World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/parrot-and-macaw-rescue-guide): Parrot and Macaw Rescue: What Happens to the Birds Behind the Pet Trade.

## Summary
Confiscated or distressed parrots and macaws should be contained calmly in a ventilated dark box, triaged by a CITES-experienced avian vet, quarantined, then soft-released into wild flocks where possible — or placed in lifetime sanctuary care where not.

## Excerpt
Parrot rescue and macaw rescue cover the same global trade — a multi-billion-dollar pipeline that pulls millions of wild birds out of South American forests each year.

## Takeaway
Wild-caught parrots should never be released straight into the nearest forest — they need vet triage first.

## Takeaway
Use a ventilated, darkened transport box. Never restrain by the wing.

## Takeaway
Soft-release into an existing wild flock at the bird's original range gives the best outcome.

## Takeaway
Birds imprinted on humans or with permanent injury require lifetime sanctuary care.

## Takeaway
All macaw species are CITES-listed; possession without paperwork is generally an offence.

## Briefing
Search demand for parrot rescue and macaw rescue has climbed steadily in the past five years — driven both by the growing popularity of pet parrots in the US and UK, and by a new generation of buyers waking up to where those birds actually come from. This guide answers the most common questions people ask before they look for ways to help. What is parrot rescue? Parrot rescue refers to two related activities. The first is field rescue — intercepting parrots and macaws taken from the wild before they enter the international pet pipeline. The second is captive rehoming — providing sanctuary to pet parrots whose owners can no longer care for them, often because the birds have outlived their human family or developed severe behavioural problems from solitary captivity. Why parrots and macaws are uniquely vulnerable Long lifespans. Macaws can live 50–60 years in captivity. Most owners cannot commit to a 60-year companion. Extreme sociality. Wild parrots live in flocks of dozens. A solitary pet parrot is the equivalent of solitary confinement for a primate. High mortality in trafficking. A large share of trafficked chicks die before reaching a buyer. Slow reproduction. Large macaws raise only one or two chicks every two to three years. How to support real parrot and macaw rescue If you already care for a captive parrot, find a reputable avian veterinarian and consider a same-species partner. If you are thinking about adding a parrot to your family, look for an accredited captive-parrot rescue rather than a breeder or pet store. If you want to fight the trade at its source, fund organisations doing field rescue in the Amazon basin — including WARN, which is building exactly this capacity in Colombia and Peru. We need your support to make this happen World Animal Rescue Network is at the launch stage of this work. We do not yet have rescue numbers to share — and that is exactly why your support matters now. Every donation helps us put trained teams on the ground, secure veterinary supplies and equipment, and reach the first animals before they are lost. Donate today to fund our first deployments, or sponsor an animal to back a specific species through rehabilitation. You can also join the network as a volunteer, fundraiser, or monthly supporter.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/horse-rescue-working-equines): Horse Rescue: The Forgotten 200 Million Working Equines.

## Excerpt
Horse rescue in the UK and US usually means racing retirees or surrendered companions. Globally, the larger crisis is the 200 million working horses, donkeys, and mules who never come home.

## Briefing
Horse rescue is one of the most searched animal-welfare phrases in the English-speaking world. In the UK and the US, it usually refers to retired racing thoroughbreds, surrendered family ponies, or horses pulled from neglect cases. Globally, however, the bigger horse-rescue story is happening in brick kilns, construction sites, and freight yards in Pakistan, Peru, Egypt, and Kenya. The problem An estimated 200 million working horses, donkeys, and mules support livelihoods worldwide. Roughly 600 million people depend directly on a working equine for their daily income. Most working equines die from preventable causes: harness wounds, parasitism, dehydration, and overloading. A single set of properly fitted harness equipment can extend a working horse's life by years. What working-equine rescue looks like It is not adoption — most working horses cannot stop working without their human family losing its income. Working-equine rescue is mobile veterinary medicine, free farriery, harness redistribution, dental care, and owner education delivered at the work site. Done well, it improves both animal welfare and household income, because a healthier horse can work more sustainably for longer. How you can help If you are in the UK or US, look up reputable thoroughbred-retirement and equine-rescue organisations near you for adoption or sponsorship. If you want to support working equines internationally, fund mobile-clinic programmes — they deliver the highest welfare impact per dollar of any equine-rescue intervention currently measured. We need your support to make this happen World Animal Rescue Network is at the launch stage of this work. We do not yet have rescue numbers to share — and that is exactly why your support matters now. Every donation helps us put trained teams on the ground, secure veterinary supplies and equipment, and reach the first animals before they are lost. Donate today to fund our first deployments, or sponsor an animal to back a specific species through rehabilitation. You can also join the network as a volunteer, fundraiser, or monthly supporter.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/slow-loris-pet-trade): Slow Loris: Why the Internet's Favourite Pet Is a Conservation Disaster.

## Excerpt
The slow loris looks like a cartoon character — and that has nearly destroyed the species. Here is the truth behind the viral videos.

## Briefing
The slow loris is a small nocturnal primate native to South and Southeast Asia. It is also one of the most exploited animals on the internet. Viral videos of pet lorises being "tickled" have driven an underground trade that is pushing every loris species toward extinction. The problem There are eight recognised species of slow loris, and all are protected under CITES Appendix I. The slow loris is the only venomous primate in the world — its bite can cause anaphylactic shock in humans. To make lorises "safe" as pets, traffickers clip the animals' teeth with nail clippers, without anaesthetic. Many die from infection. The "tickling" behaviour shown in viral videos is in fact a defensive posture — the loris raises its arms to access venom glands. Why they cannot be pets Lorises are nocturnal, solitary, slow-metabolising specialists. They cannot tolerate bright light, daytime activity, or social handling. A loris kept in a household will typically suffer obesity, metabolic bone disease, severe stress, and dental infection — even with the best intentions. There is no humane way to keep one as a pet. What WARN is preparing to do Our Southeast Asia programmes will fund triage, rehabilitation, and soft-release of confiscated lorises in Indonesia and Thailand, along with a public-awareness campaign asking influencers and platforms to stop amplifying loris pet content. We need your help to get this work off the ground. We need your support to make this happen World Animal Rescue Network is at the launch stage of this work. We do not yet have rescue numbers to share — and that is exactly why your support matters now. Every donation helps us put trained teams on the ground, secure veterinary supplies and equipment, and reach the first animals before they are lost. Donate today to fund our first deployments, or sponsor an animal to back a specific species through rehabilitation. You can also join the network as a volunteer, fundraiser, or monthly supporter.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/howler-monkey-facts): Howler Monkey: The Loudest Animal in the Amazon Is Going Quiet.

## Excerpt
Howler monkey calls can be heard three miles through the forest. As the Amazon shrinks, those calls are disappearing one valley at a time.

## Briefing
The howler monkey is the loudest land animal on Earth. Its dawn chorus can be heard from three miles away, and across the Amazon basin it is one of the most recognisable sounds in the rainforest. It is also a sound that is going quiet, valley by valley, as habitat shrinks and yellow-fever outbreaks sweep through unvaccinated populations. The problem There are nine recognised species of howler monkey, ranging from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. The black-and-gold howler, the brown howler, and the red-handed howler are all listed as Vulnerable or Endangered. A male howler's resonating throat sac allows calls to reach 140 decibels — comparable to a jet engine at takeoff. Howler monkeys are folivores, eating mostly leaves, and play a crucial role in forest seed dispersal. What is putting howlers at risk Three converging pressures: deforestation that fragments their canopy range; periodic yellow-fever outbreaks that can kill entire troops within weeks; and the bushmeat and pet trades, particularly affecting young howlers taken from their mothers in the smaller, gentler red-handed species. What WARN is preparing to do Our Peru and Colombia programmes include howler-monkey triage and rehabilitation, partnership with local sanctuaries on troop-level reintroductions, and funding for yellow-fever surveillance in priority forest reserves. None of this happens without supporter funding. We need your support to make this happen World Animal Rescue Network is at the launch stage of this work. We do not yet have rescue numbers to share — and that is exactly why your support matters now. Every donation helps us put trained teams on the ground, secure veterinary supplies and equipment, and reach the first animals before they are lost. Donate today to fund our first deployments, or sponsor an animal to back a specific species through rehabilitation. You can also join the network as a volunteer, fundraiser, or monthly supporter.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/pet-adoption-vs-animal-rescue): Pet Adoption vs. Animal Rescue: How to Help When You Can't Adopt.

## Excerpt
Pet adoption, cat adoption, dog adoption, puppies for adoption — they all matter. But what about the animals you cannot bring home?

## Briefing
Every year, millions of people in the UK and US search for some version of pet adoption , cat adoption , dog adoption , or puppies for adoption . Adopting from a local shelter is one of the highest-impact things an individual can do for animal welfare. But for many people, adoption isn't a current option — and for many animals, no adopter exists. This guide is for both groups. If you can adopt Start local. Search for your nearest municipal shelter, council pound, or independent breed-specific rescue — most areas have several. Avoid breeders and pet-store puppies; adopting an existing animal frees a kennel slot for the next one. Pay attention to less-adoptable categories: senior dogs, cats with manageable medical needs, and overlooked breeds. If you cannot adopt Foster. Short-term foster homes save more lives per slot than permanent adoption, because they keep shelter capacity flowing. Sponsor. Most credible rescues let you sponsor a kennel or a specific animal for a fixed monthly amount. Volunteer. Dog walking, cat socialisation, transport runs, photography for adoption listings — every shelter is short of hands. Fund field rescue overseas. The animals in the worst situations — trafficked wildlife, working horses, street dogs in cull zones — cannot be adopted out of trouble. They need someone to fund the rescue itself. How WARN fits in WARN does not do US/UK pet adoption — but we are building the capacity to rescue animals that no one can adopt: orangutans, parrots, pangolins, street dogs in cull-zone cities, and snared elephants. If you already support a local adoption shelter, consider pairing that with monthly support for international field rescue. We are at the launch stage and your help matters most right now. Lost an animal? If you have arrived here while grieving an animal you loved, we are so sorry. Many supporters tell us that doing something concrete for another animal — in their pet's name — helps in the early weeks. See WARN's in memory giving page , or read our short pet loss support guide . We need your support to make this happen World Animal Rescue Network is at the launch stage of this work. We do not yet have rescue numbers to share — and that is exactly why your support matters now. Every donation helps us put trained teams on the ground, secure veterinary supplies and equipment, and reach the first animals before they are lost. Donate today to fund our first deployments, or sponsor an animal to back a specific species through rehabilitation. You can also join the network as a volunteer, fundraiser, or monthly supporter.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/how-to-adopt-a-dog): How to Adopt a Dog: A Complete Guide to Dog Adoption and Rescue Dogs.

