone and email helplines, online communities, in-person and virtual support groups, and one-to-one grief counselling. Some services are run by animal charities, some by universities and veterinary schools, and some by trained volunteers who have walked this path themselves.

## What is pet bereavement support, and who is it for?
It is for anyone grieving a pet, full stop. You do not need a diagnosis, a referral, or a 'good enough' reason. Whether you have lost a dog of fifteen years, a cat you rehomed last spring, a rabbit, a horse, or a small creature others underestimated, your feelings are valid.

## What is pet bereavement support, and who is it for?
Pet loss can hit harder than people expect, partly because the world does not always treat it as a 'real' bereavement. That lack of recognition, sometimes called disenfranchised grief, is exactly why dedicated pet loss support exists. Here, you will not have to justify your sorrow.

## Is pet loss support free and confidential?
Much of it is, yes. The pet bereavement helplines and email services listed below are free to use and confidential, meaning what you share stays between you and the trained person supporting you. You can usually call or write anonymously, and you are never obliged to give your details.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/pet-loss-support/pet-bereavement-support): Pet bereavement support: where to find real help with pet loss.

## Is pet loss support free and confidential?
Charity-run helplines and university veterinary hotlines are typically free at the point of use, though standard call charges may apply depending on your phone plan. Online communities and many support groups are free to join as well.

## Is pet loss support free and confidential?
Private grief counselling with a qualified therapist is usually paid, though some counsellors offer reduced rates, and in some areas support may be available through your GP or local services. We explain when professional counselling is worth considering further down.

## Pet loss helplines and email befriending services
When the grief is fresh and you simply need to talk, a pet loss helpline (or hotline, as it is known in the US) can be a lifeline. These lines are staffed by trained volunteers who specialise in pet bereavement, so you will not have to explain why losing your companion matters. They listen without judgement, sit with you in the hard feelings, and gently help you find your footing.

## Pet loss helplines and email befriending services
Helplines tend to operate within set hours, so it is worth checking opening times before you call. If picking up the phone feels like too much, many services also offer email or befriending support, where you write at your own pace and a trained volunteer writes back. For some people, putting it into words on a screen feels safer than speaking aloud.

## Pet loss helplines and email befriending services
In the UK, the Blue Cross Pet Bereavement Support Service offers free phone and email support, and Cats Protection runs a grief line called Paws to Listen. In the US, several veterinary colleges, including Cornell and Tufts, run pet loss support hotlines, and the Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement offers chat-based help. You will find all of these in the resources list below.

## Online communities, memorial pages and support groups
There is real comfort in being among people who understand without being told. Online pet loss communities and forums are open around the clock, so at 3am, when the loss feels loudest, there is a place to turn. You can share a photo, write a memory, or simply read others' stories and feel less alone.

## Online communities, memorial pages and support groups
Memorial pages and online tribute spaces let you do something with your love, giving your pet's name a place to live on. Putting a few words into the world about who they were can be surprisingly steadying.

## Online communities, memorial pages and support groups
Pet loss support groups, whether they meet in person or online, bring small groups together to grieve and remember, often guided by a facilitator. Hearing others speak the feelings you have struggled to name can be a turning point. Ask your vet, local hospice, or animal charity whether a group runs near you, and explore The Ralph Site and the APLB community listed below.

## When grief tips into depression, anxiety or isolation
Grief and depression can look similar, but they are not the same, and sometimes one slides quietly into the other. Pet loss can trigger or deepen depression and anxiety, and that is more common than people admit. It happens especially to those who lived alone with their pet, whose daily routine revolved around them, or who are elderly or already isolated. When the one steady presence in your day is suddenly gone, the silence can become its own kind of weight.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/pet-loss-support/pet-bereavement-support): Pet bereavement support: where to find real help with pet loss.

## When grief tips into depression, anxiety or isolation
Some heaviness is a natural part of mourning. But if low mood lingers for weeks without lifting, if you have lost interest in everything, cannot sleep or eat, feel persistently anxious, or have begun pulling away from the people and routines that once held you, please treat that as a signal rather than a failing. This is common, and it is treatable.

## When grief tips into depression, anxiety or isolation
Please see your GP or doctor about how you have been feeling. They will not think you are over-reacting to 'just' a pet; depression and anxiety after a significant loss are well recognised, and there is real, effective help, from talking therapies to other support. Telling someone is the first and often the hardest step, and you do not have to manage it on your own.

## When should you consider pet grief counselling?
Most grief, however painful, gradually softens with time and support. But sometimes it stays sharp, or starts to interfere with your ability to live. It can help to consider professional pet grief counselling if, after a number of weeks or months, you are still unable to function day to day, are withdrawing from people you love, cannot sleep or eat, or feel stuck in guilt, anger or despair that will not lift.

## When should you consider pet grief counselling?
Counselling is also worth considering if this loss has reopened older grief, if the circumstances were traumatic, or if you simply feel you need more than a helpline can offer. Needing a counsellor is not weakness or over-reaction; it is a sensible response to pain that has grown bigger than you can hold alone.

## When should you consider pet grief counselling?
A qualified grief counsellor or therapist, ideally one familiar with pet loss, can give you dedicated time and tools to work through it. In the UK you might ask your GP about options or look for an accredited counsellor; in the US, the APLB can point you towards counsellors who understand pet bereavement. Your vet may also know local resources.

## Trusted pet bereavement support services
These well-established services span the UK, the US and beyond. Opening hours, eligibility and the exact support offered can change, so do check each organisation's own website for current details. If one does not feel like the right fit, try another.

## Trusted pet bereavement support services
Wherever you are, please contact whichever feels most approachable today. The hardest part is often the first message or call, and the people on the other end will be glad you made it.

## A gentle word from WARN
At World Animal Rescue Network, we believe every reader of this page deserves real, expert support, which is why we point you first to the dedicated services above. They are the people best placed to walk beside you right now.

## A gentle word from WARN
When you feel ready, and only if it feels right, we offer two quiet ways to honour your companion. You can add their name and a short message to our Pet Memorial Wall, a public place where their memory lives on, or you can make a tribute gift in their memory that helps animals like the one you loved. A gift in memory of a dog supports street dogs; in memory of a cat, community cats. It is simply one option among many, never the point of your grief.

## A gentle word from WARN
However you choose to remember them, and whoever you turn to, please be gentle with yourself. Your love mattered, and so do you.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/pet-loss-support/pet-bereavement-support): Pet bereavement support: where to find real help with pet loss.

## Is there a free pet bereavement helpline I can call?
Yes. Several charities and veterinary colleges run free pet loss helplines (hotlines in the US) staffed by trained volunteers. In the UK, the Blue Cross Pet Bereavement Support Service offers free phone and email support, and Cats Protection runs a grief line. In the US, Cornell and Tufts veterinary schools run pet loss support hotlines. Call charges from your own phone provider may still apply, but the support itself is free.

## Is pet loss support confidential?
Yes. Reputable pet bereavement helplines and email services are confidential, meaning what you share stays between you and the person supporting you. You can usually contact them anonymously and are never required to give your details. Online communities let you use a username rather than your real name. You are always in control of how much you share and when.

## Can losing a pet cause depression?
It can. Pet loss can trigger or deepen depression and anxiety, particularly for people who lived alone with their pet or who are elderly or isolated, and that is common rather than unusual. If low mood lingers for weeks, you cannot sleep or eat, or you are withdrawing from everyone, please see your GP or doctor. Depression after a significant loss is well recognised and treatable, and you do not have to face it alone.

## When should I see a counsellor for pet grief?
Consider professional grief counselling if, after several weeks or months, your grief is not easing and is stopping you functioning, sleeping or eating, if you are withdrawing from loved ones, or if you feel trapped in guilt or despair. It is also worth it if this loss has reopened older grief or was traumatic. Needing support is sensible, not an overreaction.

## Where can US pet owners find pet loss support?
In the US, the Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement offers online chat rooms and counsellors, several veterinary colleges including Cornell and Tufts run pet loss support hotlines, and the ASPCA provides helpful resources. Lap of Love also offers support, including for anticipatory grief before a loss. You will find links to each in the resources list on this page.

## What if I need help in the middle of the night?
Many helplines have set opening hours, but online pet loss communities and forums are open around the clock, so you can write, read others' stories, or simply not feel alone at any hour. If you ever feel unable to cope, or have thoughts of not wanting to go on or of harming yourself, please do not wait. In the UK call Samaritans free on 116 123; in the US call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline; or contact your GP or doctor.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/pet-loss-support/my-pet-died-at-home-what-do-i-do): My pet died at home: what do I do now?

## Quick answer
If your pet dies at home, take a breath, make sure they are safely at rest, and call your vet or a local pet crematorium for aftercare guidance. You usually do not have to decide everything immediately. Keep their body cool and comfortable, ask about cremation or burial, and let someone support you.

## Introduction
Finding yourself alone with your pet after they have died can feel frightening, unreal and deeply tender. We are so sorry you are facing this.

## Introduction
There are some practical steps to take, but there is also time to be gentle. Unless there is an urgent health or safety issue, you do not need to make every decision in the first few minutes.

## Key takeaway
Call your vet first if you are unsure what happened, need confirmation, or want aftercare arranged.

## Key takeaway
Lay your pet on a towel or blanket in a cool, quiet place while you decide what happens next.

## Key takeaway
Cremation, burial and keepsakes can usually be arranged through your vet or a local pet crematorium.

## Key takeaway
If the death was sudden, traumatic or unexplained, ask your vet whether any further checks are needed.

## Key takeaway
You are allowed to spend time saying goodbye before making practical calls.

## What should I do first?
Start by giving yourself a moment. If your pet is still warm, or you are not certain they have died, call your vet immediately and describe what you can see. They can tell you whether to come in, whether an emergency vet is needed, or whether aftercare is the next step.

