Fw: Reuters report on Animals Asia and Bear Farming

[Guest guest]

-

" Annie Mather " <amather

<Animal Friends:>

Tuesday, February 22, 2005 8:41 AM

Reuters report on Animals Asia and Bear Farming

Bears on China farms face " barbaric cruelty " -group

21 Feb 2005 12:09:35 GMT

Source: Reuters

 

HONG KONG, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Bears kept on Chinese farms for their bile are

suffering barbaric cruelty despite years of attempts by authorities to stem

the practice, a Hong Kong-based animal welfare group said on Monday.

 

Bile, which is believed to have healing power, is extracted from about 7,000

bears on more than 200 farms in China, which began regulating bear farming

in 1993.

 

" Bear farmers are exploiting, barbarically treating, and killing China's ...

highly endangered species, " Jill Robinson, chief executive of Animals Asia

Foundation (AAF), told a news conference.

 

Robinson said many bears still had catheters surgically implanted into their

gall bladders although regulators had banned that painful method of bile

extraction.

 

But even an option believed by authorities to be humane, the " free-dripping "

technique, caused many health problems as it involved opening holes in their

abdomens, she said.

 

" There exists no humane method of bile extraction from bears on farms in

China - and there never can be. The government is being deceived by those

who are driven by profit alone - and have put economics ahead of ethics, "

Robinson said.

 

" The problem is far from solved and bears continue to suffer prolonged and

agonising deaths, " Robinson said. " The industry is completely out of

control. We appeal to the Chinese government today to listen to the voice of

truth and reason. "

 

Bear bile has been harvested for thousands of years in Asia and is believed

to cure fever, liver illnesses and sore eyes.

 

Bear farms began operating in the 1980s after North Korea developed the

method of bile tapping with catheters.

 

The industry mushroomed in China in the early 1990s when the number of

captive bears -- most of them believed to be Asiatic Black Bears -- hit

10,000 on 480 farms.

 

But after the cruelty involved in the practice came to light, China

introduced regulations in 1993.

 

Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners say there are herbs that serve

the same purpose as bear bile.

 

Most the bears on Chinese farms have been caught in the wild, threatening

their existence, the group said.

 

In 2000, China and the AAF agreed to free and rehabilitate 500 captive bears

in China's central Sichuan province over five years. But the campaign had

saved only 185 animals.

 

Robinson said the plan was behind schedule because the bears bound for

release had more health problems than expected.

 

" It's going to take at least another couple of years, " Robinson said,

referring to the completion of the project.

 

 

--

Annie Mather

Executive Director, Head of Media

Animals Asia Foundation

Hong Kong

 

ANIMALS ASIA HAS A BRAND NEW WEBSITE!

Find out more about the " China Bear Rescue " and " Friends....or Food? "

http://www.animalsasia.org

[Guest guest]

Hi John,

Did you ever find out the sources of those horrific fur farm videos?

Do you know if the videos have been sent to Chinese Government officials. Or

would that backfire in some way. As painful its been to watch I appreciate you

fowarding the film. Thanks Silvia

-

" Dr John Wedderburn " <john

" AAPN List " <aapn >

Fw: Reuters report on Animals Asia and Bear Farming

Tue, 22 Feb 2005 10:14:10 +0800

 

>

>

>

> -

> " Annie Mather " <amather

> <Animal Friends:>

> Tuesday, February 22, 2005 8:41 AM

> Reuters report on Animals Asia and Bear Farming

> Bears on China farms face " barbaric cruelty " -group

> 21 Feb 2005 12:09:35 GMT

> Source: Reuters

>

> HONG KONG, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Bears kept on Chinese farms for their bile are

> suffering barbaric cruelty despite years of attempts by authorities to stem

> the practice, a Hong Kong-based animal welfare group said on Monday.

>

> Bile, which is believed to have healing power, is extracted from about 7,000

> bears on more than 200 farms in China, which began regulating bear farming

> in 1993.

>

> " Bear farmers are exploiting, barbarically treating, and killing China's ...

> highly endangered species, " Jill Robinson, chief executive of Animals Asia

> Foundation (AAF), told a news conference.

>

> Robinson said many bears still had catheters surgically implanted into their

> gall bladders although regulators had banned that painful method of bile

> extraction.

>

> But even an option believed by authorities to be humane, the " free-dripping "

> technique, caused many health problems as it involved opening holes in their

> abdomens, she said.

>

> " There exists no humane method of bile extraction from bears on farms in

> China - and there never can be. The government is being deceived by those

> who are driven by profit alone - and have put economics ahead of ethics, "

> Robinson said.

>

> " The problem is far from solved and bears continue to suffer prolonged and

> agonising deaths, " Robinson said. " The industry is completely out of

> control. We appeal to the Chinese government today to listen to the voice of

> truth and reason. "

>

> Bear bile has been harvested for thousands of years in Asia and is believed

> to cure fever, liver illnesses and sore eyes.

>

> Bear farms began operating in the 1980s after North Korea developed the

> method of bile tapping with catheters.

>

> The industry mushroomed in China in the early 1990s when the number of

> captive bears -- most of them believed to be Asiatic Black Bears -- hit

> 10,000 on 480 farms.

>

> But after the cruelty involved in the practice came to light, China

> introduced regulations in 1993.

>

> Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners say there are herbs that serve

> the same purpose as bear bile.

>

> Most the bears on Chinese farms have been caught in the wild, threatening

> their existence, the group said.