## Summary
To adopt a dog, search local rescue organisations and shelters for dogs whose personality matches your home, complete an application and home check, pay the adoption fee, and bring your new rescue dog home — usually a two- to four-week process from first visit to settled in.

## Excerpt
Thinking of adopting a dog? Here is the complete guide to dog adoption, what to expect from rescue dogs, how to find a reputable rescue near you — and how to help the street dogs that cannot be adopted out of trouble.

## Takeaway
The most reliable way to adopt a dog is through a registered rescue or animal shelter — never through a free-online-classified or a pop-up seller.

## Takeaway
Searching 'adopt a dog near me' or 'dog adoption near me' on Google Maps surfaces local rescues, council pounds and breed-specific organisations in minutes.

## Takeaway
Most rescue dogs need two to six weeks to fully decompress; the first 72 hours are the hardest and the most important.

## Takeaway
Adoption fees typically cover the rescue dog's vaccinations, microchip, neutering and a starter health check.

## Takeaway
If you cannot adopt yourself, foster, sponsor or fund the field rescue work that helps dogs in countries with no adoption infrastructure.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/how-to-adopt-a-dog): How to Adopt a Dog: A Complete Guide to Dog Adoption and Rescue Dogs.

## Briefing
If you are thinking about how to adopt a dog , you are not alone.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of people search for "adopt a dog near me" or "dog adoption near me" and end up changing a rescue dog's life — and their own.

This guide explains how dog adoption actually works, what to expect from rescue dogs , and how to make sure you choose a rescue you can trust.

What "rescue dogs" actually means The phrase rescue dogs covers any dog who has come into the care of a rescue organisation, an animal shelter or a council pound and is waiting for a permanent home.

Some are owner-surrendered.

Some are strays.

Some are seized from cruelty cases or hoarding situations.

A small minority are international rescue dogs flown in from countries with severe street-dog welfare problems.

They are not "broken" — they are just dogs who need a second chance.

How to adopt a dog: the step-by-step process Search "adopt a dog near me" or "dog adoption near me".

Google Maps will surface your nearest registered rescues, council pounds and breed-specific organisations.

Make a shortlist of three to five.

Read the rescue's listings honestly.

Look at the rescue dogs they have right now.

A good rescue is candid about energy levels, training needs and any history of nervousness, dog-aggression or separation anxiety.

Vague listings are a warning sign.

Apply.

A serious rescue will ask about your home, your hours, your family, any other pets, your garden and your previous dog experience.

The application is not a test — it is a match.

Home check.

Most reputable rescues do a short home visit or video call to make sure the environment is safe.

This is normal and a sign of a careful rescue, not a suspicious one.

Meet the dog.

Spend real time with the rescue dog before you commit.

If you have other dogs at home, the rescue will arrange a structured meet-and-greet.

Pay the adoption fee and sign the contract.

Fees typically range from £150 to £400 and cover vaccinations, microchipping, neutering and an initial vet check.

Take your rescue dog home.

Use the 3-3-3 rule: 3 days of decompression, 3 weeks of settling in, 3 months to fully relax.

Patience pays off.

Where to find a dog to adopt near you If you live in the UK, three categories of organisation are worth searching for when you look up dog adoption near me : Local registered rescues and animal shelters.

Small, often volunteer-led, usually with a handful of rescue dogs in foster homes at any one time.

Personal, careful, slow — in a good way.

Council pounds and stray dog services.

Hold lost and abandoned dogs for a statutory period before making them available for adoption.

Breed-specific rescues.

If you have your heart set on a particular breed or type, breed-specific rescues focus on adopting out exactly those dogs.

Whichever route you choose, only adopt from an organisation registered as either a UK charity or a non-profit.

Check their Charity Commission listing and look for transparent veterinary policies before you apply to adopt a dog.

What to expect from a rescue dog Rescue dogs come with a history.

That history is rarely as dark as people imagine — most have been loved at some point — but it does mean the first few weeks at home need patience.

Expect a quiet, slightly withdrawn dog for the first 72 hours, gradual emergence over the first three weeks, and the dog's real personality only fully appearing at around the three-month mark.

Do not invite friends over to meet your new rescue dog on day one.

Let them settle.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/how-to-adopt-a-dog): How to Adopt a Dog: A Complete Guide to Dog Adoption and Rescue Dogs.

Adopt, foster, sponsor — or fund field rescue Not everyone can adopt a dog right now.

There are still meaningful ways to help rescue dogs : Foster.

A short-term foster home saves more rescue dogs per slot than a single adoption, because it keeps shelter capacity flowing.

Sponsor.

Most rescues let you sponsor a specific dog for a small monthly amount.

Volunteer.

Dog walking, transport runs, photography for adoption listings — every animal shelter is short of hands.

Fund overseas field rescue.

In some cities there is almost no rescue capacity at all, and the dogs there cannot be adopted out of trouble — they need someone to fund the rescue itself.

The dogs no one can adopt: how WARN fits in World Animal Rescue Network is a UK not-for-profit, currently in its launch stage.

We do not arrange UK pet adoptions — if you searched "adopt a dog near me" or "dog adoption near me", the best thing we can do is point you to your nearest registered animal shelter or breed rescue.

Adopt locally.

Where we focus is the dogs no UK rescue can adopt out: street dogs in cities like Karachi, where hundreds of thousands of dogs live without veterinary care, without rabies vaccination and without any path to a safe home.

Our planned Karachi programme will fund partner dog rescues , expand animal shelter capacity in Pakistan, and back humane catch-neuter-vaccinate-return work that has been proven to reduce both dog suffering and dog-mediated human rabies at city scale.

If you are about to adopt a rescue dog, congratulations.

If you can also spare a little to fund the rescue dogs who are too far away for adoption to reach, please consider supporting the Karachi appeal below.

If you have just lost a dog Some readers find this page in the weeks after losing a dog, when adoption isn't yet right.

If that is you, please take your time.

Our pet loss support guide covers what to do in the first hours and weeks, and our in memory giving page explains how a tribute donation for a dog directly helps street dogs that cannot be adopted out of trouble.

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

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

Every pound helps another rescue dog get a fair start.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/dog-shelters-and-animal-shelters-guide): Dog Shelters, Animal Shelters and Dog Rescues: A Guide to Finding and Trusting One.

## Summary
A dog shelter, animal shelter or dog rescue is a registered organisation that takes in stray, surrendered or seized dogs, gives them veterinary care, and rehomes them through a screened adoption process — the easiest way to find one is to search 'animal shelter near me' or 'dog rescues near me' and check the charity is officially registered before applying.

## Excerpt
What's the difference between a dog shelter, an animal shelter and a dog rescue? How do you find a good one near you, and what should you look for before you trust them with a rescue dog — or your money?

## Takeaway
A dog shelter and an animal shelter are essentially the same thing — animal shelter is the broader term and usually covers cats and other species as well.

## Takeaway
Dog rescues tend to be smaller, foster-home-based organisations focused specifically on dogs and often on a particular breed or background.

## Takeaway
Always check the charity registration of any dog shelter or animal shelter before adopting or donating — in the UK that means a Charity Commission listing.

## Takeaway
A 'no-kill' label is meaningful only if the organisation publishes its intake, adoption and euthanasia statistics.

## Takeaway
Searching 'dog shelters near me' or 'animal shelter near me' on Google Maps is the fastest legitimate way to find local options.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/dog-shelters-and-animal-shelters-guide): Dog Shelters, Animal Shelters and Dog Rescues: A Guide to Finding and Trusting One.

## Briefing
Searching for dog shelters , an animal shelter or local dog rescues can feel surprisingly confusing.

The words are used interchangeably, every organisation calls itself "the best", and not all of them are what they appear.

This guide explains the differences, what to look for, and how to find a credible animal shelter near me or dog rescues near me — whether you want to adopt, foster, volunteer or donate.

Dog shelter vs animal shelter vs dog rescue The three terms overlap, but there are some real differences in practice: Animal shelter.

The broadest term.

An animal shelter takes in any species — dogs, cats, rabbits, sometimes wildlife — and typically operates from a single physical site with kennels and a veterinary room.

Council pounds, large national rescue charities and many municipal facilities fall under this label.

Dog shelter.

An animal shelter that specifically focuses on dogs.

In day-to-day language, "dog shelter" and "animal shelter" are used interchangeably.

Dog rescues.

Smaller organisations, often volunteer-led and foster-home-based.

Many dog rescues specialise in a particular breed (greyhound rescues, lurcher rescues, ex-racing dog rescues) or a particular situation (medical-need dogs, ex-pound dogs, international rescue dogs).

They tend to be slower, more selective and more personal than a large animal shelter.

How to find dog shelters near you The fastest legitimate way to find a credible animal shelter near me or dog rescues near me is Google Maps.

Type the search exactly as you would say it — "dog shelters near me", "animal shelter near me", "dog rescues near me" — and Maps surfaces the nearest options with reviews, opening hours and websites.

From there: Filter to registered charities.

Look for "Charity Commission" or a registered charity number on the organisation's website.

Check independent reviews.

Read Google reviews, not just testimonials on the rescue's own page.

Look at their current dogs.

A real, working dog shelter or animal shelter will have a regularly updated adoption list with photos, names and honest descriptions.

Read their adoption policy.