## What should I do first?
If your pet has clearly died, move slowly. Place them on a towel or blanket in a cool, quiet room, away from direct heat and away from other pets if that feels kinder. You may want to curl them gently into a natural resting position before stiffness begins.

## Who should I call?
Your own vet practice is usually the best first call, even if your pet died outside opening hours. The voicemail often gives emergency or out-of-hours instructions. A local pet crematorium can also explain collection, individual cremation, communal cremation and ashes options.

## Who should I call?
If the death was sudden, after an accident, or connected to possible poisoning or infectious disease, tell the vet. They can advise whether anything else is needed for your household or other animals.

## Who should I call?
Who should I call?: Call your vet or emergency vet for confirmation and advice. Ask whether they can arrange cremation or collection. Ask what keepsakes, such as paw prints or fur clippings, can be taken before cremation. Ask for costs in writing if money is a concern.

## Can I bury my pet at home?
In some places, home burial is allowed on land you own, but rules differ by country, council, state or city. You should not bury a pet on public land, rented land without permission, or near water sources. If your pet was euthanised, ask your vet before burial because veterinary drugs may affect wildlife or the environment.

## Can I bury my pet at home?
When in doubt, choose cremation or ask your vet, local authority or pet crematorium what is permitted where you live.

## What can wait until tomorrow?
Many decisions can wait: which urn to choose, whether to hold a memorial, what to do with toys, whether to keep ashes at home, and how to tell wider friends or family. In the raw first hours, focus on keeping your pet's body safe and making one practical call.

## What can wait until tomorrow?
If you are alone, ask someone kind to sit with you, drive you, or make the first phone call. Grief makes ordinary tasks feel impossible, and you do not have to manage them perfectly.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/pet-loss-support/my-pet-died-at-home-what-do-i-do): My pet died at home: what do I do now?

## How long can my pet stay at home after dying?
This depends on temperature and circumstances, but it is usually best to call your vet or a pet crematorium as soon as you can and keep your pet in a cool room while you wait. In warm weather, arrangements should be made more quickly.

## Should I let my other pets see the body?
Some owners feel it helps surviving animals understand the absence, while others prefer not to. If you do allow it, supervise calmly and do not force interaction. If another pet seems unwell, stops eating or becomes very distressed, contact your vet.

## Do I need a vet to confirm my pet has died?
If you are uncertain, if the death was sudden or unexplained, or if you need official confirmation for insurance or cremation paperwork, call your vet. They can advise what is needed.

## Can I take a paw print after my pet dies?
Often, yes. Some owners take an ink or clay paw print at home, and many vets or crematoriums can arrange one. If a keepsake matters to you, ask before cremation or burial.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/pet-loss-support/how-long-does-pet-grief-last): How long does pet grief last?

## Quick answer
Pet grief has no fixed timeline. The sharpest pain may soften over weeks or months, but waves can return for a year or longer, especially around routines, anniversaries and reminders. Grief lasting a long time is not failure; seek extra support if it remains overwhelming or stops you functioning.

## Introduction
One of the loneliest parts of pet loss is wondering whether you are grieving for too long. You may feel pressure to be okay before you are anywhere near okay.

## Introduction
There is no calendar that can tell you when love should stop hurting. Grief changes shape; it does not simply disappear.

## Key takeaway
There is no normal deadline for pet grief.

## Key takeaway
The first days and weeks are often the most disorienting, but later waves are common.

## Key takeaway
Anniversaries, routines, smells, sounds and familiar places can bring grief back suddenly.

## Key takeaway
Grief may last longer if the loss was sudden, traumatic, lonely or connected to euthanasia guilt.

## Key takeaway
Professional support is wise if grief stays unmanageable or you feel unable to cope.

## Is there a normal pet grief timeline?
Not really. Many people feel shocked and numb in the first days, intensely raw for weeks, and gradually steadier over the following months. But grief does not move in a straight line. A good morning can be followed by an unbearable evening, and that does not mean you are going backwards.

## Is there a normal pet grief timeline?
Pet loss can be especially hard because reminders are everywhere: the empty bed, the food bowl, the quiet doorway, the walk you no longer take. These small absences can keep grief close for longer than outsiders expect.

## Why does grief come back in waves?
Waves return because your bond was part of daily life. Your mind learns the loss over and over in ordinary moments: when you wake, come home, cook dinner, hear a noise, or reach for a lead or food bowl.

## Why does grief come back in waves?
Anniversaries, birthdays, adoption days, the date of euthanasia, or the first holiday without them can all reopen grief. That is normal. It is memory and love meeting a changed reality.

## What if I am still grieving months later?
Still grieving months later can be completely normal. Many people continue to miss a pet for years, although the pain often becomes less constant and more woven into memory.

## What if I am still grieving months later?
It may help to ask whether grief is changing at all. Are there moments of rest? Can you eat, sleep, work or connect with someone sometimes? If not, or if guilt or despair stays intense, extra support is a kindness to yourself.

## When should I ask for more help?
Ask for more help if grief is stopping you functioning for a long period, if you cannot sleep or eat, if you are withdrawing from everyone, or if you feel trapped in guilt, panic or hopelessness. A doctor, counsellor, pet bereavement helpline or grief group can help you carry what feels too heavy alone.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/pet-loss-support/how-long-does-pet-grief-last): How long does pet grief last?

## Is it normal to still cry months after losing a pet?
Yes. Tears months later are common, especially when a routine or anniversary brings the loss close again. It only becomes a concern if the grief remains so intense that you cannot function or feel unsafe.

## Can pet grief last for years?
Missing a pet can last for years because love and memory last. The pain usually changes over time, becoming less constant. If it stays raw and disabling, support from a counsellor or doctor may help.

## Why do I feel worse after starting to feel better?
Grief often moves in waves. Feeling worse after a calmer patch is not failure; it usually means something has touched the loss again.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/pet-loss-support/why-does-losing-a-pet-hurt-so-much): Why does losing a pet hurt so much?

## Quick answer
Losing a pet hurts so much because the relationship was real, daily and emotionally safe. Pets shape routines, identity, comfort and home life. When they die, you lose not only an animal but a companion, witness and source of unconditional connection. Pet grief is genuine bereavement.

## Introduction
If you are shocked by how much this hurts, you are not alone. Many people feel almost embarrassed by the force of pet grief, especially if others minimise it.

## Introduction
But the pain makes sense. The relationship was not small simply because it crossed species.

## Key takeaway
Pet grief is real grief because attachment is real attachment.

## Key takeaway
Pets are part of daily routines, so their absence is felt many times a day.

## Key takeaway
The bond can feel unusually safe, wordless and unconditional.

## Key takeaway
Grief may be intensified if others fail to recognise the loss.

## Key takeaway
You do not have to justify the depth of your grief to anyone.

## Your pet was part of your everyday life
A pet is not loved only in grand moments. They are loved in repeated, ordinary ones: feeding, greeting, walking, sleeping nearby, listening, waiting, following, nudging, purring, leaning, playing or simply being there.

## Your pet was part of your everyday life
When they die, the loss is not occasional. It meets you all day long. The silence is in the room, the routine, the doorway and the places your body still expects them to be.

## The bond may have felt safer than many human relationships
Many people experience their pet as a steady, non-judgemental presence. Your pet did not need you to perform, explain yourself, be impressive or hide your feelings. They were simply there.

## The bond may have felt safer than many human relationships
Losing that kind of companionship can feel like losing a safe place. That is why pet loss can sometimes hurt as much as, or even more than, other losses. Grief reflects attachment, not social ranking.

## Other people may not understand
Pet grief is sometimes disenfranchised grief: a real loss that society does not fully recognise. If someone says 'it was only a pet', the hurt can double because you are grieving and defending your grief at the same time.

## Other people may not understand
You do not need permission from anyone else. The love was real. The loss is real. Your grief is allowed.

## Why guilt often comes with the pain
Because pets depend on us, grief often arrives with guilt. You may replay decisions, symptoms, vet visits, money worries or the timing of euthanasia. This is common. Your mind is trying to find control after something irreversible.

## Why guilt often comes with the pain
Guilt is not proof that you failed. Often, it is proof that you cared deeply and wanted to protect them from every harm.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/pet-loss-support/why-does-losing-a-pet-hurt-so-much): Why does losing a pet hurt so much?

## Is it normal for pet loss to hurt as much as losing a person?
Yes. For some people it does, because the bond was constant, intimate and part of daily life. Grief follows attachment, not species.

## Why do people dismiss pet grief?
Some people have not experienced that kind of animal bond, or they are uncomfortable with grief in general. Their misunderstanding does not make your loss smaller.

## Why does the house feel so empty after my pet died?
Your pet helped create the emotional rhythm of home. Their absence changes the sound, movement and feeling of ordinary rooms, so the emptiness can feel physical.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/pet-loss-support/should-i-get-another-pet-after-losing-one): Should I get another pet after losing one?

## Quick answer
There is no correct time to get another pet after losing one. Some people need months or years; others heal by opening their home sooner. You may be ready when you want a new relationship for its own sake, not to erase the pet who died or silence grief before you have felt it.

## Introduction
After a pet dies, the question of another animal can feel loaded. It may bring hope, guilt, longing, fear, or pressure from other people who want you to feel better.

