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Bear bile farms

2014: our greatest year in numbers
18 December 2014
What did Animals Asia do in 2014? Let the numbers speak for themselves…

In Nanning, China, Animals Asia rescued 130 bears who had been living lives of pain and suffering on a bear farm, committing to convert the farm into a sanctuary as part of the Peace by Piece project - an unprecedented effort that could inspire the end of bear bile farming. In itself it is the largest bear rescue ever undertaken.

[video=youtube_share;OPI4P3xMNYg]http://youtu.be/OPI4P3xMNYg[/video]

Our "Let a Bear Sh!t in the Woods" campaign reached an audience of more than 40 million people worldwide, and generated over $1 million worth of media coverage.
Please RT & take the pledge http://t.co/s8WqMGdO7G moonbears in the care of #animalsasia need support. Thank you :) pic.twitter.com/em8GD0ToFe
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) September 7, 2014
At our Vietnam sanctuary more than 40,000kg of leafy browse was offered for the bears' enjoyment, including approximately 5,800kg of lush banana leaves—a bear favorite.


2014 brought huge celebrity support for Animals Asia with more than 30 internationally-acclaimed stars standing up and speaking out for the bears, including Ricky Gervais, Karen Mok, Lesley Nicol and the cast of "Downton Abbey", Peter Egan, Olivia Newton-John, Ali MacGraw, Matt Sorum (Guns N' Roses), Dame Judi Dench, Ian Somerhalder, Alicia Silverstone, Moby, Tony Kanal (No Doubt), Brian May (Queen), and Ben Elton.

2,476 people visited the bears at our Vietnam sanctuary.
30,000 brochures about bear bile farming were given out to tourists and residents in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam.

Nearly 1 million minutes of footage were watched on the Animals Asia Youtube channel – while our most popular video "Meet Smudge" was played nearly 370,000 times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBJSQIdMW1Y

UK supporters hit the ground running, taking a total of approximately 1,914,000 steps in efforts to raise funds for Animals Asia. That's roughly the distance from Land's End to John O'Groats - the full length of Great Britain.
Our Cat and Dog Welfare Public Education events in China saw the participation of 49,220 people. Imagine a full stadium of dog and cat lovers.
Bears living at our China sanctuary were served up 32,850 delicious shakes… yum!
In China 1,685 drug stores, 4 pharmaceutical manufacturers, and 2 hospitals stopped selling and producing bear bile with 218 representatives from the medical community pledging not to use it. Because of this, more than 2,500,000 RMB worth of bear bile products are now off the market per year.

The bears at Nanning have chomped 103,841kg of fresh vegetables since we began working with them in May

Animals Asia supporter Su Dan sang a song about the plight of the moon bears on the massively popular TV show in China, "Sing My Song" (similar to "The X-Factor") that was seen by 25,000,000 people.

Over 15,000 leaflets on cockfighting, animal performances, and snake bile were delivered to the general public in Vietnam.
Our Professor Paws therapy dogs made 52 visits to 48 schools in mainland China, with a total of 5,047 students making friends with the cuddly canines and taking the accompanying companion animal education course. Through the visits 13,750 leaflets were distributed to students and their parents.
Meanwhile, in Hong Kong – our Professor Paws dogs made 110 visits to 59 schools and education facilities, giving presentations and delivering the Care Cadet programme to around 9,000 students.
In Italy, responding to the passing of beloved brown bear Oliver, 3 national TV networks broadcast coverage of Animals Asia 6 times in 2 weeks, reaching 12 million people.

Working with the Beijing Zoo and Hangzhou Airport in China, we launched anti-animal performance poster exhibitions and advertising campaigns to reach more than 24,000,000 people.

Our "Together We Can Save Vietnam's Bears" drawing competition saw entries from 866 school children.
Presentations on animal welfare concepts in veterinary education were delivered to over 500 vets in China.
We worked with Sohu and Sina, the top portal websites in China, to reach more than 22,000,000 people.
We launched a nationwide competition in Vietnam among 60,000 traditional medicine doctors to promote the use of 32 cruelty-free herbal alternatives to bear bile.
Celebrity chef and Animals Asia Australian Ambassador Simon Bryant spent 12 hours in a bear cage in Melbourne, Australia to raise awareness about the plight of the bears.

Animals Asia's 6th China Dog Ownership Management Symposium, with co-organizer Humane Society International, saw more than 150 representatives from government departments and animal protection groups from 43 cities throughout China sit down to communicate about dog-related issues. Since the event's inception, more than 320 staff from the governments of 46 cities have been trained at the symposiums.

In Canada, supporters did 150 "downward dogs" and a total of 90 bear poses at the funds and awareness-raising yoga event Boogie for Bears.
We held 102 Anti-Animal Performance poster exhibitions in China that reached more than 11,000 people.
Four TV shows in China profiled our work, spreading Animals Asia's message to 29,697,000 people.
Our Doctor Dogs visited 43 nursing homes and centers for special needs children, providing therapy for 2,965 people in mainland China.

In Hong Kong, Doctor Dog made 214 visits, benefiting around 11,000 people of all ages.
34 Anti-Animal Performance regional campaigns in China saw the Tianjin Zoo stop elephant performances, the Bifengxia Safari Park commit to not using elephants for photos with the public, and stopped the Russian State Circus in Hangzhou, Jinhua, and Nanjing.
265,088 compassionate people from around the world signed our petitions to put an end to bear bile farming.
In North America we hosted 25 events attended by over 4,000 people, and participated in an additional 17 public events attended by more than 20,000 people.
In collaboration with world famous super-brand Hello Kitty, 3 products were produced featuring Animals Asia mascot Moonie moon bear, which can now be purchased at over 100 malls throughout China reaching millions of potential customers.