The presence of a home check, an application form and a contract are all good signs.

What a good dog shelter looks like Whether you call it a dog shelter, an animal shelter or a dog rescue, the markers of a credible organisation are the same: Registered as a charity or non-profit.

In the UK that means a current Charity Commission listing with up-to-date accounts.

A clear veterinary policy.

Vaccinations, microchipping, neutering and a vet check should be standard before any rescue dog leaves the shelter.

A real adoption process.

Application form, home check, meet-and-greet, contract — none of these are bureaucracy for its own sake.

They protect both you and the dog.

Honesty about their dogs.

A trustworthy animal shelter will tell you which dogs cannot live with cats, which need experienced homes, and which need quiet households.

Vagueness is a red flag.

Transparent statistics.

"No-kill" is only a meaningful claim if the organisation publishes its intake, adoption and euthanasia numbers.

What to look out for Unfortunately, not every operation calling itself a dog rescue is the real thing.

Avoid any "dog shelter", "animal shelter" or "dog rescue" that: Has no charity registration and no listed address.

Pressures you into a same-day adoption or a cash payment.

Cannot tell you who the dog's vet is.

Sells puppies regularly — almost no genuine rescue has a constant supply of puppies.

Refuses any kind of home check or aftercare.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/dog-shelters-and-animal-shelters-guide): Dog Shelters, Animal Shelters and Dog Rescues: A Guide to Finding and Trusting One.

The animal shelter problem WARN is being built for The UK has thousands of well-run dog shelters, animal shelters and dog rescues.

Many countries do not.

In Karachi, Pakistan, hundreds of thousands of free-roaming dogs share the city with people, and the small network of local dog rescues and partner animal shelter teams who try to look after them are chronically under-resourced.

World Animal Rescue Network is a UK not-for-profit in launch stage.

We do not run dog shelters in the UK and we do not arrange UK adoptions.

Where we focus is funding the partner dog rescues and animal shelter capacity in countries where there simply is not enough.

In Karachi, our planned programme will fund veterinary care for street dogs, expand local animal shelter capacity, and back the catch-neuter-vaccinate-return work the World Health Organization recommends for cities with large free-roaming dog populations.

If you are looking for an animal shelter near you for adoption, please adopt locally.

If you can also support the dogs in cities with almost no shelter at all, please consider backing our Karachi appeal below.

Remembering a dog who has died If you are reading this in memory of a dog rather than to adopt one, WARN's in memory giving page explains how a tribute for a dog is directed to street-dog welfare overseas.

Our pet loss support guide may also help.

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

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

Every pound helps another rescue dog get a fair start.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/dog-rehoming-guide): Dog Rehoming: How It Works and How to Do It Responsibly.

## Summary
Dog rehoming is the process of moving a dog from one home to another — usually via a registered dog shelter, dog rescue or rehoming charity — and the responsible way to do it is through an organisation that screens new owners, completes a home check and provides a written adoption contract.

## Excerpt
Whether you need to rehome a dog yourself or you are looking to take one on, this guide explains how dog rehoming actually works, what to avoid, and where the most vulnerable dogs in the world need rehoming help right now.

## Takeaway
Dog rehoming is the safe, screened alternative to advertising a dog as 'free to a good home' online — which is one of the highest-risk routes for the dog.

## Takeaway
Always rehome through a registered dog rescue, dog shelter or charity that does home checks and uses an adoption contract.

## Takeaway
Most reputable rehoming organisations charge a modest adoption fee that covers vaccinations, microchip and neutering — this is normal.

## Takeaway
If you are taking on a rehomed rescue dog, give them at least 3 weeks of quiet decompression before judging behaviour.

## Takeaway
International dog rehoming is rarely the answer — far more rescue dogs can be helped by funding shelter capacity where they actually live.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/dog-rehoming-guide): Dog Rehoming: How It Works and How to Do It Responsibly.

## Briefing
Dog rehoming is the process of moving a dog from one home to another, usually because the first owner can no longer keep them.

Done well, it is one of the kindest things a person can do for a dog.

Done badly — through free online listings, casual handovers and no follow-up — it puts the dog directly in harm's way.

This guide explains how to rehome a dog responsibly, how to take one on, and what to look for in a credible rehoming organisation.

When dog rehoming is the right answer There are good reasons to rehome a dog: a change of family circumstances, a new baby with a severe allergy, a serious illness, a relocation that genuinely cannot accommodate the dog.

There are also reasons that, in our experience, are worth pausing on.

Many "behaviour" problems — pulling on the lead, jumping up, mild separation anxiety — are very fixable with the right trainer, and many dogs are rehomed when they could have stayed.

If you are not sure, talk to a registered dog rescue first; most will offer behaviour advice for free.

How to rehome a dog responsibly Contact a registered dog rescue or dog shelter.

Search "dog rehoming near me" and shortlist the registered charities.

Many UK rescues prioritise owner-surrender cases because they know the dog's history and can match them more accurately.

Be honest about your dog.

Write down everything — health, training, history with children and other animals, fears, favourite things.

The more honest you are, the better the rescue can match.

Allow the rescue to do its work.

A good rescue will assess your dog, place them in foster or kennels, screen potential adopters, do home checks and use an adoption contract.

Do not be tempted to handle the rehoming privately to save time.

Avoid "free to a good home" listings.

They are one of the highest-risk routes for a dog, regularly used by people looking for cheap breeding stock, bait dogs or resale.

Accept the goodbye.

A responsible rehoming organisation will usually tell you when the dog is settled, but they may not share full ongoing details.

That protects the new owners and the dog.

How to adopt a rehomed dog If you are at the other end — looking to take on a rehomed rescue dog — the process mirrors any other dog adoption.

Search "dog rehoming near me", apply to a registered dog rescue, complete a home check, meet the dog, sign the adoption contract and pay the adoption fee.

Most rehomed rescue dogs settle beautifully if you give them the 3-3-3 timeline: three days of decompression, three weeks of settling, three months of fully relaxing.

What to avoid Free online listings.

Gumtree-style "free to a good home" dog listings are the single most dangerous route for a rehomed dog.

Same-day rehoming.

Responsible rehoming takes weeks, not minutes.

No contract.

Without an adoption contract you have no recourse and the dog has no protection.

No vet history.

A reputable dog rescue will know exactly when the rescue dog was last vaccinated, neutered and seen by a vet.

Pressure to take a deposit before meeting.

Always meet the dog first.

International dog rehoming: why it is rarely the answer It is increasingly common to see street dogs from Pakistan, Romania, Greece or Sri Lanka being rehomed to the UK.

We understand the impulse — these are rescue dogs in obvious need.

But long-distance rehoming is stressful for the dog, expensive to organise, and only helps one animal at a time.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/dog-rehoming-guide): Dog Rehoming: How It Works and How to Do It Responsibly.

In cities like Karachi, where hundreds of thousands of street dogs live with no veterinary cover, the same money funds dozens of rescue dogs through neutering, vaccination and local rehoming inside Pakistan — a far better outcome at scale.

Where WARN fits in World Animal Rescue Network is a UK not-for-profit in its launch stage.

We do not run UK dog rehoming and we do not arrange international rescue-dog imports.

Where we focus is funding partner dog rescues and animal shelter capacity in the cities that need it most — starting with Karachi, where our planned programme will fund veterinary care, expand shelter capacity, back catch-neuter-vaccinate-return work, and support responsible in-country adoption of rescue dogs into safe Pakistani homes.

If you are rehoming a dog in the UK or looking to take one on, please use a registered UK rescue.

If you can also help the rescue dogs in cities with almost no shelter at all, please consider backing our Karachi appeal below.

If rehoming follows a loss Sometimes rehoming a dog follows the death of another animal in the household, or a major change after losing a pet.

If that is part of what brought you here, our pet loss support guide and in memory giving page may be useful.

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

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

Every pound helps another rescue dog get a fair start.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/complete-cat-care-guide): The Complete Cat Care Guide: Food, Shelter, Veterinary Care and Community Cats.

## Summary
Good cat care means daily fresh water, twice-daily wet food appropriate to the cat's life stage, a quiet safe place to rest, an annual vet check with up-to-date vaccinations, neutering by six months, regular flea and worm prevention, and — for community cats — an insulated outdoor shelter, a reliable food station and a TNVR plan run by a registered cat charity.

## Excerpt
Everything responsible cat owners and community cat carers need to know — daily care, food, water, indoor enrichment, outdoor shelters, vaccinations, neutering, common illnesses and how a cat charity like WARN supports cats globally.

## Takeaway
Cats need wet food, not just dry — at least 60-70% of daily intake should be wet food to support hydration and kidney health.

## Takeaway
Fresh water should be available 24/7, ideally in a shallow ceramic or stainless-steel bowl placed away from the food.

## Takeaway
All cats — pet or community — should be neutered, microchipped and vaccinated against rabies and core feline diseases.

## Takeaway
Community cats need insulated outdoor shelters in cold months: straw (never blankets), elevated, dry, two exits.

## Takeaway
If you are looking for a cat charity to support, choose one with a clear veterinary policy, transparent finances and a published TNVR or community cat strategy.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/complete-cat-care-guide): The Complete Cat Care Guide: Food, Shelter, Veterinary Care and Community Cats.

## Briefing
Cats are the second-most popular companion animal in the world and the most frequent free-roaming companion animal across the countries WARN is preparing to work in.

Whether you live with a single indoor cat, run a small cat charity , or quietly feed a colony of community cats outside your home, the principles of good cat care are the same — they just scale up.

This guide covers everything responsible cat carers should know, and goes further than most published care sheets on three under-covered topics: outdoor shelter design, TNVR for community cats, and recognising serious illness early.

Daily care: food, water and routine Cats are obligate carnivores.

Their bodies require nutrients — taurine, arginine, arachidonic acid, vitamin A in active form — that can only be obtained from animal protein.

Get the food right and almost everything else gets easier.

Wet food first.

At least 60-70% of daily food intake should be wet food.

