Help abused bears find sanctuary

Together with our partner organisation the Bioresource Research Centre (BRC), we arrange the surrender of baiting bears, and bring them to the World Animal Protection-funded sanctuary where they can live the rest of their days free from pain and violence.

With your help, World Animal Protection and BRC have rescued 86 bears since our work began:

  • We have investigated and stopped bear baiting events, and are constantly on the lookout for others.
  • We are improving enforcement laws and pushing for stronger legislation to protect bears in Pakistan.
  • Every owner who commits to our alternative livelihood program signs an agreement never to own another bear - protecting ever more wild cubs from a future of violence.

Although illegal in Pakistan, bear baiting events are still being held. We are committed to permanently ending bear baiting and dancing.

A bear relaxing at one of our supporter-funded bear sanctuaries
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£15 could cover the cost of transporting a newly rescued bear from the horrors of his previous life to one of happiness, peace and safety at our sanctuary
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£25 could help our expert vets treat the injuries of a wounded bear upon his arrival at the sanctuary
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£40 could feed one bear for four weeks, giving him all the fruits, honey, vegetables and fish he needs to keep him strong and healthy

Help abused bears find new lives

Two brown bears sitting together in a sanctuary

We’re getting closer to ending these cruel traditions. But there is still so much to be done.

Please support us – a gift from you could help us bring the last suffering bears to the sanctuary.

It could bring us closer to our ultimate goal: to stamp out bear baiting and dancing for good.

What is bear dancing?

Bear dancing may look like entertainment - but in fact it's one of the cruellest forms of animal abuse we know of.

  • As a bear hops from side to side in time to music, he is acting out a response conditioned into him by torture.
  • The usual way to train a cub is to set them on a hot sheet of metal while music plays.
  • The sensitive pads of their paws are repeatedly burned, and they hop from one foot to another in agony.
  • They are subjected to this torture until their traumatised response becomes automatic - they will sway and hop whenever music plays.

What is bear baiting?

Hundreds of people watch as a terrified bear is dragged into an arena by a coarse rope through a painful hole in her sensitive muzzle. The rope is tied to a post so she can’t run away.

  • Trained fighting dogs (the other victims of this cruel sport), groomed to be extremely aggressive – are unleashed upon her.
  • Her claws and teeth have already been removed – an agonising mutilation for which anaesthetic is rarely used.
  • She can’t defend herself properly and will tire and weaken as the dogs rip into her flesh.
  • As there's no profit to be had from a dead bear - the fight stops before she's too badly injured. She will fight again, and again.

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