Vietnamese television covered Animals Asia's work in-depth 27 times.
A generous supporter donated more than 100 pools for the bears at Nanning – the former bear bile farm Animals Asia is converting to a sanctuary – to splash in.
When Animals Asia superstar supporter Ricky Gervais heard the news that his adopted bear, Derek, was among those receiving pools he tweeted his delighted to his 6.5 million followers and this clip "looped" nearly 75,000 times.

Our Anti-Animal Cruelty campaign's petition in Vietnam to end the Nem Thuong Pig Slaughter Festival was signed by over 4,000 people. The signatures were sent to the President's office, the Minister of Culture, Sport and Tourism, and the Director of Culture, Sport, and Tourism.
Our Vietnam sanctuary's kitchen froze over 11,400 chilly ice blocks to help the bears cool down on steamy tropical days.
Our Captive Animal Management programme delivered animal management training to over 700 Chinese zoo staff.
We took part in 17 outreach events in China, including campus activities, music festivals, and environmental exhibitions, reaching approximately 500,000 new supporters.
On November 11, 3 Animals Asia representatives joined the Sichuan TV show "China Positive Power" speaking about our work to an audience of more than 3,000,000.

Our China sanctuary organised 38 school activities, teaching 49,500 students about the plight of the bears and our work to save them. With each student promising to tell 3 others what they were taught, the message could potentially reach another 148,500 people.
In Vietnam, our local school outreach program included 24 presentations at 5 Tam Dao schools, reaching a total of 1,062 young students.

Cataracts were removed from VBRC resident James bear's 2 beautiful bear eyes, curing him of his blindness, and allowing him to see his glorious new life at the sanctuary for the very first time.


On January 1 2015, all the numbers above reset to zero and, with your help, we start again.
1 person can make a difference. That person can be you.
Thank you.

https://www.animalsasia.org/intl/media/news/news-archive/2014-our-greatest-year-in-numbers.html
 
Sign up NOW to save the Halong Bay bears

Bear in the cage on Cau Trang bear farm 12
With the news that four bears have starved to death at the Cau Trang Bear Farm in Halong Bay, we need your help to tell Vietnam's Prime Minister – please let us save these bears.
We have published an open letter to Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung requesting the government steps in and confiscates the remaining 23 bears.
Animals Asia Vietnam Director Tuan Bendixsen has signed the letter and now we need you to make your voices heard and force action before it's too late.

Sign the open letter here
http://animalsasia.net/savehalongbears/

Once you have signed it make sure you forward it to everyone you know and ask them to sign and forward too.
Animals Asia founder and CEO, Jill Robinson MBE said:
"Clearly it's a matter of life or death for these bears. The longer a decision is delayed, the greater the risk of yet more fatalities. We have no option now but to make our voices heard and ask Vietnam's Prime Minister to save these poor bears from cruelty. It's not too late yet for the remaining 23 bears."
The move follows an expose in December 2014 by an Animals Asia team who were given access to inspect three farms just minutes from the iconic beauty spot.
During the inspections, the Cau Trang Bear Farm, was discovered to be home to 27 severely emaciated bears, with many suffering open wounds and missing limbs.

Last week the Quang Ninh Forest Protection Department reported that four of the bears had died due to the appalling conditions.
Having lodged a report with the Vietnamese authorities in November which was followed up in December and again in January, Animals Asia is now pressing the government to step in and take action to save the lives of the endangered animals.
Animals Asia Vietnam Director, Tuan Bendixsen, said:
"Following the submission of our report we are awaiting action. While we respect the processes involved, in this case immediate action is absolutely vital for the survival of these bears. Since we visited four have tragically already died."
"The farm owner is keeping them in appalling conditions in direct contravention of an agreement signed with the Vietnamese government in 2005. As the farmer has proven either incapable or unwilling to care for the bears, we have declared ourselves to be ready and willing to bring all the bears to our nearby sanctuary."
"We are asking for the support of the international community to urge the government to make a decision and close this tragic farm which is in stark contrast to the beauty on its doorstep."
 
Anger and sorrow as 13 more bears die in Halong

Thirteen more bears have died at Cau Trang Bear Farm in Halong Bay, Vietnam bringing the total death toll since November last year to 18.
It leaves Cau Trang bear bile farm – at the centre of an international campaign demanding permission to rescue the bears – with only nine remaining bears. The campaign had been backed by over 80,000 animal lovers including celebrities such as Ricky Gervais, Dame Judi Dench, Stephen Fry and Olivia Newton-John.
In the two months since Animals Asia inspected three farms in the vicinity of the World Heritage Site, 26 of the 49 moon bears – a protected species – are said to have died leaving just 23 alive in Halong City.
Having previously focussed just on Cau Trang Farm, Animals Asia is now pressing the Vietnamese government to allow it to bring all 23 remaining bears in the Halong City area to its Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre in nearby Tam Dao.

The latest news has left Animals Asia staff devastated and angry that bears have been allowed to die when an offer for their rescue remains on the table.
Authorities, concerned that the bears are being slaughtered for parts for use in traditional medicine have also ordered that TV cameras cover their burial – as interest in the case continues to grow in Vietnam.

Animals Asia's Vietnam Director Tuan Bendixsen said:
"The eyes of the country are now on Quang Ninh province and the relevant authorities to see that right course of action is taken. We cannot be sure of the exact details surrounding the bears' deaths but we can say the farmer chose to let them die. We offered to treat the animals and the offer was rejected. It was the farmer who took the decision to let the animals die. It was a conscious choice. We can only speculate as to his motives."
The Central Forest Protection Department (FPD) has informed Animals Asia that it is urgently requesting the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) form an investigation team.
The team, expected to include representatives from Central FPD, CITES and MARD's Nature Conservation Department, would travel to Quang Ninh province to investigate the exact causes of death, whether the correct procedures were followed to dispose of the bodies and to ascertain how the remaining bears can be saved.