Cats evolved to get most of their water from prey and frequently fail to drink enough on a dry-only diet.

Chronic low-level dehydration is one of the main drivers of feline kidney disease.

Twice-daily meals, not constant grazing.

Free-feeding contributes to feline obesity, which the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) identifies as one of the most common preventable health problems in cats.

Life-stage matters.

Kittens need kitten-specific food until 12 months.

Senior cats (10+) often need diets adjusted for kidney function and protein quality.

Fresh water, always.

Replace water at least once a day.

Place water bowls away from food — cats have an instinctive aversion to water near prey.

Never give cow's milk.

Most adult cats are lactose intolerant.

Indoor enrichment: how to stop a bored cat becoming a difficult cat Most behaviour problems in indoor cats — overgrooming, aggression, inappropriate toileting, destructive scratching — trace back to one cause: under-stimulation.

A cat in an apartment needs deliberate enrichment: Vertical space.

Cat trees, shelves, window perches.

Cats feel safest above the room, not in it.

Hunting play, twice a day.

Ten to fifteen minutes with a wand toy mimicking prey movement — slow stalk, fast chase, brief "catch", reward with a small wet-food snack.

This single change reduces inter-cat aggression and destructive behaviour more than any other intervention.

Scratching surfaces.

Vertical sisal posts and horizontal cardboard.

Cats scratch to mark, stretch and condition their claws; refusing them surfaces guarantees they choose your sofa.

Hiding places.

A simple cardboard box is one of the most effective stress-reducing items in a cat's environment.

Litter trays.

One per cat plus one extra, placed in quiet locations, scooped daily, fully cleaned weekly.

Most "litter box problems" are environment problems.

Veterinary care: the non-negotiables Regardless of where in the world a cat lives, the veterinary baseline is the same: Annual health check.

Weight, dental, kidney bloods from age 7, blood-pressure check from age 10.

Core vaccinations.

Feline panleukopenia (FPV), feline herpesvirus (FHV-1), feline calicivirus (FCV).

Rabies vaccination is essential in rabies-endemic countries and is recommended by WHO and WOAH wherever cats may come into contact with potential vectors.

Neutering by six months.

Reduces mammary cancer, eliminates pyometra, reduces fighting, eliminates accidental litters.

There is no health benefit to allowing a "first litter".

Microchipping.

A microchip is the single most effective intervention against permanent loss.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/complete-cat-care-guide): The Complete Cat Care Guide: Food, Shelter, Veterinary Care and Community Cats.

Parasite prevention.

Monthly flea-and-tick treatment, quarterly worming.

Both are cheap and prevent serious illness.

Dental care.

Roughly 70% of cats over the age of three show signs of dental disease.

Annual dental checks should be standard from age three onwards.

Community cats: the welfare population most people miss Community cats — sometimes called feral cats, street cats or stray cats — are the cats that live outdoors near people but are not anyone's pet.

They are usually born to other community cats, deeply bonded to their territory, and often unsuited to indoor adoption.

Good cat charity work treats them as a recognisable population in their own right, not as "strays to be removed".

TNVR — trap, neuter, vaccinate, return The internationally recognised approach to community cat populations is TNVR.

The cat is humanely trapped, brought to a clinic, neutered, vaccinated (rabies plus core feline vaccines), ear-tipped (a tiny notch on the left ear, the universal sign of a sterilised colony cat), and returned to exactly the location it was trapped from.

Done at sufficient scale (≈70% sterilisation coverage), TNVR stabilises and then reduces the colony, dramatically lowers fighting and disease transmission, and is the strategy recommended by major animal welfare bodies for free-roaming cats worldwide.

Outdoor shelters that actually work If you care for community cats, especially in colder months, shelter is critical and is the single area where most amateur cat-care advice goes wrong.

A good outdoor cat shelter: Is elevated off the ground by at least 10 cm to stay dry.

Has two exits so a cat is never cornered by a predator or another cat.

Uses straw, never blankets or towels.

Straw insulates and stays dry; blankets retain moisture and freeze.

Has a small entrance (about 15 cm diameter) — large enough for the cat, small enough to keep heat in and bigger predators out.

Is placed against a wall in a quiet area, away from foot traffic.

Is paired with a protected feeding station at least a metre away — never inside the shelter.

Feeding stations Feed at set times, in set quantities, in protected containers.

Avoid leaving food out overnight (it attracts wildlife and pests).

A reliable feeding routine is also what makes humane trapping possible when it is time for TNVR.

Recognising serious illness — the early signs people miss Cats are extraordinary at hiding illness.

The following are the early warning signs every cat carer should know: Sudden change in water consumption.

Either much more or much less.

Often the first sign of kidney disease, diabetes or hyperthyroidism.

Weight loss despite normal appetite.

Strongly suggestive of hyperthyroidism or diabetes in older cats.

Reduced grooming.

A coat that becomes greasy, matted or unkempt is often the earliest sign of pain — particularly dental pain or arthritis.

Hiding more than usual.

One of the most reliable behavioural signs that a cat is unwell.

Difficulty urinating.

Straining, frequent trips to the litter tray, vocalising.

In male cats especially, this is a veterinary emergency — urinary blockage can be fatal within 24-48 hours.

Breathing through the mouth.

Cats almost never pant.

Open-mouth breathing in a cat at rest is an emergency.

First aid basics Every cat carer should know the absolute minimum first aid: Bleeding: direct pressure with clean cloth, get to vet.

Suspected poisoning: never induce vomiting in a cat — go straight to vet.

Bring the packaging.

Heatstroke: cool gradually with damp towels, fan, get to vet.

Choking: only attempt to remove visible obstructions.

Otherwise straight to vet.

Seizure: do not restrain.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/complete-cat-care-guide): The Complete Cat Care Guide: Food, Shelter, Veterinary Care and Community Cats.

Time the seizure, keep away from edges and stairs, vet immediately if longer than 2 minutes or if first ever.

Do not give human medication.

Paracetamol is fatal to cats.

Ibuprofen is fatal to cats.

Lily plants — including pollen on a cat's coat — are fatal.

Antifreeze (ethylene glycol) is fatal in tiny quantities.

How a cat charity supports cats globally A serious cat charity in 2026 does three things well: it funds direct veterinary care, it builds capacity for community cats through TNVR, and it supports responsible in-country adoption.

What it does not do is treat community cats as a nuisance to be removed or rely on long-distance international relocation as its primary intervention.

Long-distance relocation helps one animal at a time; TNVR and partner-funded cat shelter capacity help thousands.

When choosing a cat charity to support, look for: Registered charity status with up-to-date accounts.

A clear veterinary policy and a published TNVR or community cat strategy.

Honest reporting on outcomes, not just intake.

A focus on the populations of cats who are most under-served — community cats, cats in countries with little or no cat-shelter infrastructure, cats in the meat trade.

How WARN fits in World Animal Rescue Network is a UK not-for-profit animal welfare organisation in its launch stage.

We do not run UK cat adoptions — if you searched for a local cat charity to adopt from, please support a UK rescue or shelter.

Where we focus is the cats almost no one else funds: community cats across our partner network in Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan — with other regions such as Vietnam, Kenya and Tanzania as wider context — the cats caught up in the Southeast Asian meat trade, and the broader population of free-roaming cats living in cities with little to no veterinary cover.

When a cat dies Every cat care journey ends the same way, and it is one of the hardest parts of loving a cat.

If you have recently lost a cat, our pet loss support guide covers cremation, talking to children, and recognising grief, and our in memory giving page explains how a tribute for a cat helps community cats overseas.

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

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

Every pound helps another rescue cat get a fair start.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/complete-dog-care-guide): The Complete Dog Care Guide: Food, Training, Veterinary Care and Rescue Dogs.

## Summary
Good dog care means daily fresh water, two age-appropriate meals, at least one structured walk plus mental enrichment, an annual vet check with up-to-date vaccinations, neutering when veterinary-appropriate, regular flea, tick and worm prevention, ongoing positive-reinforcement training, and — for rescue dogs and street dogs — patient settling time and a trusted dog charity providing veterinary backup.

## Excerpt
Everything responsible dog owners and rescue carers need to know — daily care, food, exercise, training, vaccinations, neutering, common emergencies and how a dog charity like WARN supports street dogs and rescue dogs globally.

## Takeaway
Adult dogs need at least 30-60 minutes of daily exercise; rescue dogs and working breeds need significantly more, plus mental enrichment.

## Takeaway
Vaccinations against distemper, parvovirus, hepatitis and rabies are non-negotiable; rabies vaccination is required by law in most countries.

## Takeaway
Neuter when veterinary-appropriate — most vets now recommend 6-18 months depending on breed and size.

## Takeaway
Use the 3-3-3 rule for rescue dogs: 3 days to decompress, 3 weeks to settle, 3 months to fully relax into their new home.

## Takeaway
When choosing a dog charity to support, look for registered status, clear veterinary policies, and a focus on the dog populations most under-served — particularly street dogs in countries with no shelter infrastructure.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/complete-dog-care-guide): The Complete Dog Care Guide: Food, Training, Veterinary Care and Rescue Dogs.

## Briefing
Dogs are the most loved companion animal on the planet — and, paradoxically, the most under-served at population scale.

In the countries WARN is preparing to work in, hundreds of thousands of dogs live without veterinary cover, vaccination or any path to a safe home.

Whether you live with a pet dog, foster for a UK rescue, or quietly look after community dogs in your neighbourhood, the principles of good dog care are the same.

This guide covers everything responsible carers should know, and goes further than most published care sheets on three under-covered topics: rescue-dog decompression, street-dog welfare, and recognising serious illness early.

Daily care: food, water, exercise, rest Dogs are omnivores with a strong preference for animal protein.

Their needs vary by size, breed, age and activity level, but the daily essentials do not.

Two age-appropriate meals.

Puppies under 6 months need 3-4 smaller meals.

Adult dogs do best on two meals at consistent times.

Avoid free-feeding — it contributes to obesity and makes house training harder.

Life-stage food.

Puppy food (large- and small-breed specific), adult food, senior food.

