FORWARDED from China Bear Rescue

[Guest guest]

From Jill Robinson, Founder & CEO, Animals Asia Foundation

http://www.animalsasia.org

 

Dear Friends of Animals Asia,

 

Since our last letter in December, it is with some relief and growing

optimism

to report that the China Bear Rescue has been going extraordinarily well.

We

are just on the point of updating our website with the latest information

but,

for those who don't have access to the internet, we thought it might be

helpful

to send out a letter to all supporters who have so generously supported this

unique and heartwarming campaign.

 

As we continue with the rescue, each day brings its share of highs and lows.

Recently, as we tried to cut bear number 50 out of her cage, we were

sickened to

discover that the bars had been actually welded together by someone who had

never anticipated her release. The atmosphere which had previously been

full of

hope with our first landmark figure - 10% of the total of 500 bears we

would

save - suddenly turned sour. After a nail biting 10 minutes using an

industrial cutter, the gate fell open and we pulled a gently sleeping bear

into the fresh air for the first time in her life.

 

This beautiful bear has a lifetime of physical and mental problems to

overcome;

including a rusting metal catheter in her stomach and teeth broken and worn

as a

result of frustrated " bar biting " and paws with claws that had grown into

the

soft pad tissue. Hair loss on her head shows the trauma she experienced

during

each waking hour and the repetitive head banging which would have painfully

relieved some of her boredom. During the health check, she had blood

taken,

teeth scaled, ears cleaned, nails cut and woke up in a roomy recovery cage

to

stretch for the first time in her life. Now prioritised into the queue for

surgery, she is now adapting to space which allows her to stand, groom and

move muscles which have shriveled and atrophied during her years of

confinement on a farm.

 

She is just one example of so many who tell the truth of the misery behind

bear

farming. Tragically, " Mona " and " Hairy Mary " were not so lucky and both

died

from peritonitis (inflammation caused by the seeping of bile into the

abdomen)

as a result of the original surgery to tap their bile. As we sadly buried

them

with a cross on their graves we knew that they hadn't died in vain and that

their tragic story would be told again and again. Bear farming, catheter

implantation, the new " free dripping " technique (which requires no

catheter) -

all are unconscionable in the face of so many freely available alternatives

to

bear bile.

 

Despite the stark reality of the work ahead, we remain optimistic that, for

the

bears who recover, their lives will be changed beyond all recognition.

 

With 25 catheter removal surgeries complete, the sanctuary is growing full

of

recovering bears. Each day, we encourage bears now in dens to stretch up on

depleted hind legs for treats such as strawberry jam and honey (what else!)

, whilst gradually being integrated with each other in groups ranging from

disabled cubs, to small declawed females, to those which are equally matched

in size. Gentle two-legged " Freedom " is now integrated in a den and free to

wander on grass with our two beautiful cubs and an old, old lady called

" Asia " . Just recently, " Kalina " joined the team and we watched with

teary eyes as they climbed up together and shared the hanging basket beds

which give them much needed security and warmth.

 

As we finally let them outside into the sunshine and on to grass, they at

first tread gingerly, preferring the security of cement underfoot. But

pretty soon, they are playing tag with each other, climbing up onto

playground apparatus and stretching to eat treats which have been stuffed

into vertical hanging logs.

 

" Double Happiness " recently frolicked with " Andrew " , Ginny " and " Melody "

and

then burst into her first full length sprint in the sunshine; the

comparison

between this and some twenty years in a cage could not have been more

extreme!

 

It can only get better.....please tell your family, friends and colleagues

that

the China Bear Rescue is making a difference and ask them to support these

bears

who so desperately need their help.

 

More on the rescue soon...

Jill.