Animals Asia founder and CEO, Jill Robinson MBE, said:
"These deaths are utterly tragic and unnecessary. It's heart breaking to learn that so many bears have spent years suffering on the farms, and have now needlessly died when there is a sanctuary ready and willing to give them the life they deserve just a few hours down the road."
"Through the increased local coverage of the deaths of these bears, Vietnam is seeing the reality and brutality of bear bile farming. While their deaths have shone a spotlight on the industry in Vietnam, there was no need for them to die at all."
"There have been enough delays and we've seen what that has achieved. The time has come to act, and act now. We are beseeching the authorities – let us save the remaining Halong Bay bears before it's too late."
Nearly 2,000 bears remain in cages in Vietnam being farmed for their bile for use in traditional medicine – despite the practice being made illegal. Bear bile farming technically became illegal in 1992 when Ministry of Forestry approval became necessary to keep bears. In 2002, bears came under CITES group I, making their exploitation strictly illegal. However it wasn't until 2005 that the first species-specific regulations were enacted.
Animals Asia has rescued over 500 bears from bear bile farming as part of its work to end bear bile farming in China and Vietnam.

https://www.animalsasia.org/intl/me...nd-sorrow-as-13-more-bears-die-in-halong.html
 
Twelve ambassadors join fight to save Halong bears
11 February 2015
The fight to save 23 moon bears in Halong Bay has been boosted with 12 ambassadors signing a letter to the Vietnam’s Prime Minister urging action.
The move sees diplomatic pressure added to the people power which has seen nearly 100,000 people from around the world add their signature to a request asking that the bears be handed over to Animals Asia’s nearby bear rescue centre.
Headed, “URGENT” the letter requests a swift resolution to the crisis that has seen 26 of the protected bears die since Animals Asia first alerted the authorities in November last year. The letter was dispatched by diplomatic channels direct to the Prime Minister himself.
The letter states:
“Any subsequent delays could further endanger the lives of these very sick bears and would be inconsistent with Vietnam’s commitment to protecting vulnerable wildlife, including ending bear farming.”
Animals Asia’s Vietnam Director Tuan Bendixsen welcomed the response from the ambassadors saying:
“We’re delighted that the international diplomatic community has chosen to stand up on this issue. The protection of the world’s endangered species and at risk wildlife is a global issue that affects us all. The public, the media response and now the international community has made it abundantly clear that we need action now or more bears will die.”
Animals Asia Founder and CEO, Jill Robinson MBE added:
“This is incredible news. This request has gone straight to the desk of the Prime Minister, and the stage is now set for him to step in and save these bears. There is no need for any more deaths through inaction.”
The letter was signed by the ambassadors of Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Italy, the United States of America, Canada, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, Belgium and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
https://www.animalsasia.org/intl/me...dors-join-fight-to-save-halong-bay-bears.html



But the bears are still in their cages,more bears might have died:rip:
 
I have forgotten to post an update about the bears..but nothing has really happened to help them

Six-month delay could condemn protected Halong bears
The Vietnamese Prime Minister’s office has potentially condemned the surviving 19 moon bears in Halong City to death, by delaying any potential rescue by up to six months.
The contradictory official decision with a half-year time frame, released over the weekend, sparked newspaper stories claiming Animals Asia’s request to rescue the protected bears had been granted.
However, closer inspection suggests instead that the two-part decision both supports and contradicts the request – essentially further muddying the water and writing off the possibility of any imminent rescue.
The first part of the decision directs the Quang Ninh Government to “demand” that the bear farms hand over the bears to Animals Asia’s nearby Bear Rescue Centre.
However, part two stipulates the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) works with Animals Asia to “support” bear farmers in order to facilitate the hand over.

t’s a well-worn euphemism essentially suggesting compensation – a move that would not only put a price on the head of all bears, including wild ones – it is also a criminal offence in Vietnam to buy and sell bears or trade them in any way. Every captive bear in Vietnam is owned by the state and buying or selling them is illegal.
It’s a point not lost on sections of the Vietnamese media. A recent article in the Communist Party of Vietnam Newspaper agreed paying for bears is illegal.
Now, it appears that the decision by the PM’s office has brought all parties back to their original stalemate.

Tuan Bendixsen, Animals Asia’s Vietnam Director said:
“Animals Asia is extremely disappointed with this decision. We have not been given the mandate we need to rescue these dying moon bears.
“We’ve pointed out the laws which have been broken. We reminded the authorities about the nine bears which MARD agreed were being illegally housed. But this declaration doesn't even mention them.
“Now we will have to wait for MARD to come to us with suggestions as to how we can ‘support’ the farmers. The suggestion is that the farmers should be financially compensated for the ‘loss’ of these bears – which is illegal – or that alternative revenue streams should be provided for a business model that has been illegal since 1992. All of which is rather hard to believe.”
The six-month time frame for all parties to report back to the PM is also considered to be highly unusual. Prime Ministerial decisions usually have a one or two month deadline.
Animals Asia’s founder and CEO, Jill Robinson MBE said:
“It’s in the hands of MARD and the Quang Ninh Government now. We beseech them to remember that this is about living, sentient animals. It’s about the cruelty and pain they are suffering. It’s about protected animals being held to ransom while money is being demanded to compensate an illegal trade.
“The bears don’t have six months. If they continue to die at their present rate there will be no decision left to take. For Animals Asia, this is not over and it won’t be over until Vietnam is bear bile farm free.”
https://www.animalsasia.org/intl/me...lay-could-condemn-protected-halong-bears.html
 
Some bears in Vietnam have been rescued.

Meet Coco and Yogi - the Ben Tre bears
After 15 years in cages, the two moon bears at the centre of the Ben Tre rescue were today given names for the first time.
Nicknamed Yogi – after the cartoon character – and Coco – in homage to Ben Tre province’s abundance of coconuts – the two bears were finally removed from cages for the first time since they were likely just cubs.
Under anaesthetic, the bears received health checks before being moved into transport cages to begin a 2,000km journey to their new home.
Male bear Yogi was found to be in worse condition, suffering from severely damaged teeth from gnawing at cage bars and a highly unsuitable diet.