Large-breed puppies in particular need specifically formulated food to avoid skeletal problems from growing too fast.

Fresh water, always.

Replace at least daily.

Stainless steel or ceramic — plastic harbours bacteria.

Daily exercise — minimum 30-60 minutes.

Working breeds (Labradors, Collies, Spaniels, Huskies, German Shepherds, most rescue mongrels with strong drive) need 90 minutes or more.

Under-exercised dogs are difficult dogs.

Mental enrichment.

Sniffing on walks, food puzzles, scent games, training sessions.

Five minutes of nose work tires a dog more than fifteen minutes of fetch.

Rest.

Adult dogs sleep 12-14 hours a day.

Puppies and seniors need more.

A quiet space the dog can retreat to — uninterrupted — is non-negotiable.

Training: positive reinforcement, nothing else The international veterinary and behavioural consensus — from the British Veterinary Association to the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior — is unambiguous: positive reinforcement is more effective than aversive training, and aversive methods (choke chains, prong collars, e-collars, "alpha rolls") are associated with increased aggression and anxiety.

Reward what you want, ignore what you do not.

Mark good behaviour the moment it happens, with a marker word ("yes") or a clicker, followed by a small high-value treat.

Train little and often.

Three to five 2-minute sessions a day beats one 30-minute session.

Socialise early and carefully.

The critical socialisation window in puppies is roughly 3-14 weeks.

Use it.

Controlled, positive exposure to different people, dogs, surfaces, sounds and environments sets a dog up for life.

Recall is the single most important command.

Practise daily on a long line.

A reliable recall is worth more than any other skill.

If you are struggling, get help early.

A good qualified behaviourist (in the UK, look for ABTC-registered) is cheaper than rehoming.

Veterinary care: the non-negotiables Annual health check.

Weight, dental, heart, joints.

Bloods from age 7-8 in most breeds; earlier for large and giant breeds.

Core vaccinations.

Distemper, hepatitis (adenovirus), parvovirus and parainfluenza.

Plus rabies vaccination, which is legally required in most countries and is universally recommended by WHO and WOAH for any dog with potential exposure.

Leptospirosis vaccination.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/complete-dog-care-guide): The Complete Dog Care Guide: Food, Training, Veterinary Care and Rescue Dogs.

Strongly recommended in the UK and any country with significant rodent or freshwater exposure.

Neutering.

Timing depends on breed and size.

Small dogs: typically 6-12 months.

Large and giant dogs: often 12-18 months to allow skeletal development.

Discuss with your vet.

Microchipping.

Legally required in the UK and the single most effective intervention against permanent loss.

Parasite prevention.

Monthly flea, tick and lungworm prevention.

Worming every 1-3 months.

Dental care.

Daily tooth-brushing if possible; failing that, dental chews and an annual scale-and-polish.

Periodontal disease is the most common chronic disease in dogs.

Rescue dogs: the 3-3-3 rule If you are bringing home a rescue dog , the most useful framework you will ever read is the 3-3-3 rule.

Most failed adoptions fail because new owners expect the dog to be themselves on day one.

First 3 days — decompression.

The dog is overwhelmed.

Expect a quiet, withdrawn, possibly unsettled dog.

Keep visitors away.

Establish a routine.

No visitors, no overstimulation, no off-lead walks.

A safe quiet space the dog can choose to retreat to is essential.

First 3 weeks — settling.

The dog starts to learn your routine and test the boundaries.

Behaviour you did not see in the first three days starts to appear.

This is normal.

Keep training calm, consistent and reward-based.

First 3 months — bonding.

The dog's true personality emerges.

By month three, most rescue dogs are fully relaxed.

If you are still struggling at the three-month mark, get professional help — do not rehome without trying.

Street dogs and community dogs: a different welfare problem Across the countries WARN is preparing to work in — Pakistan, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Kenya, Tanzania — millions of dogs live as community dogs, neither pets nor strays in any meaningful sense.

They are descended from generations of dogs who have lived alongside people, often deeply bonded to their territory and to specific feeders, but with no formal owner.

The internationally recognised approach to community-dog welfare — endorsed by the World Health Organization, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and large humane organisations — is catch-neuter-vaccinate-return (CNVR) .

Done at scale (≈70% sterilisation coverage), CNVR stabilises and then reduces the dog population, virtually eliminates dog-mediated human rabies, dramatically improves individual welfare, and is the only approach that works long-term.

Culling does not work and has been formally rejected by WHO as a control strategy.

Recognising serious illness — the warning signs Dogs are slightly more honest than cats about being unwell, but they still hide pain.

The following warrant an urgent vet visit: Vomiting more than twice in 24 hours, or with blood.

Diarrhoea with blood, or lasting more than 48 hours.

Lethargy combined with not eating — particularly in puppies, where it can indicate parvovirus.

Bloated, hard abdomen, especially in deep-chested breeds.

Suspect gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV / "bloat").

Veterinary emergency — fatal within hours.

Pale gums.

Suggests anaemia or internal bleeding.

Difficulty breathing, blue-tinged gums.

Emergency.

Collapse or seizure.

Emergency.

Suspected poisoning.

Chocolate, grapes, raisins, xylitol (in sugar-free gum), onions, garlic, alcohol, paracetamol, ibuprofen, antifreeze.

Bring the packaging.

Vet immediately.

First aid basics Bleeding: direct pressure with clean cloth, vet immediately.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/complete-dog-care-guide): The Complete Dog Care Guide: Food, Training, Veterinary Care and Rescue Dogs.

Heatstroke: wet the dog with cool (not cold) water, fan, vet immediately.

Heatstroke is fatal — do not delay.

Choking: visible object only — gently remove.

Otherwise straight to vet.

Insect stings and snake bites: keep the dog calm, minimise movement, vet immediately.

Burns: cool water for at least ten minutes, vet.

Never give human medication.

Paracetamol is highly toxic to dogs at moderate doses; ibuprofen damages dog kidneys; aspirin should only be given under veterinary direction.

Always check before any new food — the list of dog-toxic foods is longer than people realise.

Hot weather, cold weather, fireworks: predictable emergencies Hot weather.

Walk early morning and late evening.

Test pavement with the back of your hand — if it is too hot for your hand for five seconds, it is too hot for paws.

Never leave a dog in a car.

Cars become fatal ovens in minutes.

Cold weather.

Short-coated dogs (Greyhounds, Whippets, Staffies, most rescue mongrels) genuinely benefit from coats below about 5°C.

Watch for ice between toes.

Wipe paws after walks to remove grit and salt.

Fireworks and storms.

A safe space, background sound (white noise, calm music), and — for severely affected dogs — prescribed anti-anxiety medication from your vet.

Counter-conditioning works best when started months in advance.

How a dog charity supports dogs globally A serious dog charity in 2026 does three things well: it funds direct veterinary care for dogs in trouble, it backs CNVR for community-dog populations at scale, and it supports responsible in-country adoption pathways.

When choosing a dog charity to support, look for: Registered charity status with up-to-date accounts.

A clear veterinary policy and a published approach to free-roaming dog welfare.

Honest reporting on outcomes, not just intake.

A focus on the dog populations most under-served — particularly street and community dogs in countries with no shelter infrastructure.

How WARN fits in World Animal Rescue Network is a UK not-for-profit animal welfare organisation in its launch stage.

We do not run UK dog adoptions — if you searched for a local dog charity to adopt from, please support a UK rescue or shelter.

Where we focus is the dogs almost no one else funds: community dogs in Karachi and across South Asia, dogs caught up in the Southeast Asian meat trade, and the broader population of free-roaming dogs living in cities with little to no veterinary cover.

Your support funds the rescue dogs we are being built for.

When a dog dies The hardest part of loving a dog is the last part.

If you have recently lost a dog, our pet loss support guide covers cremation, talking to children and recognising grief, and our in memory giving page explains how a tribute for a dog helps street dogs that cannot be adopted out of trouble.

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

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

Every pound helps another rescue dog get a fair start.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/snow-leopard-endangered): The Snow Leopard: Why the Ghost of the Mountains Is Still Vulnerable.

## Summary
The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is a Vulnerable big cat native to the high mountains of twelve Central and South Asian countries, with an estimated 4,000-6,500 individuals globally — a population so thinly spread that even small annual losses to poaching and retaliatory killing can push regional sub-populations toward extinction.

## Excerpt
The snow leopard is one of the most elusive big cats on earth, with an estimated 4,000-6,500 individuals across twelve range states — including Pakistan, where WARN is preparing to operate. This briefing explains why the species was downlisted from Endangered to Vulnerable in 2017 and why that is not the success story it sounds like.

## Takeaway
Listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List; downlisted from Endangered in 2017 on the basis of new survey methods, not population recovery.

## Takeaway
Estimated global population is 4,000-6,500 individuals across twelve range states including Pakistan, China, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Mongolia and the Central Asian republics.

## Takeaway
Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa hold an estimated 200-420 individuals, making Pakistan one of WARN's priority snow leopard countries.

## Takeaway
Three biggest threats: retaliatory killing for livestock predation, poaching for pelts and bones, and prey depletion from competing livestock.

## Takeaway
Community-based conservancies and livestock insurance schemes have shown the most consistent reductions in retaliatory killing.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/snow-leopard-endangered): The Snow Leopard: Why the Ghost of the Mountains Is Still Vulnerable.

