Long-time member of Four Paws takes the helm
AFTER the sudden passing of Four Paws founder Heli Dungler on January 5, long-time colleague Josef Pfabigan will take up the reins as chief executive of Four Paws International.
“Together with all Four Paws colleagues I will continue Heli’s life’s work in his spirit,” Pfabigan said. “Four Paws is excellently positioned, not least thanks to his foresight, and in a position to preserve his memory and continue all our visions and projects.
We will continue to be the global animal welfare organisation for animals under human influence that reveals suffering, rescues animals in need and protects them.”
Like Dungler, Pfabigan grew up in the district of Waidhofen an der Thaya in Lower Austria. The two got to know each other at a young age; Pfabigan was Dungler’s friend and long-time colleague for decades.
Already in 1988, when Four Paws was founded in Austria, he supported the activities of the young association on a voluntary basis and, in 1997, he accepted Dungler’s invitation to join the organisation and started working on campaigns and projects.
As the organisation grew, Pfabigan was particularly involved in the internationalisation of Four Paws. He was the co-founder of Four Paws International in 2002 and assumed the position of chief financial officer on the management board in 2006.
Four Paws South Africa was founded in 2006 and its flagship project, Lionsrock Big Cat Sanctuary, was opened in 2008. Ever since, Four Paws has become a leader in the country in the fight against captive breeding of lions for commercial gain.
Four Paws South Africa director Fiona Miles said: “We are working tirelessly to see the lions’ roars are restored to their former glory by making sure that big cats are not only rescued from inappropriate circumstances and given a home, but also to continue revealing the exploitation of the captive breeding industry and protect these animals from cruelty.”