John is enjoying life in his temporary home in BEAR SANCTUARY Prishtina, until the (bureaucratic) conditions are met for his transfer to a permanent home in one of Four Paws’ big cat sanctuaries.

These images should serve as a reminder that Kosovo still has a lot to do to improve animal protection, including the fight against the illegal wildlife trade (and not only).

It’s been almost three years since John was smuggled from Albania to Kosovo to be kept as an attraction in a restaurant, in an extremely small cage and not at all suitable for him. It is worth noting that no cage and no place is suitable for wild animals, since their home is in nature, where they can live freely. We invite everyone to report cases of abuse or smuggling of wild animals in Kosovo: info@animalrights-rks.org

Although FOUR PAWS has offered to take John into their care and take over his transfer to a sanctuary suitable for his species, the CITES Convention has made his journey impossible, since Kosovo is not part of this convention.

We are cooperating with the institutions of Kosovo, in coordination with the BEARS SANCTUARY Prishtina, to identify the possibilities for the ratification of this convention in the Republic of Kosovo, to finally enable the legal transfer of John and other wild animals in cases of cruel and illegal keeping.

Help us fight wildlife crime!