An international rescue operation is underway at the former zoo in Luján, a site closed since 2020 following serious complaints of mistreatment, exploitation, and wildlife extermination. "We don't want to be just a Band-Aid," warned Luciana D’Abramo from Four Paws, emphasizing that without legal changes and permanent controls, situations of exploitation will repeat. The rescue of animals is a long, complex, and costly process that Four Paws plans to sustain until the last animal leaves. For Argentina, it means finally confronting a dark chapter where tourist entertainment prevailed for years over animal welfare. Among the animals being saved are goats, a camel, and mainly lions and tigers surviving in critical conditions. A team of 15 specialists has already conducted a full examination of all 62 felines and two bears. The decisive phase now begins: the relocation of more than sixty felines to sanctuaries in the USA, South Africa, and Europe. This will be the largest operation of its kind in the country. Two Argentine bears will be the first to travel by air to a European sanctuary.