## Briefing
The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is the most elusive of the world's big cats. It lives between roughly 3,000 and 5,500 metres in the great mountain ranges of Central and South Asia — the Himalayas, Karakoram, Hindu Kush, Pamirs, Tien Shan and Altai — and is so rarely seen that local Himalayan languages call it the "ghost of the mountains." For decades, scientists worked with population estimates that were essentially educated guesses. WARN is preparing to operate in Pakistan , which is home to one of the most important snow leopard populations outside China. The country's Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa regions hold an estimated 200-420 individuals — a meaningful share of the global wild population. How many snow leopards are left? The most credible global estimate, based on systematic camera-trap and genetic surveys, places the wild snow leopard population at 4,000-6,500 individuals . The species was downlisted from Endangered to Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List in 2017 — but this reflected better counting methods, not a recovering population. Many conservation biologists believe the species is still declining in the most poorly-surveyed parts of its range. The three biggest threats Retaliatory killing. The single largest direct cause of snow leopard mortality. When a snow leopard takes goats or sheep from a remote herder's corral, the economic loss is severe — and the response is often a poisoning or a shooting. WHO and WOAH-aligned animal-welfare workers in the region report that the most effective interventions are predator-proof corrals and livestock-insurance schemes. Poaching. Snow leopard pelts and bones are trafficked into the same illegal markets that drive tiger poaching, with bones increasingly used as a tiger-bone substitute in some traditional-medicine supply chains. UNODC has repeatedly flagged the bones-and-skins trade as a transnational organised-crime issue. Prey depletion. Snow leopards rely on wild blue sheep, ibex, markhor and argali. Where livestock displaces these wild ungulates, snow leopards turn to domestic animals, escalating conflict and the retaliatory-killing cycle. What works: community conservancies and corrals The most consistently successful snow leopard projects in Pakistan, Nepal and Kyrgyzstan combine three elements: predator-proof corrals built into community livestock infrastructure, livestock insurance schemes that compensate herders for verified predator losses, and community-led wildlife conservancies that share tourism or research income with villages that protect snow leopards. Where all three operate, retaliatory killing drops sharply. How WARN fits in WARN's planned Pakistan programme is principally a street-dog welfare programme (see our Karachi street dogs appeal ) — but snow leopard country is the same country, and we expect to support partner work on retaliatory-killing prevention in the high north as our Pakistan operations mature. We do not currently fund snow leopard fieldwork ourselves and we will not pretend otherwise. Sources: IUCN Red List, UNEP-WCMC, CITES Appendix I listing, UNODC World Wildlife Crime Report. We need your support to make this happen World Animal Rescue Network is at the launch stage of this work. We do not yet have rescue numbers to share — and that is exactly why your support matters now. Every donation helps us put trained teams on the ground, secure veterinary supplies and equipment, and reach the first animals before they are lost. Donate today to fund our first deployments, or sponsor an animal to back a specific species through rehabilitation. You can also join the network as a volunteer, fundraiser, or monthly supporter.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/are-african-lions-endangered): The African Lion: Vulnerable, Declining, and Disappearing From Most of Africa.

## Summary
The African lion (Panthera leo) is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with an estimated 23,000-39,000 wild individuals across Sub-Saharan Africa; numbers have fallen by roughly 43% over three lion generations, driven primarily by habitat loss, retaliatory killing and prey depletion.

## Excerpt
African lion numbers have fallen by an estimated 43% over three generations, and the species is now extinct across more than 90% of its historic range. Kenya and Tanzania — two countries WARN plans to expand into — hold some of the last strongholds.

## Takeaway
Listed as Vulnerable globally; the West African lion subpopulation is Critically Endangered.

## Takeaway
Estimated 23,000-39,000 wild lions remain across Sub-Saharan Africa.

## Takeaway
Range has contracted by more than 90% from historic levels.

## Takeaway
Kenya and Tanzania together hold some of the largest remaining lion populations in East Africa.

## Takeaway
Snares set for bushmeat are a major cause of non-targeted lion mortality — a direct overlap with WARN's planned East Africa snare-removal work.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/are-african-lions-endangered): The African Lion: Vulnerable, Declining, and Disappearing From Most of Africa.

## Briefing
The African lion (Panthera leo) is the most recognisable of all African wildlife, and one of the most steeply declining. The IUCN's most recent assessment estimates that lion numbers have fallen by approximately 43% over three lion generations — roughly 21 years. The species is now extinct across more than 90% of its historic range, and the West African subpopulation is listed as Critically Endangered. WARN is preparing to operate in Kenya and Tanzania , two of the East African strongholds that together hold a meaningful proportion of the remaining global wild lion population. How many wild lions are left? The IUCN Red List gives a global wild population estimate of 23,000-39,000 individuals . The bulk are in East and Southern Africa — Tanzania, Kenya, Botswana, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique — with smaller populations in Central and West Africa. The drivers of lion decline Habitat loss and prey depletion. Lion ranges are being converted to farmland and grazing land for cattle, and the wild ungulates lions depend on are being replaced by livestock. Retaliatory killing. Lions that take cattle are routinely poisoned or speared. Poisons, particularly agricultural carbamates, kill not only the offending lion but vultures and scavengers that feed on the carcass. Snaring. Wire snares set for bushmeat species — wildebeest, zebra, antelope — regularly catch lions as bycatch. This is the exact problem WARN's work on bushmeat snares is designed to address. Illegal wildlife trade. Lion bones, claws and teeth are trafficked into the same Southeast Asian markets that drive tiger and snow leopard demand. CITES has tightened controls on lion-bone exports. What is working Predator-proof "boma" corrals, community-based conservancies that share tourism revenue with pastoralist communities, and verified livestock-compensation schemes have all produced measurable reductions in retaliatory lion killing in Kenya. Anti-snaring patrols and rapid-response veterinary darting are the standard tools for lions caught in snares. How WARN fits in Lions are not WARN's main programme — we are not building lion-specific rescue capacity from scratch. But our planned work in Kenya and Tanzania directly addresses one of the largest causes of non-targeted lion injury and death, and our partner work supports the wider East African anti-poaching and welfare ecosystem in which lion recovery happens. Sources: IUCN Red List, UNEP-WCMC, CITES Appendix II listing, UNODC World Wildlife Crime Report. We need your support to make this happen World Animal Rescue Network is at the launch stage of this work. We do not yet have rescue numbers to share — and that is exactly why your support matters now. Every donation helps us put trained teams on the ground, secure veterinary supplies and equipment, and reach the first animals before they are lost. Donate today to fund our first deployments, or sponsor an animal to back a specific species through rehabilitation. You can also join the network as a volunteer, fundraiser, or monthly supporter.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/sun-bear-facts): The Sun Bear: The World's Smallest Bear and the World's Most Overlooked.

## Summary
The sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) is the smallest of the world's eight bear species, a Vulnerable forest bear of mainland Southeast Asia and the Greater Sunda Islands; populations are estimated to have declined by at least 30% over the last three decades because of deforestation, the illegal pet trade and the bear-bile industry.

## Excerpt
The sun bear is the smallest bear species on earth and one of the least understood. Listed as Vulnerable, it survives in fragmented forests across Southeast Asia — including Indonesia and Malaysia in WARN's partner network.

## Takeaway
Smallest of the eight extant bear species — adults rarely exceed 70 kg.

## Takeaway
Listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List; CITES Appendix I.

## Takeaway
Range covers Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia; Indonesia and Malaysia are in WARN's current partner network.

## Takeaway
Three biggest threats: deforestation, the illegal pet trade in cubs, and the bear-bile industry.

## Takeaway
Often confused with the larger Asiatic black bear (moon bear); both species are exploited for bile.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/sun-bear-facts): The Sun Bear: The World's Smallest Bear and the World's Most Overlooked.

## Briefing
The sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) is the smallest bear species in the world. Adults rarely exceed 70 kg, with a sleek black coat, a distinctive U-shaped or crescent-shaped cream chest patch, and an unusually long tongue adapted for extracting insects and honey. It is sometimes called the "honey bear" or "Malayan sun bear." Sun bears live across Southeast Asia — Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia — with Indonesia and Malaysia in WARN's current partner network, which makes them one of the more directly relevant species for the kind of work our launch programmes are being built to support. What makes sun bears unique Smallest of the eight extant bear species, with a body length of 120-150 cm. Diet is omnivorous but unusually insect-heavy — termites, beetle larvae and bee colonies are major food sources. One of the most arboreal bears: they build daytime nests in trees and rest 5-10 m above ground. Critically dependent on dipterocarp lowland rainforest, which is the most heavily logged forest type in Southeast Asia. Why sun bears are Vulnerable Deforestation. Sun bear habitat overlaps almost exactly with the highest-demand timber and palm-oil concessions in Borneo, Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia and the lower Mekong. UNEP reports consistent annual primary-forest loss across all five range countries. Illegal pet trade. Sun bear cubs are taken from killed mothers and sold openly in some urban wildlife markets. They grow large, strong and dangerous, and are routinely abandoned to wildlife authorities within 2-3 years of capture. Bear-bile industry. Sun bear gall bladders are trafficked into the same traditional-medicine market that drives the bile-farming of Asiatic black bears ( moon bears ) in Vietnam, Laos and China. The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has identified bear-bile farming as a serious welfare and biosecurity concern. Snares and conflict killing. Snares set for bushmeat species regularly catch sun bears as bycatch; bears that raid bee-hives or crops are killed in retaliation. Rescue work Most rescued sun bears in the region come from one of three sources: confiscation from the pet trade, surrender from defunct bile farms, or rescue from wildlife markets. Almost none can be released — most have been hand-reared, have skeletal deformities from cage life, or carry diseases that disqualify them from soft-release. They become lifetime sanctuary residents. How WARN fits in Sun bears are not yet a stand-alone WARN appeal, but they will be a major beneficiary of our planned Southeast Asia anti-trafficking and sanctuary support work. Our orangutan appeal in Borneo, our dog and cat meat trade briefing in Vietnam and Cambodia, and our planned Indonesia and Malaysia deployments will all operate in the same forests, against the same traffickers, and through the same partner networks that rescue sun bears. Sources: IUCN Red List, CITES Appendix I, UNEP-WCMC, WOAH bear-bile policy positions. We need your support to make this happen World Animal Rescue Network is at the launch stage of this work. We do not yet have rescue numbers to share — and that is exactly why your support matters now. Every donation helps us put trained teams on the ground, secure veterinary supplies and equipment, and reach the first animals before they are lost. Donate today to fund our first deployments, or sponsor an animal to back a specific species through rehabilitation. You can also join the network as a volunteer, fundraiser, or monthly supporter.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/sumatran-tiger-critically-endangered): The Sumatran Tiger: The Last Tigers of Indonesia.