## Introduction
A new pet is not a replacement. They are a new relationship. The right time is the time when you can let them be that.

## Key takeaway
There is no universal waiting period after losing a pet.

## Key takeaway
Wanting another pet soon is not betrayal; needing a long time is not weakness.

## Key takeaway
Be careful if you are trying to stop grief rather than welcome a new animal.

## Key takeaway
Consider your energy, finances, household, surviving pets and emotional readiness.

## Key takeaway
Fostering can be a gentler first step if adoption feels too final.

## How do I know if I am ready?
Readiness often feels less like 'I am over it' and more like 'I have room to love again'. You may still miss your pet deeply and be ready for another animal. Those two things can exist together.

## How do I know if I am ready?
A helpful question is whether you can meet the new pet as themselves. If you need them to look, behave or love exactly like the one who died, you may need more time.

## Is it disrespectful to get another pet quickly?
No. Love is not a limited container. Bringing another animal home soon does not mean the pet who died mattered less. For some people, caring for an animal is part of how they stay connected to life after loss.

## Is it disrespectful to get another pet quickly?
Equally, waiting a long time is valid. You are not wasting a home or failing animals by needing space to grieve.

## Questions to ask before adopting again
Try to answer these gently and honestly. They are not tests; they are ways to protect both you and the animal who may come next.

## Questions to ask before adopting again
Questions to ask before adopting again: Can I meet this animal as themselves, not as a replacement? Do I have the practical energy for feeding, training, cleaning, walks or vet visits? Can I afford routine and emergency care? How might surviving pets respond? Am I choosing this freely, rather than from pressure or panic?

## Could fostering help first?
Fostering can be a softer bridge for some people. It lets you help an animal without deciding immediately that you are ready for a lifelong commitment. It can also show you what feelings arise when an animal is in the home again.

## Could fostering help first?
If fostering would feel too emotionally complicated, that is also okay. There are many ways to help animals while you heal.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/pet-loss-support/should-i-get-another-pet-after-losing-one): Should I get another pet after losing one?

## How soon is too soon to get another pet?
There is no fixed 'too soon'. It may be too soon if you are trying to avoid grief, replace the exact animal you lost, or cannot meet the new pet's needs. It may not be too soon if your heart and home are genuinely ready.

## Will getting another pet help my grief?
It can bring comfort and routine, but it will not erase grief. A new pet can add love while you still mourn the one who died.

## What if I compare the new pet to my old one?
Some comparison is normal at first. If it becomes constant or unfair to the new pet, slow down, name the grief, and give the new relationship time to become itself.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/pet-loss-support/what-to-say-when-someone-loses-a-pet): What to say when someone loses a pet.

## Quick answer
When someone loses a pet, say something simple, specific and validating: 'I am so sorry. I know how much you loved them. They were part of your family.' Avoid minimising phrases like 'at least' or 'you can get another one'. Your steady presence matters more than perfect words.

## Introduction
It is hard to know what to say when someone you love is grieving an animal. You may worry about saying the wrong thing, or about making them cry.

## Introduction
The safest words are usually simple ones that recognise the pet as someone who mattered.

## Key takeaway
Name the pet if you know their name.

## Key takeaway
Acknowledge the relationship instead of trying to fix the pain.

## Key takeaway
Avoid 'at least', replacement comments, or timelines for grief.

## Key takeaway
Offer practical help rather than vague help.

## Key takeaway
Check in again weeks later, when other messages have stopped.

## Simple things to say
You do not need a perfect speech. A short, sincere message is enough. Mention their pet's name if you can; it tells the person their companion is remembered, not erased.

## Simple things to say
Simple things to say: I am so sorry about Bella. I know how much you loved her. They were such a special part of your life. I am here with you. You do not have to answer this message. Would you like to tell me about them? I remember how happy they were with you.

## What not to say
Most hurtful comments are attempts to soften the loss too quickly. Try not to begin with 'at least'. It usually makes grief feel dismissed.

## What not to say
What not to say: At least they lived a long life. At least you can get another one. It was only a pet. You should be over it by now. Everything happens for a reason.

## Offer practical help
Grief makes small tasks heavy. Instead of saying 'let me know if you need anything', offer something specific: dropping off food, driving them to collect ashes, sitting with them while they phone the vet, or helping move pet supplies when they are ready.

## Remember them later
Most support arrives in the first few days, then disappears. A message a month later can mean a great deal. You might say, 'I was thinking of Max today and wanted to check in.' That tells your friend their pet still matters.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/pet-loss-support/what-to-say-when-someone-loses-a-pet): What to say when someone loses a pet.

## Should I send a pet sympathy card?
Yes, if it feels appropriate. A physical card can be reread and kept. Keep the message warm, simple and specific.

## Is it okay to mention the pet's name?
Usually, yes. Many grieving people long to hear their pet's name because it shows the animal is remembered.

## What should I text someone whose pet died?
Try: 'I am so sorry about [name]. I know how loved they were. You do not have to reply, but I am here.'


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/pet-loss-support/what-to-do-with-pet-ashes): What to do with pet ashes.

## Quick answer
You can keep pet ashes in an urn, scatter them somewhere meaningful where permitted, bury them, place a small amount in jewellery, create a memorial garden, or divide them between keepsakes. There is no deadline. Choose what feels peaceful, legal and true to the bond you shared.

## Introduction
Receiving your pet's ashes can feel tender and strange. For some people it brings comfort; for others it makes the loss feel newly real.

## Introduction
You do not have to know immediately what to do. Ashes can simply stay safely with you until the right idea appears.

## Key takeaway
There is no rush to decide what happens to your pet's ashes.

## Key takeaway
Keeping ashes at home is a valid memorial choice.

## Key takeaway
Scattering rules vary, so check permission for public or private land.

## Key takeaway
Memorial jewellery, gardens and keepsake urns can hold a small amount of ashes.

## Key takeaway
Different family members can remember a pet in different ways.

## Can I keep pet ashes at home?
Yes. Many people keep their pet's ashes in a simple urn, wooden box, ceramic vessel or framed memorial display. You might place them somewhere visible, or somewhere private. Both are valid.

## Can I keep pet ashes at home?
If seeing the urn is painful, you can move it gently out of daily sight. That does not mean you love your pet less.

## Can I scatter pet ashes?
You may be able to scatter ashes in a garden, woodland, beach, walking route or other meaningful place, but rules vary. Always check permission before scattering on public land, private land you do not own, parks, waterways or protected areas.

## Can I scatter pet ashes?
Some people scatter all the ashes; others scatter a little and keep the rest. There is no single right ritual.

## Memorial ideas for ashes
Ashes can become part of a memorial without needing to be public or elaborate. Choose something that feels like your pet, your home and your way of loving them.

## Memorial ideas for ashes
Memorial ideas for ashes: A simple urn or memory box at home. A small amount in memorial jewellery. A planted tree, rose or pot with a marker. A framed photo with collar, tag and ashes nearby. A shared family ceremony or private goodbye.

## What if I cannot decide?
Then wait. Indecision is common because the ashes can feel like the last physical connection to your pet. Put them somewhere safe and give yourself permission to decide later, even much later.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/pet-loss-support/what-to-do-with-pet-ashes): What to do with pet ashes.

## Is it okay to divide pet ashes?
Yes. Some families divide ashes between an urn, jewellery, scattering and keepsakes. Ask your crematorium what is possible.

## Can I travel with pet ashes?
Rules vary by airline and country. Keep ashes in a sealed container and check airline, border and crematorium paperwork requirements before travelling.

## Is it strange to keep pet ashes forever?
No. Many people keep ashes permanently. It is a personal memorial choice, not something you need to justify.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/pet-loss-support/how-to-cope-after-putting-a-pet-to-sleep): How to cope after putting a pet to sleep.

## Quick answer
After putting a pet to sleep, grief and guilt often arrive together. Remind yourself that euthanasia is chosen to prevent suffering, not to abandon them. Talk through the decision with your vet if you need reassurance, let yourself grieve, and seek support if guilt becomes crushing or persistent.

## Introduction
The days after euthanasia can be filled with what-if thoughts. Even when the decision was medically right, your heart may keep asking whether you chose too soon, too late, or wrongly.

## Introduction
That guilt is common. It does not mean the decision was unloving.

## Key takeaway
Euthanasia guilt is one of the most common forms of pet-loss grief.

## Key takeaway
The decision is usually made because suffering can no longer be prevented or comfort restored.

## Key takeaway
Your vet can help you review the medical reasons if your mind keeps replaying the choice.

## Key takeaway
Being present or not being present does not measure your love.

## Key takeaway
If guilt becomes unbearable, talk to a counsellor, doctor or pet bereavement helpline.

## Why guilt happens after euthanasia
Euthanasia asks you to make a decision no one wants to make. Because you loved your pet and were responsible for them, your mind may search for a way you could have prevented the ending.

## Why guilt happens after euthanasia
Guilt can be the mind's attempt to regain control after a loss that feels too final. It is painful, but it is also common.

## Too soon or too late
Many owners fear both at once: that they acted too soon, and that they waited too long. This contradiction is part of grief. You were trying to balance love, suffering, hope, fear and medical advice in an impossible moment.

## Too soon or too late
If your vet advised euthanasia, or supported your decision, hold onto that. They saw the medical picture when love made it hard for you to see clearly.

## What if I was not there?
Some people cannot be present for euthanasia, whether because of shock, distance, health, family circumstances or emotional limits. If that was you, please do not turn it into proof that you failed.

