FOUR PAWS mourns founder and president

In deep mourning, the global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS announces the death of founder and president Heli Dungler, who passed away suddenly and unexpectedly yesterday at the age of 56 in Lions Rock, South Africa, following a heart attack.

30 years of dedication to animal welfare

Heli Dungler has fundamentally shaped animal welfare over the last 30 years and built FOUR PAWS into a global organisation.

«His death is a devastating blow to us and fills us with profound grief. Our thoughts and our heartfelt condolences are with his wife, his daughter, and all his loved ones during these difficult hours», says Josef Pfabigan, board member of FOUR PAWS and long-time companion of Heli Dungler.

From Greenpeace to his own life’s work

Heli Dungler was born in 1963 in Waidhofen an der Thaya in Lower Austria. In 1984, he began his career at Greenpeace Austria. During this time, the desire to actively advance animal welfare grew within him. In 1988, he founded the animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS in Vienna, initially focusing primarily on the issues of fur farming, battery cages, and circus animals. For decades, he advocated through negotiations with decision-makers worldwide for higher animal welfare standards in agriculture, for legislative changes regarding the keeping of brown bears, and for the protection of big cats and stray animals. Thanks to his tireless work, FOUR PAWS is today a global animal welfare organisation represented in 15 countries, identifying abuses worldwide, rescuing suffering animals, and protecting them. FOUR PAWS most recently employed around 500 staff and is now represented on five continents.

«Through his passion and tireless dedication, VIER PFOTEN was able to save the lives of many thousands of animals», says Josef Pfabigan. «The world has lost a very special animal lover and visionary. The staff of VIER PFOTEN, his family and friends mourn the loss of a truly special, charismatic and humorous person. We will honour his memory by continuing the work he loved so much in his spirit.»