## Summary
The Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sondaica) is a Critically Endangered tiger population native to the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, with an estimated fewer than 400 wild individuals remaining — the last surviving tiger population in Indonesia after the documented extinctions of the Javan and Bali tigers in the 20th century.

## Excerpt
The Sumatran tiger is the only surviving Indonesian tiger subspecies — the Javan and Bali tigers are already extinct. Fewer than an estimated 400 wild individuals remain, all on a single island.

## Takeaway
The smallest of the surviving tiger populations, with adults rarely exceeding 140 kg.

## Takeaway
Estimated fewer than 400 wild individuals remain, all on the island of Sumatra.

## Takeaway
Listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List; CITES Appendix I.

## Takeaway
Indonesia is one of WARN's partner-network countries — the same country as our Borneo orangutan programme.

## Takeaway
Major threats: poaching for trade in skins and bones, palm-oil and pulp-wood deforestation, and snaring as bycatch.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/sumatran-tiger-critically-endangered): The Sumatran Tiger: The Last Tigers of Indonesia.

## Briefing
The Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sondaica) is the only tiger population still alive in Indonesia. The Javan tiger was declared extinct in the 1970s; the Bali tiger was lost decades earlier. The Sumatran tiger is the smallest of the surviving tigers and one of the most genetically distinct. WARN's planned Indonesia programme — best known so far for our orangutan appeal in Kalimantan — operates in the same country, against the same drivers of forest loss, and through the same kinds of partner relationships that any tiger work in Sumatra requires. How many Sumatran tigers are left? Reliable camera-trap and DNA-survey estimates place the wild population at under 400 individuals , fragmented across protected areas on Sumatra including Gunung Leuser, Kerinci Seblat, Bukit Barisan Selatan and Way Kambas national parks. The IUCN Red List lists the population as Critically Endangered. The threats Poaching for the illegal wildlife trade. Tiger skins, bones, teeth and claws move through the same trafficking networks that the UNODC has repeatedly identified as transnational organised crime. Sumatran tiger parts have been seized in markets in Sumatra itself, in Java, and onwards in Vietnam and China. Deforestation. Sumatra has lost an estimated half of its remaining lowland rainforest in the last three decades to palm-oil, pulp-wood and small-holder agriculture. Tiger ranges are being reduced to disconnected fragments. Snaring. Wire snares set for bushmeat regularly catch tigers as bycatch. A snared tiger that escapes often dies later of infected limb wounds. Human-tiger conflict. Tigers displaced from cleared forest enter villages and plantations, where retaliatory killing is common. Rescue and sanctuary realities Almost no rescued Sumatran tiger can be returned to the wild. Confiscated cubs are usually too habituated; adults rescued from market or conflict situations frequently have injuries that disqualify release. Lifetime sanctuary care, with the genetic-value option of a managed conservation-breeding programme, is the standard outcome. How WARN fits in Our planned tiger work reflects our ambition to fund partner-led tiger rescue in Asia as our Indonesia operations mature. We are not running our own Sumatran tiger sanctuary and we are not asking supporters to fund work we have not yet built. We are asking supporters to back the country-level capacity — Indonesian veterinary teams, snare-removal patrols, anti-trafficking intelligence — that any future Sumatran tiger work depends on. Sources: IUCN Red List, CITES Appendix I, UNEP-WCMC, UNODC World Wildlife Crime Report. We need your support to make this happen World Animal Rescue Network is at the launch stage of this work. We do not yet have rescue numbers to share — and that is exactly why your support matters now. Every donation helps us put trained teams on the ground, secure veterinary supplies and equipment, and reach the first animals before they are lost. Donate today to fund our first deployments, or sponsor an animal to back a specific species through rehabilitation. You can also join the network as a volunteer, fundraiser, or monthly supporter.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/asian-elephant-endangered): The Asian Elephant: Endangered, Shrinking and Largely Captive.

## Summary
The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) is an Endangered species native to thirteen range states across South and Southeast Asia, with an estimated 41,000-52,000 wild individuals; roughly a third of all Asian elephants alive today live in captivity, most of them in tourist or working-elephant contexts.

## Excerpt
The Asian elephant is listed as Endangered, with around 41,000-52,000 wild individuals remaining across thirteen range states. Roughly a third of all Asian elephants alive today live in captivity — many of them in countries where WARN is preparing to operate.

## Takeaway
Listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List; CITES Appendix I.

## Takeaway
Estimated 41,000-52,000 wild Asian elephants remain.

## Takeaway
Roughly a third of all Asian elephants alive today live in captivity.

## Takeaway
Thailand alone holds an estimated 3,000-4,000 captive elephants, mostly in the tourism industry.

## Takeaway
Major Asian elephant range states include India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Cambodia; WARN's in-network elephant focus is Indonesia and Malaysia.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/asian-elephant-endangered): The Asian Elephant: Endangered, Shrinking and Largely Captive.

## Briefing
The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) is one of the most heavily intertwined large mammals with human society — and one of the most welfare-compromised. Around a third of every Asian elephant alive today is in captivity, in working camps, religious institutions or tourist attractions. WARN is preparing to operate in India , Sri Lanka , Thailand and Cambodia , all Asian elephant range states. Thailand alone holds an estimated 3,000-4,000 captive elephants — a number that, for the size of the country, indicates a captive-welfare crisis as much as a wild-population crisis. How Asian elephants differ from African elephants Smaller body size; adults typically 2.5-3 tonnes. Rounded ears, more domed forehead, smaller tusks (often only in males). Two body humps along the back rather than one. Far more often kept in captivity, with a long cultural history of working-elephant traditions. See our explainer on Asian vs African elephants for a fuller comparison. The threats Habitat loss. Forest conversion to agriculture, plantations and infrastructure has fragmented Asian elephant range across all thirteen countries. Human-elephant conflict. Crop-raiding elephants are killed in retaliation; elephant retaliation kills hundreds of people each year. Both sides of the conflict cause unacceptable welfare outcomes. Captive-welfare crisis. The tourism industry in Thailand, working camps in Myanmar and Laos, and temple-elephant traditions in India and Sri Lanka all hold elephants under conditions that frequently fail basic welfare standards — chained for long hours, denied conspecific contact, and trained with aversive methods. Illegal trade. Live calves are still trafficked into the tourism trade; ivory from male tuskers continues to enter international markets despite CITES controls. What good captive-elephant welfare looks like The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and credible elephant-welfare specialists agree on a short list of core minimums: no chaining for routine handling, no riding, no performance shows, large-area soft substrates, daily conspecific contact, expert-led foot care and a published veterinary plan. How WARN fits in Our planned Thailand and Cambodia work focuses on the welfare end of the elephant problem — supporting partner sanctuaries that provide lifetime care for retired tourism elephants, and contributing to capacity-building for high-quality captive-elephant veterinary teams. We do not currently operate our own elephant sanctuary and we will not claim otherwise. Wild Asian elephant work is critical, but it is the field of established Asian conservation organisations whose capacity our launch funding aims to support, not replace. Sources: IUCN Red List, CITES Appendix I, WOAH captive-elephant welfare guidance, UNEP-WCMC. We need your support to make this happen World Animal Rescue Network is at the launch stage of this work. We do not yet have rescue numbers to share — and that is exactly why your support matters now. Every donation helps us put trained teams on the ground, secure veterinary supplies and equipment, and reach the first animals before they are lost. Donate today to fund our first deployments, or sponsor an animal to back a specific species through rehabilitation. You can also join the network as a volunteer, fundraiser, or monthly supporter.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/african-elephant-facts): The African Elephant: Two Species, One Crisis.

## Summary
Africa has two elephant species — the African savanna elephant (Loxodonta africana, Endangered) and the African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis, Critically Endangered) — together comprising an estimated 415,000 wild individuals, down from an estimated 1.3 million in 1979, driven mainly by ivory poaching and habitat conversion.

## Excerpt
The IUCN now recognises two African elephant species: the African savanna elephant (Endangered) and the African forest elephant (Critically Endangered). Both are in steep decline, driven by ivory poaching and habitat loss.

## Takeaway
Two species: African savanna elephant (Endangered) and African forest elephant (Critically Endangered).

## Takeaway
Combined wild population estimated at 415,000, down from 1.3 million in 1979.

## Takeaway
Listed on CITES Appendix I and Appendix II depending on population.

## Takeaway
Kenya and Tanzania together hold one of the most significant remaining savanna elephant populations.

## Takeaway
Snaring is a major non-targeted cause of elephant injury — directly relevant to WARN's planned anti-snaring work.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/african-elephant-facts): The African Elephant: Two Species, One Crisis.