## What if I was not there?
Your pet's life was not measured only by the final minutes. It was measured by the days and years of care that came before.

## How to carry the first days
Keep life very small at first. Eat something simple, drink water, sleep where you can, and avoid making every memorial decision immediately. If you need reassurance, ask your vet to explain again why euthanasia was recommended.

## How to carry the first days
Write down what your pet was spared: pain, fear, breathlessness, confusion, collapse, hunger, or days without comfort. This can help when guilt edits the memory.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/pet-loss-support/how-to-cope-after-putting-a-pet-to-sleep): How to cope after putting a pet to sleep.

## Is guilt normal after putting a pet to sleep?
Yes. Guilt is extremely common after euthanasia, even when the decision was kind and medically supported.

## How do I know I made the right decision?
Talk to your vet about the medical reasons, quality of life and suffering your pet was facing. The right decision is often the one that prevents further suffering, even when it breaks your heart.

## Will my pet forgive me?
Your pet did not understand the decision as betrayal. They knew your care, your voice, your scent and your love. Euthanasia is chosen to end suffering, not love.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/pet-loss-support/do-other-pets-grieve): Do other pets grieve when a pet dies?

## Quick answer
Yes, other pets can grieve when an animal companion dies. They may search, vocalise, sleep more, eat less, cling, withdraw or seem unsettled. Keep routines steady, offer calm reassurance, and contact your vet if a pet stops eating, seems ill, or the behaviour is severe or prolonged.

## Introduction
When one pet dies, the animals left behind may feel the change too. They knew the rhythms of the household, the shared spaces and the presence that is now missing.

## Introduction
Their grief may not look like human grief, but behaviour can change in ways that deserve patience and care.

## Key takeaway
Dogs, cats and other social animals may react to the loss of a companion.

## Key takeaway
Searching, calling, clinginess, withdrawal and appetite changes can all happen.

## Key takeaway
Routine is one of the most helpful supports for surviving pets.

## Key takeaway
Do not force a new pet as a solution for grief.

## Key takeaway
Call your vet if appetite stops, illness is possible, or distress is severe.

## Signs another pet may be grieving
A surviving pet may search the house, wait by doors, sleep in the lost pet's places, vocalise more, become clingy, withdraw, play less, or seem confused. Some eat less or sleep more. Some appear almost unchanged.

## Signs another pet may be grieving
None of these signs proves grief by itself, because illness and stress can look similar. Watch the pattern and call your vet if you are worried.

## How to help a surviving pet
Routine is kind. Keep feeding times, walks, bedtime and familiar cues as steady as you can. Offer attention without overwhelming them, and let them choose closeness or space.

## How to help a surviving pet
How to help a surviving pet: Keep meals, walks and sleep routines predictable. Offer calm attention and familiar enrichment. Avoid major household changes where possible in the first days. Watch appetite, toileting, breathing and energy. Ask your vet if changes persist or seem extreme.

## Should they see the body?
Some owners feel it helps a surviving pet understand that their companion is gone; others choose not to. There is no certain answer. If you do allow it, supervise calmly, keep the moment quiet, and never force the surviving pet to approach.

## Should I get another pet for them?
Do not rush another animal into the household only to fix grief. A new pet brings a new personality, stress and adjustment. Wait until you and your surviving pet are stable enough to welcome a new relationship for its own sake.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/pet-loss-support/do-other-pets-grieve): Do other pets grieve when a pet dies?

## How long do pets grieve another pet?
Many settle over days or weeks, but some take longer. If appetite, behaviour or energy does not improve, speak to your vet.

## Can a cat get sick from grief?
Stress can affect cats, and not eating can become serious quickly. If a cat stops eating for 24 to 48 hours, contact your vet promptly.

## Can dogs become depressed after another dog dies?
Dogs can show depression-like signs such as low energy, searching, clinginess or appetite changes. A vet can help rule out illness and advise support.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/countries/indonesia): Animal rescue in Indonesia.

## Quick answer
Indonesia is a Southeast Asian archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, home to Bornean and Sumatran orangutans, Sumatran tigers, Javan and Sumatran rhinos, the Komodo dragon and the sun bear; its wildlife is under sustained pressure from palm-oil and pulpwood deforestation, the illegal pet trade, and one of the world's largest contributions to marine plastic.

## Introduction
Indonesia is the largest of WARN's partner-network countries and one of the most biodiverse nations on earth. It is also one of the most heavily impacted by deforestation, the illegal wildlife trade, and marine plastic pollution.

## Key fact
WARN's largest planned launch country, with operations focused initially in Kalimantan (Borneo).

## Key fact
Home to two orangutan species, the Sumatran tiger, the Javan rhino, the Sumatran rhino and the Komodo dragon — all listed Endangered or Critically Endangered.

## Key fact
Indonesia loses an estimated 270,000 hectares of primary rainforest each year.

## Key fact
Indonesia is consistently ranked among the top three marine-plastic-contributing countries globally.

## Key fact
Our planned Borneo programme will focus on orangutans stranded inside active palm-oil concessions.

## Key fact
Indonesia contributes an estimated 270,000 hectares of primary-forest loss each year.

## Key fact
Marine plastic from Indonesian rivers affects sea turtles and coastal wildlife across the archipelago.

## What is the wildlife situation in Indonesia?
Indonesia is home to roughly 17% of the world's mammal species, more than any other country. It is also one of the most rapidly deforesting nations — UNEP-WCMC data shows sustained primary-forest loss across Sumatra, Kalimantan and Papua. Wildlife trafficking through Jakarta, Surabaya and Medan remains a major UNODC concern.

## What is WARN preparing to do in Indonesia?
Our planned launch focus is Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo). The orangutan appeal funds locating and extracting orangutans stranded inside active palm-oil concessions, supporting a long-term forest rehabilitation sanctuary, and contributing to in-country veterinary capacity. We are also preparing supporting work on sun bears, sea-turtle plastic-rescue, and trafficked-wildlife sanctuary support.

## Why Indonesia and not elsewhere?
Three factors: scale (the number of Critically Endangered species concentrated in one country), trafficking exposure (Indonesia is both a major source and a transit point), and welfare gap (in-country rescue and sanctuary capacity has not kept pace with deforestation rates).

## Orangutans and palm-oil concessions
When lowland forest is cleared for palm oil, orangutans become stranded in fragments too small to support them. Rescue means sedation, transport and years of rehabilitation before any soft release — work our Kalimantan partners are preparing to scale.

## Trafficking through Indonesian ports
Jakarta, Surabaya and Medan remain major UNODC concern points for wildlife trafficking. Partner grants can fund customs detection, seizure triage and sanctuary placement for live animals.

## Threats to wildlife in Indonesia
Palm-oil and pulpwood deforestation Illegal pet trade Wildlife trafficking Marine plastic pollution Habitat fragmentation

## What WARN funds in Indonesia
Our planned Kalimantan programme will locate orangutans stranded inside active palm-oil concessions, sedate and transport them out of danger, and contribute to a long-term rehabilitation sanctuary alongside local conservation partners. Supporting work covers sun bears, sea turtles, and trafficked-wildlife sanctuary support.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/countries/indonesia): Animal rescue in Indonesia.

## Key species in Indonesia
Bornean orangutan — Critically Endangered. Sumatran orangutan — Critically Endangered. Sumatran tiger — Critically Endangered. Javan rhinoceros — Critically Endangered. Sumatran rhinoceros — Critically Endangered. Komodo dragon — Endangered. Sun bear — Vulnerable. Sunda pangolin — Critically Endangered. Slow loris — Vulnerable / Endangered (species dependent).


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/countries/indonesia): Animal rescue in Indonesia.

## Why is Indonesia such an important country for wildlife rescue?
Indonesia hosts the highest concentration of Critically Endangered species in any of WARN's partner-network countries. It also has one of the highest deforestation rates and one of the highest rates of marine plastic input to the ocean.

## What is the main threat to Indonesian orangutans?
Habitat loss to palm-oil and pulpwood plantations is the dominant threat. Orangutans displaced from cleared forest become trapped in shrinking forest fragments where they cannot find food or mates, and become the targets of the illegal pet trade.

## Which Indonesian islands does WARN focus on?
Our planned launch focus is Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo), with supporting work on sun bears, sea turtles and trafficked-wildlife sanctuary capacity elsewhere in the network.

## Does WARN run orangutan sanctuaries?
No. WARN makes grants to established Indonesian rehabilitation partners. We do not operate WARN-branded sanctuaries.

## How bad is marine plastic in Indonesia?
Indonesia is consistently ranked among the top three marine-plastic-contributing countries. That directly affects sea turtles, dolphins and coastal bird welfare.

## What is the Javan rhino situation?
Fewer than 80 Javan rhinos survive in Ujung Kulon National Park — one of the rarest mammals on earth. Rhino funding in-network also reaches Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, India and Nepal.

## Can I donate specifically for Sumatran tigers?
Yes — the tiger appeal funds anti-poaching and conflict response through partners in Indonesia and Malaysia, the in-network tiger range.

## Why is Indonesia WARN's largest planned country?
Scale: the highest concentration of Critically Endangered species in any partner-network country, plus acute trafficking and deforestation pressure.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/countries/malaysia): Animal rescue in Malaysia.

## Quick answer
Malaysia is a Southeast Asian range state for Bornean orangutans (Sabah), sun bears, Sunda pangolins, clouded leopards and the Malayan tiger; it is a top-tier transit country for trafficked wildlife, with Kuala Lumpur's airports and the Port Klang container hub repeatedly identified by UNODC as wildlife-crime chokepoints.