Animals Asia’s Senior Veterinarian Joost Philippa said:
“Yogi seems quite underweight and will require extensive dental surgery once safely back at the sanctuary. His gall bladder too appeared clearly sickened on the ultrasound. We’ll conduct a laparoscopy on both bears’ abdomens when back at the centre to ascertain whether their gall bladders need to be removed.”
Yogi is also suffering from clear scarring on his head as a result of repeatedly rubbing his head against the bears – an unnatural behaviour common in stressed or traumatised bears.
Click to expand...

Ben Tre Rescue: third bear rescued with crane and honey

The Ben Tre Rescue team dramatically rescued a third bear Friday – using a crane and lots of fruit and honey.
The male bear, now called Bern, had been kept at a truck stop in a small town in Vietnam’s Ba Ria province for the last four years.
Bern’s history is almost entirely unknown but it’s believed that he was caged for at least 10 years. Bern will undergo a thorough examination at Animals Asia’s sanctuary which would show up any history of bile extraction.
Thanks to a local crane operator, the rescue team was able to transfer Bern from his original cage into a transport cage without the use of anaesthetic.

Bern’s original cage was winched out into an open space and the transport cage door directly secured against its door.
Bern’s favourite treat – honey coated fruit – was used to encourage him into the new cage, and once inside, the crane was again used to lift him onto the truck that would carry him home.
Animals Asia Vet Nurse Lisa Brailey said:
“It was important to calm and reassure Bern during the transfer when he was being lifted by the crane. Luckily, we’d already introduced him to honey, marshmallow, dried banana and condensed milk, so we knew what he liked.
“It took Bern over 45 minutes to feel comfortable enough to move from his old cage into the transport cage – even with all the sweet treats waiting for him on the other side. But a little patience and some honey was all he needed in the end.”
Bern’s rescue had long been planned but paperwork wasn’t finalised right up to the morning of the rescue when the bear’s care was transferred to Animals Asia.
A visual health inspection convinced the vet team that Bern was fit to travel allowing Senior Veterinarian Joost Philippa to leave the rescue team.
Joost said:
“Bern is a huge bear and has been exhibiting stereotypic behaviours common in stressed bears which has resulted in some hair loss on his head, but generally he and the other two bears all seem fit to travel.
“The sooner we get them back to the sanctuary, the sooner we can really evaluate their condition and begin their rehabilitation.”
Click to expand...

https://www.animalsasia.org/intl/me...-third-bear-rescued-with-crane-and-honey.html

They all have come home to their forever home now

Animals Asia’s founder and CEO, Jill Robinson MBE said:
“We are over the moon to have these three long suffering bears back at our sanctuary where we can begin their rehabilitation. At last, decades of suffering is over for Coco, Yogi and Bern and they can look forward to finally living the life which the poachers and bile farmers stole from them so long ago.
“It’s been an incredibly hard rescue for the entire team, but we believe every single bear who has suffered at the hands of the barbaric bile industry deserves their sanctuary. We won’t give up on a single bear in Vietnam and if we have to rescue them one by one then so be it.”
Click to expand...
 
BREAKING: Sun bear cub rescued in Vietnam
08 April 2015
Animals Asia has announced it has rescued a male sun bear cub today (Wednesday, April 8) from Vietnam's remote Dien Bien province, about 500km west of Hanoi.
It's thought that the six-month-old cub will arrive back at Animals Asia's Tam Dao sanctuary on Thursday afternoon. You can follow their return via our live rescue timeline.
The bear has been nicknamed Goldie as he follows Animals Asia recent "three bears" rescue in Ben Tre.
The cub, now weighing around 15kg, was confiscated from a remote village near the Laos border in late February this year. It is thought the bear was just a few months old at this time weighing only around 6kg.
It is highly likely that poachers would have had to kill the cub's mother in order to capture her young.
The cub is now being held in the Nam Po district of Dien Bien province, around 200km north-west of the city of Dien Bien Phu.

The rescue team arrived in Nam Po on Tuesday night in preparation for the rescue. Due to the poor quality of the roads in this extremely remote and poverty-stricken region, the team intends to travel to Son La city by Wednesday evening where they will spend the night.

Animals Asia's Vietnam Director, Tuan Bendixsen, said:
"The Vietnamese authorities deserve praise for saving this poor sun bear from traffickers. It's highly likely that the bear was destined for legal bear bile farms in China, or perhaps even in Vietnam's own illegal industry.
"Thankfully, the Forest Protection Department fulfilled their role perfectly and called Animals Asia for assistance. The bear was housed in one of the country's most remote, mountainous and poorest locations, but our team is well prepared and we hope to be back at the sanctuary by Thursday afternoon."


Animals Asia founder and CEO, Jill Robinson MBE, said:
"It is an absolute tragedy that this gorgeous animal has been taken from the wild by those determined to make quick cash out of animal suffering. But we can take solace in the fact that he will now never know the horrors of bear bile farming. We now look forward to getting this beautiful bear home and providing the 30 years of care he needs and deserves."
https://www.animalsasia.org/intl/me...breaking-sun-bear-cub-rescued-in-vietnam.html

Goldie is safe in the cubhouse spending 45 day in quarantine.He´ll have lot´s of treats and toys during that time.
 
BREAKING: Halong Bay bears set for rescue
23 April 2015
Following international pressure from animal lovers across the world, it has been announced that the Halong Bay bears can be rescued by Animals Asia.
In addition, the local authorities of Vietnam’s Quang Ninh government have agreed to COMPLETELY END bear bile farming in the province by transferring all of the remaining 38 bears to Animals Asia’s Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre.
The action is a direct result of the Save the Halong Bay Bears campaign which garnered over 115,000 signatures from animal lovers globally. They were joined by celebrities such as Judi Dench, Olivia Newton John, Stephen Fry and Ali MacGraw. A letter from 12 Embassies added further pressure on the authorities.