## Briefing
For most of modern conservation history, "the African elephant" was treated as one species. In 2021, the IUCN formally recognised what genetic and morphological evidence had long suggested: two distinct species. The African savanna elephant (Loxodonta africana) is now listed as Endangered. The smaller, rounder-eared African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) of Central and West African forests is listed as Critically Endangered. WARN is preparing to operate in Kenya and Tanzania , two countries that between them host one of the largest remaining savanna elephant populations in the world. How many African elephants are left? The most recent IUCN estimates put the total wild population at around 415,000 across both species — down from an estimated 1.3 million in 1979. Savanna elephant declines have averaged around 60% over the last 50 years; forest elephant declines have averaged around 86% over 30 years. The threats Ivory poaching. UNODC's World Wildlife Crime Report describes elephant ivory trafficking as one of the largest and most professionalised wildlife-crime supply chains. Demand markets are concentrated in East and Southeast Asia, with seizure data implicating Vietnam, China and several transit countries. Habitat loss. Conversion of savanna to farmland and forest to plantations is squeezing both species into smaller, increasingly disconnected areas. Forest elephants in particular are sensitive to road-building and habitat fragmentation. Human-elephant conflict. Crop-raiding elephants are speared, shot or poisoned. Elephant retaliation against humans causes dozens of deaths in East Africa each year. Snaring. Wire snares set for bushmeat regularly catch elephants — particularly juveniles — as bycatch. Veterinary darting and snare removal are core anti-snaring fieldwork. What is working Anti-poaching has materially reduced ivory-driven mortality in Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana and Namibia over the last decade, even as overall numbers continued to fall. Community-based conservancies that share tourism income with pastoralist communities have produced measurable reductions in retaliatory killing in northern Kenya in particular. How WARN fits in Elephants are not yet a stand-alone WARN appeal. Our planned work in Kenya and Tanzania will address one of the major non-poaching causes of elephant injury — wire snares set for bushmeat — and our long-term ambition is to support partner work on the welfare end of the wider East African elephant crisis as our country operations mature. Sources: IUCN Red List, UNEP-WCMC, CITES, UNODC World Wildlife Crime Report. We need your support to make this happen World Animal Rescue Network is at the launch stage of this work. We do not yet have rescue numbers to share — and that is exactly why your support matters now. Every donation helps us put trained teams on the ground, secure veterinary supplies and equipment, and reach the first animals before they are lost. Donate today to fund our first deployments, or sponsor an animal to back a specific species through rehabilitation. You can also join the network as a volunteer, fundraiser, or monthly supporter.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/are-komodo-dragons-endangered): The Komodo Dragon: The World's Largest Lizard Is Now Endangered.

## Summary
The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is an Endangered monitor lizard endemic to a handful of Indonesian islands — Komodo, Rinca, Gili Motang, Padar and the western coast of Flores — with an estimated wild population of around 3,000-3,500 individuals.

## Excerpt
The Komodo dragon was uplisted from Vulnerable to Endangered in 2021. Found on only a handful of Indonesian islands, it is one of the most range-restricted apex predators on earth.

## Takeaway
World's largest living lizard species — adults can exceed 3 metres and 70 kg.

## Takeaway
Listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List in 2021 (uplisted from Vulnerable).

## Takeaway
Endemic to a handful of small Indonesian islands inside Komodo National Park and western Flores.

## Takeaway
Wild population estimated at 3,000-3,500 individuals.

## Takeaway
Primary threat is climate change — predicted sea-level rise would inundate critical low-lying habitat.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/are-komodo-dragons-endangered): The Komodo Dragon: The World's Largest Lizard Is Now Endangered.

## Briefing
The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is the largest living lizard. It is also one of the most range-restricted apex predators on earth — endemic to a handful of Indonesian islands totalling less than 1,800 km² of suitable habitat. In 2021 the IUCN moved it from Vulnerable to Endangered. The Komodo dragon lives entirely within Indonesia , which is one of WARN's partner-network countries. We do not currently fund Komodo work, but the same Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry, the same conservation NGOs, and the same partner veterinary capacity that any Komodo conservation work depends on are the institutions our Indonesia programme is being designed to interact with. Why the Komodo dragon is Endangered Climate change and sea-level rise. The IUCN's 2021 reassessment cited modelled sea-level rise as a critical threat — much of the dragon's prime habitat is low-lying coastal valley. Prey depletion. Komodo dragons depend on Timor deer, wild boar and water buffalo. Poaching of deer for bushmeat reduces the dragon's food base. Range fragmentation. The Flores population is fragmented into small subpopulations, several of which are now genetically isolated. Tourism pressure. Komodo National Park is one of Indonesia's most-visited protected areas. Sustainable tourism funds the park, but uncontrolled access stresses dragons and disrupts mating behaviour. What conservation looks like Komodo National Park and Wae Wuul Nature Reserve are the backbone of Komodo dragon conservation, with day-to-day work led by Indonesian forestry-ministry staff. CITES Appendix I prohibits commercial international trade. Captive-breeding insurance populations exist in a small number of zoos worldwide. How WARN fits in The Komodo dragon is not a WARN appeal and is unlikely to become one — long-term species conservation of a single endemic apex predator is the field of established Indonesian and international conservation organisations. We have included this briefing because the Komodo dragon is one of the most-searched Indonesian endangered species online, and we want WARN supporters who search for it to find an accurate, source-cited summary rather than the fundraising-driven copy that dominates other charity websites. Sources: IUCN Red List, CITES Appendix I, UNEP-WCMC, Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry. We need your support to make this happen World Animal Rescue Network is at the launch stage of this work. We do not yet have rescue numbers to share — and that is exactly why your support matters now. Every donation helps us put trained teams on the ground, secure veterinary supplies and equipment, and reach the first animals before they are lost. Donate today to fund our first deployments, or sponsor an animal to back a specific species through rehabilitation. You can also join the network as a volunteer, fundraiser, or monthly supporter.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/rhino-species-guide): Rhino Species: Five Species, Three Critically Endangered.

## Summary
Five rhinoceros species survive worldwide — black rhino, southern white rhino (Near Threatened), greater one-horned (Indian) rhino (Vulnerable), Javan rhino (Critically Endangered) and Sumatran rhino (Critically Endangered) — with combined wild populations of roughly 26,000-27,000 individuals, the great majority of which are southern white rhinos in southern Africa.

## Excerpt
There are five surviving rhino species worldwide. Three are Critically Endangered, including the Javan and Sumatran rhinos of Indonesia and the black rhino of Africa. Rhino range states include Indonesia — in WARN's partner network — alongside India, Nepal, Kenya, South Africa and Namibia.

## Takeaway
Five surviving rhino species: black, white, Indian, Javan and Sumatran.

## Takeaway
Three are Critically Endangered — Javan rhino (<80 individuals), Sumatran rhino (<50 individuals), and black rhino (~6,500).

## Takeaway
The northern white rhino is functionally extinct — only two non-reproductive females remain.

## Takeaway
Indonesia is WARN's partner-network country with wild rhino populations; other rhino range states such as India, Nepal, Kenya, South Africa and Namibia feature as wider range and search context.

## Takeaway
Rhino horn trafficking, driven by demand markets in East and Southeast Asia, is the dominant cause of poaching mortality.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/rhino-species-guide): Rhino Species: Five Species, Three Critically Endangered.

## Briefing
"Saving the rhino" is not one conservation challenge but five. The surviving rhino species — black, white, Indian, Javan and Sumatran — face overlapping but distinct threats, are spread across two continents, and have very different population trajectories. WARN's partner-network rhino focus is Indonesia (Javan and Sumatran rhinos). Other rhino range states feature as wider context: India and Nepal (greater one-horned rhinos), and Kenya , South Africa and Namibia (black and southern white rhinos). The five surviving species Southern white rhino (Ceratotherium simum simum). Near Threatened. Around 16,000 wild individuals, the great majority in South Africa, with smaller populations in Kenya and other range states. Black rhino (Diceros bicornis). Critically Endangered. Roughly 6,500 wild individuals across Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe and small reintroduced populations elsewhere. Kenya holds a meaningful share. Greater one-horned (Indian) rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis). Vulnerable. Around 4,000 wild individuals in India and Nepal. Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus). Critically Endangered. Fewer than 80 wild individuals, all in Ujung Kulon National Park, Indonesia. Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis). Critically Endangered. Fewer than 50 wild individuals, all in Indonesia — most in fragmented populations on Sumatra and a small population in Borneo. The northern white rhino — once a subspecies in its own right — is functionally extinct. Only two non-reproductive females remain, both in Kenya. The threats Horn trafficking. UNODC has consistently flagged rhino-horn trafficking as a transnational organised-crime issue. Demand markets are concentrated in Vietnam and China, with multiple intermediary countries. The horn is keratin and has no clinically demonstrated medicinal effect. Habitat loss. Particularly acute for the Sumatran rhino, where logging and palm-oil concessions have left small, disconnected subpopulations. Tiny effective populations. Javan and Sumatran rhinos face genuine extinction risk simply because so few individuals remain — every snare, every disease event, every poaching incident is a meaningful percentage of the global wild population. What is working Intensively protected populations in Kenya and South Africa, supported by ranger forces, dehorning programmes where ethically appropriate, and rapid-response veterinary teams, have stabilised black and southern white rhino numbers. Indonesia's Sumatran rhino captive-breeding programme at Way Kambas Sanctuary is a last-resort intervention. How WARN fits in Rhinos are not yet a WARN appeal. Our planned work in Kenya and Tanzania contributes to the broader East African anti-poaching ecosystem in which rhino protection happens. Our planned Indonesia operations operate in the same forests as Sumatran rhino conservation. We are not in a position to claim direct rhino impact, and we will not. Sources: IUCN Red List, CITES Appendix I, UNEP-WCMC, UNODC World Wildlife Crime Report. We need your support to make this happen World Animal Rescue Network is at the launch stage of this work. We do not yet have rescue numbers to share — and that is exactly why your support matters now. Every donation helps us put trained teams on the ground, secure veterinary supplies and equipment, and reach the first animals before they are lost. Donate today to fund our first deployments, or sponsor an animal to back a specific species through rehabilitation. You can also join the network as a volunteer, fundraiser, or monthly supporter.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/are-cheetahs-endangered): The Cheetah: Fastest Land Animal, Vulnerable to Extinction.

## Summary
The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is a Vulnerable big cat species native to Africa and a small relict population in Iran, with an estimated 6,500-7,100 wild individuals; the species has lost more than 90% of its historic range and is the subject of repeated IUCN proposals to be uplisted to Endangered.

## Excerpt
Fewer than an estimated 7,000 wild cheetahs remain across Africa and a tiny relict population in Iran. The species occupies less than 9% of its historic range.

## Takeaway
Listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List; the Asiatic cheetah subspecies in Iran is Critically Endangered with fewer than 50 individuals.

## Takeaway
Estimated 6,500-7,100 wild cheetahs remain globally, mostly in southern and eastern Africa.

## Takeaway
Range has contracted to less than 9% of historic levels.

## Takeaway
Cheetahs are highly susceptible to retaliatory killing by livestock farmers.

## Takeaway
Illegal pet-trade trafficking of cubs from the Horn of Africa to Gulf-state buyers is a documented threat.