## Introduction
Malaysia is both a source and a transit country for trafficked wildlife. The Bornean state of Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia each face distinct rescue challenges — orangutans, sun bears and pangolins on Borneo, and trafficking interdiction at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

## Key fact
Two distinct rescue contexts: Borneo (Sabah/Sarawak) and Peninsular Malaysia.

## Key fact
Top-tier transit hub for trafficked pangolins, big-cat parts and exotic birds (UNODC).

## Key fact
Malayan tiger population reduced to fewer than an estimated 150 individuals.

## Key fact
Sabah's primary forest continues to fragment under logging and palm-oil pressure.

## Key fact
Our planned work focuses on customs-detection training and pangolin-specific rehabilitation.

## Key fact
Malayan tiger numbers may be below 150 wild individuals.

## Key fact
Port Klang and KLIA are repeatedly identified as wildlife-crime chokepoints.

## What is the wildlife situation in Malaysia?
Malaysian Borneo (Sabah and Sarawak) shares the Bornean orangutan, sun bear and clouded leopard with Indonesian Kalimantan. Peninsular Malaysia is the last range of the Critically Endangered Malayan tiger. Kuala Lumpur International Airport handles regular pangolin and bear-cub seizures.

## What is WARN preparing to do in Malaysia?
Customs-detection training at key transit points, equipping a pangolin-specific rehabilitation centre, and partnering with established local rescues on safe soft-release into protected reserves.

## Why Malaysia matters for trafficking
Geography. Malaysia sits at the chokepoint between the great wildlife source forests of Indonesia and the demand markets of mainland Asia. Disrupting trafficking here is one of the highest-leverage interventions in the regional supply chain.

## Borneo vs Peninsular rescue contexts
Sabah and Sarawak share Bornean orangutan, sun bear and clouded leopard rescue challenges with Indonesian Kalimantan. Peninsular Malaysia faces Malayan tiger decline and intensive transit-hub trafficking — two distinct partner-funding tracks.

## Pangolin-specific rehabilitation
Live pangolins seized at ports need specialist ant-and-termite feeding, low-stress housing and rapid release decisions. WARN's planned grants equip pangolin-specific rehabilitation capacity with local partners.

## Threats to wildlife in Malaysia
Wildlife trafficking through major transit hubs Bear bile trade Logging and palm-oil expansion in Borneo Pangolin-scale trafficking

## What WARN funds in Malaysia
We plan to fund customs-detection training at key transit points, equip a pangolin-specific rehabilitation centre, and work with local rescue partners on safe soft-release into protected reserves.

## Key species in Malaysia
Bornean orangutan — Critically Endangered. Sun bear — Vulnerable. Sunda pangolin — Critically Endangered. Malayan tiger — Critically Endangered. Clouded leopard — Vulnerable.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/countries/malaysia): Animal rescue in Malaysia.

## What is the most trafficked species in Malaysia?
Sunda pangolins by volume — Malaysian customs has seized multiple multi-tonne pangolin-scale shipments over the past decade. See our pangolin briefing for the wider picture.

## Does WARN operate in Sabah?
Sabah and Sarawak are part of our planned Malaysia launch. Initial work will focus on supporting partner pangolin and sun-bear rescue capacity.

## Is Malaysia mainly a source or transit country?
Both. Malaysian forests hold threatened species, and Kuala Lumpur's airports and Port Klang move trafficked wildlife between source forests and demand markets.

## Does WARN work on bear bile in Malaysia?
Bear bile and cub trafficking through Malaysia is a documented concern. Moon-bear sanctuary work in-network is concentrated in Indonesia and Malaysia partners.

## What happens after a pangolin seizure?
Confiscated pangolins need immediate triage, quiet recovery and — when healthy — release into secure habitat with monitoring. Most cannot survive long in ordinary captivity.

## Are clouded leopards rescued in Malaysia?
Yes, when snared or trafficked animals are seized. Clouded leopards appear in both Bornean and Peninsular rescue contexts.

## How does Malaysia connect to the dog-cat-meat trade?
Malaysia is part of WARN's in-network focus for meat-trade rescue alongside Indonesia, with Vietnam and Cambodia as wider educational context.

## Can UK donors fund Malaysia pangolin rescue?
Yes — the pangolin appeal directs support to partner-led rescue, rehabilitation and release in Malaysia, Indonesia and Pakistan.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/countries/vietnam): Animal rescue in Vietnam.

## Quick answer
Vietnam is a Southeast Asian country where WARN's planned work focuses on three connected welfare problems: ending the moon-bear bile-farming industry in partnership with the national phase-out, the cat meat trade that handles several million cats per year, and pangolin and big-cat-part trafficking demand reduction.

## Introduction
Vietnam is the country at the centre of three of WARN's most urgent appeals: moon-bear bile-farming retirement, the cat meat trade, and pangolin trafficking interdiction.

## Key fact
Bile farming officially banned since 2005; national phase-out continuing with several hundred bears still on private farms.

## Key fact
Several million cats slaughtered each year for the cat meat trade, predominantly in the north.

## Key fact
Major demand-market country for trafficked rhino horn, pangolin scales and tiger bone.

## Key fact
Vietnam is home to the Indochinese tiger, moon bear, sun bear and slow loris.

## Key fact
Our planned Vietnam work centres on sanctuary support for retired bile bears and cat-meat-trade rescue.

## Key fact
Several hundred moon bears may still remain on private bile farms despite the national phase-out.

## Key fact
Vietnam is a major demand market for rhino horn, pangolin scales and tiger bone.

## What is the wildlife situation in Vietnam?
Vietnam is both a wildlife source and a wildlife demand country. The Annamite range hosts a globally significant biodiversity hotspot. Urban demand markets — particularly Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City — drive the consumption end of the regional wildlife trade in pangolins, rhino horn and big-cat bone.

## What is WARN preparing to do in Vietnam?
Three connected programmes: (1) a forested moon-bear sanctuary in northern Vietnam to receive bears retired from closing bile farms; (2) support for partner rescues working against the cat meat trade; (3) demand-reduction work on traditional-medicine wildlife products.

## Why Vietnam matters
Three of WARN's largest single-species appeals (moon bears, cats, pangolins) all converge in Vietnam. National policy momentum on bile farming and the cat trade gives a real window for rescue capacity to scale up to meet demand.

## Moon-bear sanctuary transition
As bile farms close, bears need lifetime forest sanctuary care — they cannot return to the wild after years in cages. WARN's planned northern Vietnam site is designed for veterinary surgery, quarantine and climate-controlled dens.

## Cat meat trade in the north
Several million cats are slaughtered annually for the cat meat trade, predominantly in northern provinces. Partner grants fund seizure rescue, quarantine and demand-reduction work.

## Threats to wildlife in Vietnam
Bear-bile farming Cat and dog meat trade Traditional-medicine wildlife trade Wet markets Habitat fragmentation

## What WARN funds in Vietnam
We are preparing a forested sanctuary site in northern Vietnam with veterinary surgery facilities, climate-controlled dens, and quarantine wings — designed to accept moon bears as the remaining farms close. Supporting partner work funds cat-meat-trade rescue and trafficked-wildlife sanctuary capacity.

## Key species in Vietnam
Moon bear (Asiatic black bear) — Vulnerable. Sun bear — Vulnerable. Sunda pangolin — Critically Endangered. Indochinese tiger — Endangered. Slow loris (multiple species) — Endangered / Vulnerable.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/countries/vietnam): Animal rescue in Vietnam.

## Is the cat meat trade legal in Vietnam?
Vietnam has not formally banned the cat meat trade nationally, though several cities have committed to phase-out. WHO has documented the trade's role in rabies transmission.

## Are bile-farm bears released into the wild?
No. Almost no rescued bile-farm bear can be released — they have spent years in cages, have skeletal damage and chronic disease, and require lifetime sanctuary care.

## Is bile farming still legal in Vietnam?
Bear bile extraction has been officially banned since 2005, with a continuing national phase-out. Several hundred bears may still remain on private farms awaiting sanctuary placement.

## Does WARN run bile-farm raids?
No. WARN funds partner sanctuary capacity and rescue placement as farms close. Enforcement remains a government and partner responsibility.

## Why is Vietnam outside the original five-country list?
Vietnam is now part of WARN's expanded 17-country partner network, with planned moon-bear, cat-trade and pangolin programmes.

## What is the Indochinese tiger status?
Endangered, with tiny remaining wild populations. In-network tiger work is concentrated in Indonesia and Malaysia; Vietnam remains important educational context.

## Can slow lorises be rehabilitated in Vietnam?
Specialist rescue is possible when animals are seized early. Slow loris appeal funding in-network focuses on Indonesia and Malaysia partners.

## How does Vietnam connect to Cambodia snaring?
Many species snared in Cambodia are trafficked north through Vietnam to demand markets — a linked regional welfare problem.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/countries/thailand): Animal rescue in Thailand.

## Quick answer
Thailand is a Southeast Asian country where WARN's planned work focuses on captive-wildlife welfare in the tourism industry — supporting genuine non-contact sanctuaries for retired tourism elephants, macaques, slow lorises and rescued bears, and contributing consumer-education materials on ethical wildlife tourism.

## Introduction
Thailand sits at the centre of the global captive-wildlife tourism debate. Roughly 3,000-4,000 captive elephants live in Thai tourism, alongside tiger photo-ops, monkey shows and slow-loris selfie stalls.