The Quang Ninh government has agreed to reward each farmer who complies with the transfer. In return Animals Asia has agreed to cover the cost of the bear rescues, housing, rehabilitation and subsequent care.
From May 4, the Quang Ninh authorities will begin reaching agreements with the 17 bear farmers in the province to secure their agreement to immediate transfer of the bears.
The first two bears will be rescued on May 5 from a remote island in the Bai Tu Long Bay archipelago north of Halong Bay in what will be Animals Asia’s first sea rescue.
The transfer of all 38 bears in the province is expected to be complete in June.

The breakthrough came at landmark meetings involving Quang Ninh province governmental departments ranging from police to tourism, representatives of Animals Asia and the majority of the province’s bear bile farmers.
The proposed rescues will see Animals Asia’s Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre return to full capacity despite the completion of two new double bear houses in November 2014.
Animals Asia is committed to building a fifth double bear house with enclosures on the site, a move which was delayed by an attempted eviction of the facility in 2012.
While there will be den space for all the rescued bears, until the new double bear house with enclosures is funded and completed it is expected around 16 bears are unlikely to have access to external enclosures. However, they can begin their rehabilitation while fundraising and construction is prioritised.

Animals Asia’s Vietnam Director Tuan Bendixsen said:
“The recent meetings marked a complete change in tone. It was the first time that the provincial authorities had declared the bears would be transferred in accordance with a Prime Ministerial Directive from March. The language was very strong and bear bile farmers were left in no doubt that this was not an optional transfer.”
Farmers have been informed that any attempt to transfer bears out of the province would meet prosecution while any further bear deaths prior to the rescues would not be tolerated. However, concerns over such actions will remain until the rescues are complete.

nimals Asia founder and CEO, Jill Robinson MBE said:
“This is incredible news – an enormous success for Vietnam’s bears and all those around the world who have campaigned for their dignified release from the clutches of the bear bile industry. You did this.
“The rescue of these 38 bears would simply not have happened without consistent pressure from 12 embassies, the signatures from the 116,000 people around the world who voiced their opposition, and the fearless, tireless persistence of Animals Asia’s staff in Vietnam who refused to let this issue be ignored. This is a victory for us all.

“I make no apologies when I say - now we need to do more. Asking for help for the bears won’t end here – just as bear bile farming doesn’t end with Quang Ninh province. Rescuing all these bears will put the whole organisation under huge pressure but it’s a duty we can never shirk. At a time when the bear bile farming industry is literally crumbling the bears have never needed their friends more. Today, we can allow ourselves a moment’s pride that what we are achieving together is nothing short of stunning. Then we take a breath and fight on. We’ve won the battle – we have to win the war too.”
https://www.animalsasia.org/intl/me...breaking-halong-bay-bears-set-for-rescue.html
 
100m reasons for optimism in fight to end bear bile farming
28 April 2015

Dubbed the “million followers club” with over 100 million followers between them – an elite group of Chinese celebrities is speaking up for bears.
This army of some of the biggest names in China can directly reach almost a tenth of the population – a figure that is dramatically boosted by fan sharing.
They’ve been brought together by Animals Asia to voice their opposition to the bear bile industry. Alongside their social media support they’re also appearing in a movie that directly asks the public to reject bear bile in favour of the many herbal and synthetic alternatives.
Global superstars such as Karen Mok, Maggie Q and basketball sensation Yao Ming are joined by a host of celebs from screen, stage and catwalk, unanimous in their opposition to the still-legal practice of caging bears to extract their bile.
Combined, the 14 celebrities have the ability to reach 113.78 million people on China’s premier social media platform Sina Weibo alone.

Animals Asia founder and CEO, Jill Robinson MBE said:
“Everyone at Animals Asia is delighted to have the very public support of some of China’s biggest names. The potential of these animal lovers to reach more than 100 million people via social media is a true game changer bringing the truth behind bear bile farming to an unprecedented audience. Their efforts to realise much desired change is having a very real effect in raising awareness in the country.”
National icons who have publically backed Animals Asia and called for an end to bear bile consumption include filmstar Gao Yuanyuan, who appeared in Prix de Jury prizewinning film “Shanghai Dreams”, award-winning actress Sun Li – hailed as “the queen of television” – and singer Zhou Bichuang named “Best Worldwide Act” by MTV Europe in 2014.

[video=youtube;f2jCB45t58k]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2jCB45t58k[/video]
 
Shy Goldie starts to smile as new bears settle in
30 April 2015

Goldie, Coco, Yogi and Bern, the newest residents of our Vietnam sanctuary, are half way through their quarantine period and settling in well.

The three bears arrived at the sanctuary following rescues from the furthest corners of Vietnam and after, in the case of the older bears Coco, Yogi and Bern – many years in cages.

Sun bear cub Goldie has been enjoying lots of love from staff doing everything they can to help him forget the traumatic past which left him traumatised and jumpy.
The den where he is spending quarantine has been stocked with toys and enrichment items such as balls, hammocks, ladders, comfy straw and puzzle feeders.

Animals Asia Bear Manager Sarah Dempsey said:
“Goldie is doing great. He’s very playful and loves splashing in his little pool and playing with his tyre swing or hessian sacks. He is inquisitive but is quick to give a little roar at new things that startle him, which is very typical of a sun bear.”
As a cub, Goldie is still being fed milk, but his diet also has more variety than ever before. Carers note that Goldie is keen on watermelon and pineapple, but like many youngsters he’s yet to come round to liking vegetables

Meanwhile older Coco, Yogi and Bern are seeing out their quarantine in the adult area. Unfortunately quarantine regulations and the desire to keep the bears rested and settled has meant that, so far, we haven’t been able to get pictures to share.
However, following their rescue from the bear bile farms in the south by Animals Asia - Coco, Yogi and Bern are being closely monitored and are being continuously stimulated with enrichment items and foods.
While they’ll have to wait to enjoy spacious dens and open enclosures, the care they are receiving and their new diet means that, by now, they’ll have worked out that their life has taken a turn for the better.