>

> In 2000, China and the AAF agreed to free and rehabilitate 500 captive bears

> in China's central Sichuan province over five years. But the campaign had

> saved only 185 animals.

>

> Robinson said the plan was behind schedule because the bears bound for

> release had more health problems than expected.

>

> " It's going to take at least another couple of years, " Robinson said,

> referring to the completion of the project.

>

>

> --

> Annie Mather

> Executive Director, Head of Media

> Animals Asia Foundation

> Hong Kong

>

> ANIMALS ASIA HAS A BRAND NEW WEBSITE!

> Find out more about the " China Bear Rescue " and " Friends....or Food? "

> http://www.animalsasia.org

>

>

>

>

>

> For more information on Asian animal issues, please use the search

> feature on the AAPN website: http://www.aapn.org/ or search the

> list archives at: aapn

> Please feel free to send any relevant news or comments to the list

> at aapn

>

[Guest guest]

Dear all

 

Care for the Wild International is leading the Chinese Fur Campaign in

the UK and working with relevant parties to see how to 'communicate'

with officials in China.

 

For the Chinese fur issue information & video footage please go to the

following web site:

For English please go to Care for the wild International web site

www.careforthewild.org

For Chinese, please go to EAST International/Taiwan web site

http://www.east.org.tw

For French & German, please go to Swiss Animal Protection Society web

site http://www.tierschutz.com/

 

Pei Su

CFTWI & EAST International

 

On 22 Feb 2005, at 08:59, silvia ravinet wrote:

 

>

> Hi John,

> Did you ever find out the sources of those horrific fur farm

> videos? Do you know if the videos have been sent to Chinese Government

> officials. Or would that backfire in some way. As painful its been to

> watch I appreciate you fowarding the film. Thanks Silvia

> -

> " Dr John Wedderburn " <john

> " AAPN List " <aapn >

> Fw: Reuters report on Animals Asia and Bear Farming

> Tue, 22 Feb 2005 10:14:10 +0800

>

>>

>>

>>

>> -

>> " Annie Mather " <amather

>> <Animal Friends:>

>> Tuesday, February 22, 2005 8:41 AM

>> Reuters report on Animals Asia and Bear Farming

>> Bears on China farms face " barbaric cruelty " -group

>> 21 Feb 2005 12:09:35 GMT

>> Source: Reuters

>>

>> HONG KONG, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Bears kept on Chinese farms for their

>> bile are

>> suffering barbaric cruelty despite years of attempts by authorities

>> to stem

>> the practice, a Hong Kong-based animal welfare group said on Monday.

>>

>> Bile, which is believed to have healing power, is extracted from

>> about 7,000

>> bears on more than 200 farms in China, which began regulating bear

>> farming

>> in 1993.

>>

>> " Bear farmers are exploiting, barbarically treating, and killing

>> China's ...

>> highly endangered species, " Jill Robinson, chief executive of Animals

>> Asia

>> Foundation (AAF), told a news conference.

>>

>> Robinson said many bears still had catheters surgically implanted

>> into their

>> gall bladders although regulators had banned that painful method of

>> bile

>> extraction.

>>

>> But even an option believed by authorities to be humane, the

>> " free-dripping "

>> technique, caused many health problems as it involved opening holes

>> in their

>> abdomens, she said.

>>

>> " There exists no humane method of bile extraction from bears on farms

>> in

>> China - and there never can be. The government is being deceived by

>> those

>> who are driven by profit alone - and have put economics ahead of

>> ethics, "

>> Robinson said.

>>

>> " The problem is far from solved and bears continue to suffer

>> prolonged and

>> agonising deaths, " Robinson said. " The industry is completely out of

>> control. We appeal to the Chinese government today to listen to the

>> voice of

>> truth and reason. "

>>

>> Bear bile has been harvested for thousands of years in Asia and is

>> believed

>> to cure fever, liver illnesses and sore eyes.

>>

>> Bear farms began operating in the 1980s after North Korea developed

>> the

>> method of bile tapping with catheters.

>>

>> The industry mushroomed in China in the early 1990s when the number of

>> captive bears -- most of them believed to be Asiatic Black Bears --

>> hit

>> 10,000 on 480 farms.

>>

>> But after the cruelty involved in the practice came to light, China

>> introduced regulations in 1993.

>>

>> Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners say there are herbs that

>> serve

>> the same purpose as bear bile.

>>

>> Most the bears on Chinese farms have been caught in the wild,

>> threatening

>> their existence, the group said.

>>

>> In 2000, China and the AAF agreed to free and rehabilitate 500

>> captive bears

>> in China's central Sichuan province over five years. But the campaign

>> had

>> saved only 185 animals.

>>

>> Robinson said the plan was behind schedule because the bears bound for

>> release had more health problems than expected.

>>

>> " It's going to take at least another couple of years, " Robinson said,

>> referring to the completion of the project.

>>

>>

>> --

>> Annie Mather

>> Executive Director, Head of Media

>> Animals Asia Foundation

>> Hong Kong

>>

>> ANIMALS ASIA HAS A BRAND NEW WEBSITE!

>> Find out more about the " China Bear Rescue " and " Friends....or Food? "

>> http://www.animalsasia.org

>>

>>

>>

>>

>>

>> For more information on Asian animal issues, please use the search

>> feature on the AAPN website: http://www.aapn.org/ or search the

>> list archives at: aapn

>> Please feel free to send any relevant news or comments to the list

>> at aapn

>>