## Key fact
Roughly 3,000-4,000 captive Asian elephants in Thailand, mostly in tourism.

## Key fact
Asian elephant listed as Endangered globally.

## Key fact
Tiger, slow loris and macaque tourism operations are widespread and welfare-compromised.

## Key fact
Genuine non-contact sanctuaries exist but are a minority of facilities marketed as sanctuaries.

## Key fact
Our planned work centres on retired-tourism-animal sanctuary support and tourist education.

## Key fact
Most facilities marketed as elephant sanctuaries still offer riding or bathing — welfare red flags.

## Key fact
Tiger, slow loris and macaque tourism operations remain widespread.

## What is the wildlife situation in Thailand?
Thailand combines a high level of remaining wild biodiversity (Indochinese tigers in Western Forest Complex, Asian elephants in Kuiburi and Khao Yai, gibbons in southern forests) with one of the world's largest captive-wildlife tourism industries. Welfare conditions vary enormously between facilities.

## What is WARN preparing to do in Thailand?
Sanctuary support for elephants, macaques, lorises and bears retired out of tourism operations into species-appropriate non-contact sanctuary care. Consumer-education resources to help tourists choose venues that meet welfare standards. See our ethical wildlife tourism checklist.

## Why Thailand and not the wild-elephant work elsewhere
Thailand's wild elephants are protected by an effective Royal Forest Department and well-established conservation NGOs. The captive-welfare gap is where additional funding makes the most direct difference for animal welfare today.

## Retiring tourism elephants
Without sanctuary placement, retired tourism elephants are sold on for further work. WARN's planned grants support genuine non-contact sanctuaries that meet international welfare standards.

## Tourist education
Consumer-education resources help tourists choose venues that do not cause harm — riding, bathing and contact experiences are reliable indicators of compromised welfare.

## Threats to wildlife in Thailand
Tourism-driven wildlife exploitation Bear bile trade Pet trade in slow lorises and macaques Habitat fragmentation

## What WARN funds in Thailand
Our Thailand programme will support the retirement of bears, elephants, macaques, and lorises out of tourism operations into species-appropriate sanctuary care, and build consumer-education resources to help tourists choose venues that do not cause harm.

## Key species in Thailand
Asian elephant — Endangered. Asiatic black bear (moon bear) — Vulnerable. Sun bear — Vulnerable. Slow loris — Vulnerable / Endangered. Indochinese tiger — Endangered.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/countries/thailand): Animal rescue in Thailand.

## Are all Thai elephant sanctuaries unethical?
No, but most facilities marketed as sanctuaries are not genuine sanctuaries. Our ethical wildlife tourism checklist gives the criteria — riding, bathing and contact experiences are red flags.

## What happens to retired tourism elephants?
Without sanctuary placement, they are typically sold on for further work or breeding. Sanctuary support is the missing piece of the system.

## Does WARN support wild elephant work in Thailand?
Thailand's wild elephants are protected by established government and NGO infrastructure. WARN's planned focus is captive-welfare retirement from tourism operations.

## Are all Thai elephant sanctuaries ethical?
No. Our ethical wildlife tourism checklist gives criteria — riding, bathing and contact are red flags for most facilities marketed as sanctuaries.

## What happens to retired tourism elephants?
Without sanctuary funding, they are typically sold on. Sanctuary support is the missing piece of the retirement system.

## Does WARN fund slow loris rescue in Thailand?
Slow loris appeal funding in-network concentrates on Indonesia and Malaysia; Thailand remains important educational context for captive-welfare work.

## How does bear welfare fit Thailand?
Moon bears and sun bears in tourism and bile contexts need species-appropriate sanctuary care — overlapping with moon-bear appeal partners in the wider network.

## Is Thailand in WARN's 17-country network?
Yes. Thailand is part of the expanded partner network with planned captive-wildlife welfare and tourist-education programmes.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/countries/cambodia): Animal rescue in Cambodia.

## Quick answer
Cambodia is a Southeast Asian country where WARN's planned work centres on the snare crisis in the Lower Mekong forests — funding de-snaring patrols, providing veterinary triage for snared wildlife, and supporting the rescue of pangolins, sun bears and Asian elephants caught up in cross-border trafficking.

## Introduction
Cambodia's eastern forests are at the centre of the Southeast Asian snare crisis. Researchers describe much of the remaining Lower Mekong forest as suffering from 'empty forest syndrome' — habitat that looks intact but holds almost no wildlife.

## Key fact
Researchers have documented millions of snares set across the Lower Mekong region.

## Key fact
Significant proportion of remaining forest now functionally empty of large vertebrates.

## Key fact
Pangolins, sun bears, Asian elephants and clouded leopards are all bycatch victims.

## Key fact
Siem Reap province banned the dog meat trade in 2020.

## Key fact
Our planned Cambodia work funds de-snaring patrols and veterinary triage.

## Key fact
Researchers describe much Lower Mekong forest as suffering "empty forest syndrome".

## Key fact
Siem Reap province banned the dog meat trade in 2020.

## What is the wildlife situation in Cambodia?
Eastern Cambodia (the Eastern Plains landscape, Mondulkiri, Ratanakiri) holds some of the largest remaining lowland deciduous forests in Indochina. These forests are increasingly compromised by motorcycle-cable snares set for bushmeat. The Dog Meat-Free Indonesia / Vietnam / Cambodia coalition has driven progress on the dog and cat meat trade.

## What is WARN preparing to do in Cambodia?
Three programmes: (1) funding and training de-snaring patrols in priority protected areas; (2) veterinary triage for animals found alive in snares; (3) supporting evidence collection for prosecutions and cross-border trafficking interdiction.

## Why Cambodia matters
The snare crisis is the single largest contemporary threat to wildlife welfare in mainland Southeast Asia. Working at scale here also produces benefit upstream — many of the species snared in Cambodia are trafficked through Vietnam to demand markets further north.

## De-snaring patrol capacity
Motorcycle-cable snares set for bushmeat kill indiscriminately. Funding patrol training and equipment in priority protected areas is the highest-leverage welfare intervention in mainland Southeast Asia.

## Cross-border trafficking to Vietnam
Species snared in Cambodia frequently enter Vietnam-bound trade routes. Partner grants support evidence collection for prosecutions and interdiction.

## Threats to wildlife in Cambodia
Wire and cable snares Cross-border smuggling to Vietnam Habitat loss Dog meat trade

## What WARN funds in Cambodia
Our Cambodia programme will fund and train de-snaring patrols in priority protected areas, support evidence collection for prosecutions, and provide veterinary triage for animals found alive in snares.

## Key species in Cambodia
Sun bear — Vulnerable. Asian elephant — Endangered. Sunda pangolin — Critically Endangered. Indochinese leopard — Critically Endangered.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/countries/cambodia): Animal rescue in Cambodia.

## Is the dog meat trade legal in Cambodia?
Siem Reap province banned it in 2020 and the national policy direction is toward phase-out. The trade continues in other provinces.

## Why is the snare crisis so much worse in Cambodia than elsewhere?
Cambodia's snare crisis is the worst-documented in mainland Southeast Asia, but the underlying problem — cheap, indiscriminate snares set for bushmeat — exists across the Lower Mekong, Laos, Vietnam and southern China.

## Is the dog meat trade legal in Cambodia?
Siem Reap banned it in 2020; national policy direction is toward phase-out. The trade continues in other provinces.

## Why is Cambodia's snare crisis so severe?
Cambodia documents the worst snare density in mainland Southeast Asia, though the underlying bushmeat problem spans the Lower Mekong region.

## Does WARN fund moon bears in Cambodia?
Sun bears and moon bears are snare bycatch victims. Bear sanctuary funding in-network concentrates on Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam partners.

## What is empty forest syndrome?
Habitat that looks intact but holds almost no large vertebrates because snaring has removed them — documented across eastern Cambodia.

## Is Cambodia in WARN's partner network?
Yes — part of the expanded 17-country network with planned de-snaring and veterinary triage programmes.

## Can UK donors support Cambodia snare removal?
Gifts to the habitats appeal and elephant appeal fund partner patrol and veterinary work across Southeast Asia including Cambodia.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/countries/pakistan): Animal rescue in Pakistan.

## Quick answer
Pakistan is a South Asian country where WARN's planned work focuses on humane street-dog management in Karachi and Lahore through catch-neuter-vaccinate-release clinics, mobile working-equine clinics in industrial districts, and supporting partner work on the snow leopard in the country's high north.

## Introduction
Pakistan is WARN's flagship street-dog welfare country. It is also home to the snow leopard, the markhor and a significant working-equine population. Our launch programme in Karachi is one of the most concrete pieces of WARN's first year.

## Key fact
Pakistan reports an estimated 2,000-5,000 human rabies deaths a year, among the highest in Asia.

## Key fact
Karachi alone has an estimated 30,000-40,000 community dogs.

## Key fact
Mass culling continues in several cities despite WHO guidance against it.

## Key fact
Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa hold an estimated 200-420 snow leopards.

## Key fact
Our Karachi street-dogs appeal is WARN's flagship launch programme.

## Key fact
WHO and WOAH formally reject mass culling as ineffective for dog-population control.

## Key fact
WARN does not run its own clinics — it makes grants to established Pakistani veterinary partners.

## What is the welfare situation in Pakistan?
Three intersecting issues: large free-roaming dog populations in major cities, working-equine welfare in industrial districts, and snow leopard conservation in the high north. The dog-population question has a public-health dimension — Pakistan has one of the highest dog-mediated human rabies burdens in Asia.