Part of their rehabilitation is removing the pain they have been living with.
Yogi has already had dental surgery due to the horrendous condition of his teeth.
What remained of his four canines was removed along with six other badly rotten and infected teeth by Animals Asia vets. Fortunately, this long-suffering moon bear was able to keep his molars so can still enjoy all the new food coming his way as he recovers.

Using the sanctuary ultrasound equipment, vets were relieved to find that damage to Yogi’s gallbladder is likely to be less severe than originally feared.
However, the team did find a number of issues that will require ongoing attention including arthritic joints and minor eye defects.
Bern has also received a health check since arriving at his new home.
Extensive scarring was discovered on his abdominal skin and an ultrasound revealed that the scars reach to the liver and gallbladder.
It’s highly likely that these wounds are a result of frequent bile collection and the team will evaluate the condition of his liver and gallbladder using keyhole surgery in the near future.

Bern is proving himself to be an inquisitive bear who is interested in new things – and never more so than when trying to find out about his new neighbour – female moon bear Coco.

The queen of the quarantine area is a laid back bear often seen lying flat out on her back playing with her enrichment and browse as she patiently waits for another cooling shower.

With less than a month of their quarantine period left, Coco, Yogi and Bern will soon move on to the next stage of their recovery, but the quarantine area itself is set to get a whole lot busier.
In the next month, 38 bears are scheduled to spend time here as Quang Ninh province finally becomes completely bear bile farm free.

Animals Asia founder and CEO, Jill Robinson MBE said:
“These bears all seem to be doing really well and enjoying the enrichment that the team are providing for them.
Quarantine is a vital step for any new bear which protects the sanctuary population from disease.
We can’t wait to move these bears on to the next stage and eventually see them happily playing outside in the natural open environment they deserve.”

https://www.animalsasia.org/intl/me...e-starts-to-smile-as-new-bears-settle-in.html
 
Watch two bears take a sunset boat ride to freedom

[video=youtube;mNWjRiCyTnU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNWjRiCyTnU[/video]

The support of tens of thousands of animal lovers around the world won the Save the Halong Bay Bears campaign. Now, the task begins to get the 38 bears across Quang Ninh province home.
It started with the #BearSeaRescue - the first time Animals Asia has ever rescued a bear by boat and considered as probably the most difficult the organisation would ever attempt.
Now safely back at Animals Asia’s Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre, the bears Sam and Simon are in need of urgent medical attention.
They have started their 45-day-quarantine and will be assessed for further medical care.
The aim is to get these to bears rehabilitated and integrated into a community of moon bears in the sanctuary so they can spend their days in the sunshine.
It’s the very least they deserve.

https://www.animalsasia.org/intl/me...bears-take-a-sunset-boat-ride-to-freedom.html
 
Stolen Lives: Animals Captured in the Wild

Animals Asia's Animal Welfare Director, Dave Neale, explains the dark secret behind the façade of the modern zoo and their well-stocked populations of chimpanzees, elephants, beluga whales and dolphins.

I am just a few months old when I hear them coming, my mother ushers me towards her and we begin to run. But we are not fast enough to outrun their bullets. I watch as my mother and the rest of my family drop to the ground. I am now left alone with the bodies of my loved ones lying motionless before me. A net is thrown over me and I am dragged into the darkness. I am just a baby.

This is my own 'anthropogenic' interpretation of what an elephant calf is likely to experience as their family is killed and (s)he is ripped from a life in the wild to be supplied to a zoo thousands of miles away.
This situation is all too real for many thousands of animals, and each and every time I think about this I despair at how any member of my own species can convince themselves that this is an acceptable scenario to be a part of.
How can anybody support the removal of an individual from their mother and family, and to ship this individual off for a life in captivity with the associated loss of freedom?

This situation deeply troubles me, despite our regularly touted "level of intellect" as a species –apparently above and beyond that of any other – individuals continue to use their "superior" cognitive abilities to justify these actions on the basis of their own income generation.
Placing their own wishes and desires to have what they wish, above that of the right of an individual to live the life they were born to live.
Animals such as chimpanzees, orang-utans, gorillas, elephants, whales and dolphins are in high demand to supply both government run zoos/ocean parks and private collections. This demand is leading to unimaginable suffering for many thousands of individual animals.

Let's take chimpanzees as an example. To obtain one infant chimpanzee from the wild, it is estimated that an additional ten chimpanzees are likely to be killed. Many of these adults are likely to be slaughtered whilst defending their infants from the poachers, the animals left behind are likely to experience a significant amount of fear and distress due to the experience they have been involved in and witnessed. The suffering for the infants is unimaginable, they have to deal with the stress of losing their loved ones only to be thrust into the hands of people that care very little for their overall health and welfare. They are then shipped to a strange land to be placed into a barren enclosure and in many cases beaten into performing tricks as part of an animal circus.

When I see these animals (chimpanzees, elephants, beluga whales, dolphins, etc.) languishing in barren zoo enclosures or swimming round and round in circles in swimming pools which are a tiny fraction of the size of their ocean environments, I am ashamed. I feel that they must be looking at me and asking, "Why? What did I do to deserve this lifestyle? Why was I chosen to be a part of this absurd and often abusive life? And where is my mother and my family?"

