Our vision is for bears to be respected, protected by law and free from exploitation.
On 7th July, seven captive bears were rescued from a bear bile farm in Phúc Thọ, a rural district of Hanoi in Vietnam. 350 vials of bear bile were seized, and the bear owner agreed to turn over all seven bears on his farm.
The bears were taken to the peace and quiet of the sanctuary run by Animals Asia in Tam Đảo. After so many years trapped in tiny cages, they can finally feel the grass beneath their feet and the sunshine on their backs.
Since 2016, with the help of our partners we’ve been able to save nearly 1,000 bears trapped in Vietnams bile industry – all because of the help of our amazing supporters. Sadly, there are still around 280 bears in Vietnam, trapped in a life of suffering. But we will not rest until there are no more bears being exploited.
What is bear bile farming?
Since the 1980s, bears have been kept in captivity in bear bile facilities across Asia. Bear bile is an ingredient used in some traditional Asian medicine, despite there now being many humane alternatives readily available. There are currently tens of thousands of bears trapped in tiny cages, some for 24 hours a day, going through the excruciatingly painful process of bile extraction.
Together with our local partners, we arrange the surrender of bears, and bring them to World Animal Protection funded sanctuaries where they can live out the rest of their days free from pain and violence. As these bears have spent so long in captivity, they cannot be released back into the wild, but we try to give them the best possible environment we can where they can interact with one another, explore their natural behaviours and feel safe and cared for.
Beyond this, we’re also working to create lasting change. Our vision is for bears to be respected, protected by law and free from exploitation. We are working with governments, global bodies and local partners to put the legislation in place to make this happen, alongside raising awareness of alternatives to bear bile, including herbal and synthetic products, which are readily available, affordable and effective.
After so many years trapped in tiny cages, they can finally feel the grass beneath their feet and the sunshine on their backs.
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