## What is WARN preparing to do in Pakistan?
Launching catch-neuter-vaccinate-release (CNVR) clinics in Karachi and Lahore as the WHO and WOAH-endorsed humane alternative to culling. Operating mobile equine clinics in industrial districts. Supporting partner work on retaliatory-killing prevention in snow-leopard country.

## Why Pakistan is our launch country
Three factors: the welfare gap is acute and well-documented, established Pakistani veterinary partners exist and can absorb funding immediately, and the CNVR model has strong international evidence behind it.

## How CNVR reduces rabies risk
Catch-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return keeps stable, vaccinated dog populations in place. When coverage reaches roughly 70% of the free-roaming population, rabies transmission can be interrupted — the model Pakistan's launch partners are scaling in Karachi and Lahore.

## Working equines in industrial districts
Donkeys and horses haul bricks, water and market goods in Karachi's industrial zones. Mobile clinics treat wounds, lameness and dental disease — welfare work that directly supports families who depend on these animals.

## Threats to wildlife in Pakistan
Mass culling of community dogs Untreated rabies Working-equine welfare in industrial districts Snow leopard retaliatory killing

## What WARN funds in Pakistan
We plan to launch Catch-Neuter-Vaccinate-Release (CNVR) clinics in Karachi and Lahore as the WHO-endorsed humane alternative to culling, and to operate mobile equine clinics in industrial districts.

## Key species in Pakistan
Community street dogs — Welfare priority. Working donkeys — Welfare priority. Working horses — Welfare priority. Snow leopard — Vulnerable. Markhor — Near Threatened.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/countries/pakistan): Animal rescue in Pakistan.

## Does culling work as a dog-population control method?
No. WHO and WOAH have formally rejected culling as ineffective and inhumane. CNVR is the evidence-based alternative.

## Are there snow leopards in Pakistan?
Yes. Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa together hold an estimated 200-420 individuals. See our snow leopard briefing.

## Does WARN run its own shelter in Pakistan?
No. WARN is a global not-for-profit that makes grants to and partners with established Pakistani rescue and veterinary organisations. Our Karachi programme is partner-led, not WARN-branded.

## Why is Pakistan a WARN launch country?
The welfare gap is acute and well-documented, established veterinary partners can absorb funding immediately, and CNVR has strong international evidence behind it.

## Can UK donors support Pakistan street dogs?
Yes. Donate to the Karachi street dogs appeal or give monthly — gifts fund partner-led CNVR clinics, rabies vaccination and emergency shelter care.

## What is the snow leopard connection?
Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa hold an estimated 200–420 snow leopards. WARN's planned work supports partner-led retaliatory-killing prevention, not WARN-run field teams.

## How does Pakistan fit WARN's partner model?
WARN raises funds internationally and channels them to vetted in-country partners with local expertise, community trust and accountable spend reporting.

## Are Indian pangolins found in Pakistan?
Yes. The Indian pangolin ranges into parts of Pakistan and faces trafficking pressure. Pangolin rescue in the network is concentrated in Indonesia and Malaysia, but Pakistan appears in wider trafficking context.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/countries/colombia): Animal rescue in Colombia.

## Quick answer
Colombia is a South American country at the top of global biodiversity rankings; WARN's planned work focuses on parrot and macaw trafficking interdiction and soft-release, primate sanctuary support, and pink river dolphin and Amazonian aquatic-mammal triage in partnership with established Colombian rescue organisations.

## Introduction
Colombia is the most biodiverse country in the world by species per square kilometre — and one of the most active source countries for trafficked parrots, primates and reptiles bound for Europe and the United States.

## Key fact
Most biodiverse country in the world by species per square kilometre.

## Key fact
Major source country for trafficked parrots and primates.

## Key fact
Home to scarlet and military macaws, the spectacled (Andean) bear, jaguars and titi monkeys.

## Key fact
Pink river dolphin populations in the Putumayo and Amazon are increasingly stressed.

## Key fact
Our planned Colombia work funds macaw triage and large soft-release aviaries.

## Key fact
Colombia ranks among the most biodiverse countries per square kilometre on earth.

## Key fact
Scarlet and military macaws are heavily trafficked despite Least Concern listing.

## What is the wildlife situation in Colombia?
Colombia spans the Amazon basin, the Andes and two coastlines. The Amazon basin and the Pacific lowlands are major sources of trafficked exotic birds and primates. Domestic markets in Bogotá, Cali and Medellín continue to drive the live-pet trade.

## What is WARN preparing to do in Colombia?
Funding parrot triage, large soft-release aviaries, intelligence-sharing with enforcement authorities investigating the export pipeline, and supporting restrictions on the domestic sale of native wildlife. The parrot appeal is WARN's primary South America focus.

## Why Colombia and Peru together
The Amazon basin does not respect borders. Many of the species and many of the trafficking routes span both countries. Our planned South America operations are designed to interoperate.

## Parrot trafficking pipelines
Birds move from forest capture through middlemen to Bogotá, Cali and Medellín buyers and export routes. Early interception and aviary rehabilitation prevent irreversible imprinting.

## Andean bear coexistence
Spectacled bears raid crops in Andean cloud forest. Humane conflict response — electric fencing, deterrents, community education — keeps bears alive and farmers supported.

## Threats to wildlife in Colombia
Exotic pet trade in parrots and primates Bushmeat hunting Habitat loss Mercury pollution in Amazon tributaries

## What WARN funds in Colombia
Our Colombia programme will fund parrot triage, large soft-release aviaries, and intelligence-sharing with enforcement authorities investigating the export pipeline. We also plan to support new restrictions on the domestic sale of native wildlife.

## Key species in Colombia
Scarlet macaw — Least Concern (but heavily trafficked). Spectacled (Andean) bear — Vulnerable. Jaguar — Near Threatened. Titi monkey (multiple species) — Vulnerable / Endangered. Pink river dolphin — Endangered.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/countries/colombia): Animal rescue in Colombia.

## What is the main wildlife trafficking problem in Colombia?
By volume, the parrot and macaw trade. By high-value items, jaguar teeth and skins. See our jaguar trade briefing for the trafficking pipeline.

## Are pink river dolphins endangered?
Yes. The IUCN lists them as Endangered, with population declines driven by mercury contamination, hydropower disruption and fisheries bycatch.

## Why is Colombia a parrot priority?
By trafficking volume, parrots and macaws are Colombia's dominant wildlife-welfare crisis. WARN's parrot appeal centres on Colombia, Brazil and Indonesia.

## Does WARN fund jaguar rescue in Colombia?
Yes, through the jaguar appeal — forest corridors, coexistence and rescue across Brazil and Colombia.

## What are pink river dolphins facing?
Endangered Amazon river dolphins face mercury contamination, hydropower disruption and fisheries bycatch in Putumayo and Amazon tributaries shared with Peru.

## How does Colombia connect to Peru operations?
Trafficking routes and species ranges cross the border. Planned South America operations share intelligence, sanctuary capacity and training.

## Does WARN run Andean bear sanctuaries?
No. WARN grants to established Colombian partners for bear rescue and rehabilitation. The Andean bears appeal funds coexistence and rescue in Colombia.

## Can habitat gifts protect Colombian forest?
Yes — the habitats appeal funds land protection and corridor restoration across the partner network, including Colombian cloud forest and Amazon buffer zones.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/countries/peru): Animal rescue in Peru.

## Quick answer
Peru is a South American Amazon basin country where WARN's planned work centres on primate and macaw rescue from the illegal pet trade, sanctuary support in Madre de Dios, and education around mercury contamination from illegal gold mining.

## Introduction
Peru's Madre de Dios region faces aggressive deforestation from illegal gold mining. Mercury contamination poisons the rivers, and clear-cuts displace primates and macaws into shrinking forest islands.

## Key fact
Peru holds part of the Amazon basin alongside Brazil, Colombia and other countries.

## Key fact
Madre de Dios deforestation driven by illegal alluvial gold mining is among the most rapid in the Amazon basin.

## Key fact
Mercury contamination from gold processing has been documented in primates and river fish.

## Key fact
Major species: scarlet macaw, spectacled bear, capuchin monkey, jaguar, river otters.

## Key fact
Our planned Peru work funds a forest sanctuary for primates and macaws confiscated from the pet trade.

## Key fact
Madre de Dios deforestation from illegal gold mining is among the fastest in the Amazon.

## Key fact
Mercury contamination affects primates, fish and riverside communities.

## What is the wildlife situation in Peru?
Peruvian Amazonia is one of the richest biodiversity zones on earth, with the Tambopata, Manu and Bahuaja-Sonene protected areas. Outside protected areas, illegal mining and the pet trade drive forest loss and species decline. The Andean spectacled bear range stretches across both Peru and Colombia.

## What is WARN preparing to do in Peru?
Funding a forest sanctuary for primates and macaws confiscated from the pet trade, training officers on field-confiscation triage, and supporting mercury-awareness work with riverside communities. The Andean bears appeal centres on Colombia, with the highland Peruvian end of the bear's range as wider range and search context.

## Why Peru and Colombia together
Many trafficking routes, many species and many forest ecosystems cross the Peru-Colombia border. Our planned operations are designed to share intelligence, sanctuary capacity and training.

## Pet-trade confiscation triage
Capuchin monkeys, macaws and kinkajous confiscated from the pet trade need immediate veterinary assessment and forest sanctuary placement — work WARN's Peru partners are preparing to scale.

## Mercury awareness with riverside communities
Gold processing releases mercury into tributaries. Community education and partner veterinary monitoring reduce harm to primates and people alike.