It is time for us all to take a stand on behalf of these animals and demand an end to wild capture. Animals born wild have the right to live in the wild where they belong and it is our duty to protect them and their environment to ensure they can live as it is intended for them to do so, and not to live a life of captive misery.

https://www.animalsasia.org/intl/me...tolen-lives-animals-captured-in-the-wild.html
 
300 cyclists brave rain for Vietnam’s moon bears
21 May 2015

Cyclists in Vietnam braved tropical storms to complete Animals Asia’s annual 62km Ride for the Bears, raising funds and much-needed awareness for the fight against bear bile farming.
An incredible 300 animal lovers were up long before Hanoi daybreak to take part in the third annual Ride for the Bears – a charity bike ride from Hanoi to Animals Asia’s Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre in Tam Dao.
The torrential rain which greeted the riders at 5.30am did little to dampen spirits as riders got happily soaked for the bears, before being joined by another 170 youngsters who ran and rode the last 6km.

Animals Asia Vietnam Director Tuan Bendixsen said:
“The turn out this year really was outstanding. Last year, 50 riders made it to Tam Dao, while this year we had 300 – and even had late requests for more. It reflects the great work that is being done by a number of organisations in Vietnam to end the shame of bear bile farming in the country.”
Ride for the Bears began in 2012 when Animals Asia’s Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre was facing eviction from the Tam Dao National Park. The second incarnation in 2014 attracted 50 riders, before numbers escalated sharply to 300 this year.

Animals Asia founder and CEO, Jill Robinson MBE said:
“All 300 riders wore bright orange tops so everyone saw them coming and could see that they were riding for the bears. These supporters turned themselves into an orange ribbon, snaking through every village from Hanoi to Tam Dao and were a perfect advertisement for our campaign. All along the way, even more people learned about the fight to end bear bile farming in Vietnam.”

Animals Asia would like to thank Ride for the Bears sponsors Dai Loc, CJSC, GloryBites Chocolate, Vital, Ohnew, and Giant, as well as Hotel Mercue Hanoi La Gare, Centech Communication, and Vietrunners for helping to make the event possible.
https://www.animalsasia.org/intl/me...-brave-the-rain-for-vietnam’s-moon-bears.html
 
“Lucky 13” freed as six bear farms are closed in Vietnam
27 June 2015

Animals Asia has successfully rescued 13 moon bears and closed six bile farms in Vietnam’s Quang Ninh province as part of a four-day rescue operation.
The marathon rescue saw bears rescued from 10 locations around the province, creating logistical issues that were aggravated by tropical storm Kujira which hit the region on Wednesday.

All 13 bears have been transported back to Animals Asia’s Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre in nearby Tam Dao where they will be rehabilitated and eventually receive access to outdoor enclosures.
The team initially planned to rescue 14 bears, but one rescue had to be postponed when the farmer failed to appear to complete the handover.

Animals Asia’s Vietnam Director Tuan Bendixsen said:
“It has been a very long and stressful week, but we’re delighted to have these 13 bears finally out of the cages which have confined them for a decade or more. It’s a great feeling to have closed down six farms over the last four days, but that is tempered by sadness for those we had to leave behind. They will have to wait a little longer, but rest assured we will be back for them as soon as we have permission from the authorities.”

Local authorities have been ordered to ensure every captive bear in Quang Ninh province is transferred to Animals Asia’s Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre in Tam Dao by end of July as a result of Animals Asia’s successful Save the Halong Bay Bears campaign.
The rescue of 13 bears this week marks the first mass evacuation of bears while Animals Asia has previously rescued three more bears from the province since March.

However, delays in rescuing the remaining 17 bears continue as authorities negotiate with bear owners over transfers. The negotiations are entirely between the Quang Ninh authorities and the bear farmers.
Animals Asia founder and CEO, Jill Robinson MBE said:
“We’re calling them the lucky 13. Thousands of bears have died as a result of the bear bile industry across Asia and hundreds in this province alone. But each life is precious and we’ll continue to save every bear we can. These bears have defied the odds – just as this incredible team has to bring them home.
“We won’t forget the 17 that remain in such grim conditions. Again, we respectfully urge the authorities to complete the transfer of these bears as soon as possible. Please, no more fatalities.”
Click to expand...
https://www.animalsasia.org/intl/me...-as-six-bear-farms-are-closed-in-vietnam.html

It can´t be easy to carry an adult bear up the stairs, she probably has been in the cage since she was just a cub.
Just look at her how she Rock back and forth, it reminds me of a video with an elephant in a circus doing the same thing.
[video=youtube;Jh4rRuZulAY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh4rRuZulAY[/video]
These 13 moonbears have together been in cages for over 100 years and had the endure pain often.
Those bears haven´t committed any crime.

Lucky, the last rescue this time going into the transport cage.
[video=youtube;hGnH5eVGWI4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGnH5eVGWI4[/video]

one of the bear was so scared so he wouldn´t leave the cage despite all the goodies he was offered
[video=youtube;rt6cvOnY1I8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt6cvOnY1I8[/video]

Now these bears need care and time to heal
 
Everything you need to know about the last 17 bears in Quang Ninh
08 July 2015
The successful #Halong2Home rescue mission saw 13 bears freed from lives on bear bile farms in Vietnam’s Quang Ninh province, but 17 remain behind - here’s why.

The Prime Minister’s decision
In March this year, the Prime Minister’s office declared that every captive bear in Quang Ninh province must be transferred to Animals Asia’s sanctuary just a few hours drive away. The announcement was the result of Animals Asia’s Save the Halong Bay Bears campaign which drew support from more than 100,000 people around the world.

The first rescues begin
Following recent rescues, #Halong2Home, #SavingSongSot and #BearSeaRescue, 16 bears have been saved from bear bile farming in the region since March.
They are the lucky ones who have seen their transfers confirmed by local authorities.
The Vietnamese government made a take-it-or-leave it offer to these farmers to give up their bears without a fight in exchange for a financial “reward”. Having been told that after this offer expired the bears would be taken regardless, many of the farmers agreed.
However, 17 bears remain on 11 farms in the region as their owners have refused to agree to transfers.