## Threats to wildlife in Peru
Illegal alluvial gold mining Mercury contamination Exotic pet trade Bushmeat hunting Habitat loss

## What WARN funds in Peru
Our Peru programme will fund a forest sanctuary for primates and macaws confiscated from the pet trade, training for officers on field-confiscation triage, and mercury-awareness work with riverside communities.

## Key species in Peru
Scarlet macaw — Least Concern (heavily trafficked). Spectacled (Andean) bear — Vulnerable. Capuchin monkey (multiple species) — Vulnerable / Endangered. Jaguar — Near Threatened. Pink river dolphin — Endangered. Kinkajou — Least Concern (heavily trafficked).


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/countries/peru): Animal rescue in Peru.

## How bad is the Madre de Dios mercury problem?
Long-term studies have found elevated mercury levels in fish, primates and human communities along Amazonian tributaries affected by gold mining. The full ecosystem impact is still being characterised by UNEP and Peruvian researchers.

## What is the most-trafficked Peruvian species?
By volume, exotic birds (parrots and macaws). By cultural visibility, capuchin and titi monkeys, and the Andean spectacled bear.

## How bad is Madre de Dios mercury pollution?
Long-term studies find elevated mercury in fish, primates and human communities along affected tributaries. UNEP and Peruvian researchers continue to characterise the full impact.

## Does WARN run a Peruvian sanctuary?
No. WARN grants to established Peruvian rescue partners for primate and macaw rehabilitation.

## What is the most-trafficked Peruvian species?
By volume, exotic birds (parrots and macaws). By visibility, capuchin and titi monkeys and the Andean spectacled bear.

## How does Peru connect to Colombia?
Trafficking routes and forest ecosystems cross the border. Planned operations share intelligence and sanctuary capacity.

## Does the jaguar appeal cover Peru?
The jaguar appeal centres on Brazil and Colombia; Peru shares Amazon jaguar range as wider context.

## Can I support Peru through the parrot appeal?
Yes — parrot appeal funding includes Colombia, Brazil and Indonesia; Peru partner work aligns with the same trafficking response model.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/countries/kenya): Animal rescue in Kenya.

## Quick answer
Kenya is an East African country where WARN's planned work focuses on snare-removal patrols and rapid-response veterinary darting in the Tsavo and Maasai Mara ecosystems, sea-turtle triage on the Indian Ocean coast, and supporting partner work on lion, elephant, rhino, cheetah and African wild dog welfare.

## Introduction
Kenya is one of the East African countries WARN is preparing to operate in, and one of the most important wildlife-rescue countries in the world. The Tsavo ecosystem alone protects an estimated 13,000 elephants, and snaring is one of the largest non-poaching threats to large mammals.

## Key fact
Two of WARN's largest single-country wildlife appeals operate here.

## Key fact
Tsavo ecosystem holds an estimated 13,000 elephants — Kenya's largest population.

## Key fact
Approximately 2,000 snares are removed from Tsavo each year by ranger patrols.

## Key fact
Kenya holds important populations of black and southern white rhino.

## Key fact
Our planned Kenya work funds a mobile field-surgery unit serving Tsavo, plus aerial patrol support.

## Key fact
Approximately 2,000 snares are removed from Tsavo each year by ranger patrols.

## Key fact
Kenya holds important populations of both black and southern white rhino.

## What is the wildlife situation in Kenya?
Kenya's protected-area network — Tsavo, Maasai Mara, Amboseli, Samburu and the coastal marine parks — protects globally significant populations of African elephants, lions, black and white rhinos, cheetahs, African wild dogs, and sea turtles. Snaring set for bushmeat is the largest non-poaching threat to large mammals.

## What is WARN preparing to do in Kenya?
Funding a mobile field-surgery unit serving Tsavo, supporting aerial patrols and thermal-imaging drones for ranger services, and operating sea-turtle triage capacity on the Mombasa coast. This snare-removal and veterinary work forms the core of WARN's planned East Africa programme.

## Why Kenya matters
Kenya has one of the most developed national wildlife-service infrastructures in Africa and one of the most active conservation NGO sectors. Additional veterinary and field-rescue funding here goes directly into operations rather than into building new institutions from scratch.

## Tsavo mobile veterinary unit
Snared elephants, lions and giraffes need rapid darting and field surgery. A mobile unit serving Tsavo is the core of WARN's planned Kenya programme — partner-led, not WARN-run.

## Coastal sea-turtle triage
Green and hawksbill turtles face net entanglement and plastic on the Mombasa coast. Partner grants fund nest protection and triage capacity alongside the sea-turtle appeal.

## Threats to wildlife in Kenya
Snaring set for bushmeat Poaching for ivory and horn Human-wildlife conflict in pastoralist landscapes Drought-driven mortality Marine plastic on the coast

## What WARN funds in Kenya
Our Kenya programme will fund a mobile field-surgery unit serving Tsavo, support aerial patrols and thermal-imaging drones for ranger services, and operate a sea-turtle triage capacity on the Mombasa coast.

## Key species in Kenya
African savanna elephant — Endangered. African lion — Vulnerable. Black rhinoceros — Critically Endangered. Southern white rhinoceros — Near Threatened. Cheetah — Vulnerable. African wild dog — Endangered. Green and hawksbill sea turtles — Endangered / Critically Endangered.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/countries/kenya): Animal rescue in Kenya.

## How many elephants are in Kenya?
Kenya's most recent national elephant census reports approximately 36,000-37,000 elephants. The Tsavo ecosystem holds Kenya's largest single population at roughly 13,000.

## Is snaring legal in Kenya?
No. Setting snares is prohibited under the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, but enforcement is patchy and the underlying bushmeat demand persists.

## Does WARN fund lion work in Kenya?
Yes — through partner grants in Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa. The lion appeal directs support to snare response, conflict mitigation and anti-poaching partners.

## How many elephants are in Tsavo?
Roughly 13,000 — Kenya's largest single elephant population, in an ecosystem where snaring is the largest non-poaching threat.

## Does WARN run its own Kenyan reserve?
No. WARN makes grants to established Kenyan rescue organisations and ranger services with existing government relationships.

## What about cheetah and wild dog rescue?
Both face snaring and conflict. Partner funding can support veterinary response and corridor protection where credible local partners exist.

## Is rhino poaching still a daily threat in Kenya?
Yes. Kenya holds important rhino populations under sustained poaching pressure. Rhino appeal funding reaches South Africa, Kenya, India, Nepal and Indonesia through partners.

## Can UK donors support Kenya snare removal?
Yes — gifts to the elephant appeal and habitats appeal fund snare-removal patrols and veterinary darting through Kenyan partners.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/countries/tanzania): Animal rescue in Tanzania.

## Quick answer
Tanzania is an East African country whose Selous-Niassa corridor forms one of the largest contiguous protected wildlife landscapes in Africa; WARN's planned work supports ranger anti-poaching patrols, community veterinary outreach, and rapid-response field medicine for wildlife caught in snares.

## Introduction
Tanzania holds one of the largest contiguous protected wildlife landscapes in Africa — the Selous-Niassa corridor that links southern Tanzania with Mozambique. It is also home to one of Africa's largest remaining elephant and lion populations.

## Key fact
Selous-Niassa corridor: one of the largest contiguous protected ecosystems in Africa.

## Key fact
Tanzania holds important African savanna elephant, lion, African wild dog and black rhino populations.

## Key fact
Bushmeat snaring is among the largest contemporary threats to large mammals in the southern protected areas.

## Key fact
Tanzania faces growing human-wildlife conflict around park boundaries.

## Key fact
Our planned Tanzania work supports anti-poaching patrols and community veterinary outreach.

## Key fact
The Selous-Niassa corridor links southern Tanzania with Mozambique.

## Key fact
Bushmeat snaring dominates threats in southern protected areas.

## What is the wildlife situation in Tanzania?
Tanzania's Serengeti-Mara, Selous-Niassa and Ruaha-Rungwa ecosystems together host globally significant populations of African elephants, lions, leopards, cheetahs, African wild dogs and black rhinos. Bushmeat snaring is the dominant contemporary threat in the southern reserves.

## What is WARN preparing to do in Tanzania?
Supporting ranger anti-poaching patrols, running community veterinary outreach in villages bordering the reserves, and providing rapid-response field medicine for any wildlife found alive in snares. WARN's planned East Africa programme spans both Kenya and Tanzania.

## Why Tanzania alongside Kenya
Wildlife and trafficking routes do not respect the Kenya-Tanzania border. Operating across both countries lets our planned programmes share intelligence, veterinary capacity and corridor protection work.

## Cross-border East Africa programme
Wildlife and trafficking routes cross the Kenya–Tanzania border. Operating in both countries lets planned programmes share veterinary capacity, intelligence and corridor protection.

## Community veterinary outreach
Villages bordering reserves bear the cost of living alongside elephants and predators. Community veterinary outreach builds trust and reduces retaliatory killing.

## Threats to wildlife in Tanzania
Bushmeat snaring Ivory poaching Habitat loss around park boundaries Human-wildlife conflict Drought-driven mortality

## What WARN funds in Tanzania
Our Tanzania programme is designed to support ranger anti-poaching patrols, run community veterinary outreach in villages bordering the reserves, and provide rapid-response field medicine for any wildlife found alive in snares.

## Key species in Tanzania
African savanna elephant — Endangered. African lion — Vulnerable. Black rhinoceros — Critically Endangered. African wild dog — Endangered. Cheetah — Vulnerable. Temminck's ground pangolin — Vulnerable.