What is causing the delays?
Essentially these remaining 11 farmers are the hard core who refuse to accept that the bear bile farming is over in the province.
It is unclear now what steps the authorities will take. They claimed that their initial reward offer would be their only attempt to persuade the farmers financially.
However, the authorities are equally anxious to avoid confrontation, violence or social unrest.
Essentially, the end of bear bile farming is in uncharted waters.
There is no precedent for this situation and each farmer has their own motivation for wanting to cling to the past.
Some have invested in bear bile farming and see no alternative income source should their business fail.
Others have become significantly wealthy through exploitation of the bears and are loathe to see the money dry up by allowing their prized “assets” to be taken away. And then there are still others who are keeping bears as a status symbol, a hobby, or as their own personal bile tap.
These individuals are personally very wealthy and potentially very well connected both in business and political circles.

What happens next?
We have been told that the local authorities are continuing to negotiate the transfers with the remaining farmers.
However, as we are not part of these negotiations, it is impossible for us to know how advanced they are and how the authorities plan to resolve the stand off.
However, the Quang Ninh authorities have been in regular contact with Animals Asia and have made it clear that they have a number of techniques at their disposal to put political pressure on difficult farmers.
So far we know that the local government plans to issue a directive to all district chairman in the province, ordering them to use any necessary means to pressure bear farms in their district to close.
Such pressure can take many forms but would primarily involve investigations into personal business dealings in search of any irregularities as well as a thorough evaluation of personal and business tax histories.
All of which is likely to make wealthy businesspeople very uncomfortable.

What’s the deadline?
The Prime Minister’s announcement in March set a deadline of September for all transfers to be completed and Quang Ninh province to be officially bear bile free. Whatever their next move, local authorities will be anxious to get the bears rescued by the end of July or early August before they have to report back to the Prime Minister in September.


How are the remaining bears?
Without access to the farms – which are on private property – we cannot definitively know the bears’ conditions. However, on four of the farms visited during #Halong2Home, the farmer had hedged their bets and gave up one bear early, while refusing to sanction the transfer of their second bear.
In almost every instance, the bears handed over were significantly weaker than the bears being kept.
As mentioned above, the farmers’ motivations and financial situations are varied and so too are the health conditions of the animals in their facilities.
However, these differences are mostly in relation to diet.
On every farm, the bears are kept in unsuitable environments, have no free access to water and are given no enrichment, health care or access to outdoor areas.
Every bear is likely to be suffering from serious psychological trauma while Animals Asia’s veterinary team will be prepared for any eventuality when we finally get these long-suffering animals back to the sanctuary they deserve.

Who is favourite to win this stand-off?
The government and the law is entirely on our side in this issue. The declaration from the Prime Minister’s Office was widely reported in the national press and there is no space for manoeuvre in the wording.
Now that the transfer process has begun, it is all but impossible for the Quang Ninh government to fail to see through the transfer of every bear in the province.
If any bears were to be left behind, farmers who have already voluntarily transferred their bears would be in a position to sue the authorities. Furthermore, the people and the media – who are fully aware of the situation – would see clear corruption in any deal that would allow a select few farmers to keep their bears.
For even a single bear to be left behind would put the Quang Ninh government in an impossible position.
The remaining farmers are merely delaying the inevitable. Every bear in the province will be transferred to our sanctuary. Our responsibility is to make sure we’re ready to rescue these bears at a moments notice, as we have always been.

https://www.animalsasia.org/intl/me...ow-about-the-last-17-bears-in-quang-ninh.html
 
Caged side by side for 15 years - these rescued moon bears just met
13 July 2015
https://vine.co/v/evT3eXrPa30

Recently rescued from a bear bile farm in Vietnam’s Ben Tre province, moon bears Coco and Yogi share a truly special bond.
In the 15 years they spent suffering bile extraction, they were held side by side in tiny cages.
They suffered together, yet achingly apart.
Through a decade and a half of agony, they could only watch and call out to each other – forever unable to give each other a comforting touch.

But following their rescue by Animals Asia and a period of quarantine, the bars have gone and their world has increased immeasurably.
Last week, these oldest of friends truly met for the first time in their den.
And it was beautiful.
https://vine.co/v/evTVX3YTTEe

Animals Asia Vet Nurse Lisa Brailey, who was with Coco and Yogi for every kilometre of the epic five day journey up the entire length of Vietnam’s astonishing coastline, said:
“It’s been a privilege and delight to watch Coco and Yogi grow healthier and happier every day they’ve been at the sanctuary.
I was lucky enough to observe the moment they were finally able to meet properly after 15 years of silently watching each other’s suffering.
That moment was instant love.
Immediately they began to play and wrestle like the oldest of friends and they didn’t stop until they were both exhausted and laid down for a nap.”

Jill Robinson, Animals Asia, founder said:
“The next step will be for these two long-suffering animals to be introduced to an outdoor enclosure packed with grass, trees, climbing structures and toys.
These bears have known nothing like it since they were poached from the wild and their introduction will be handled with the utmost care to reduce stress.
We have to be patient just a little longer till we see Coco and Yogi out in the sanctuary they deserve.”
But for now, let this happy reunion brighten up you and your friends’

https://www.animalsasia.org/intl/me...ed-moon-bears-just-met-for-the-first-time.htm
 
Animal Protection are working to end the bear bile industry in South Korea

We work in Asia to end cruelty to bears and the unnecessary bear bile industry and we won't stop till we've achieved it

The bear bile industry

Bears in Asia are captured for their bile, which is extracted using cruel, painful procedures and sold as traditional medicine. These captive bears suffer in filthy and cramped conditions, often in cages no bigger than phone booths. But the bear bile industry is completely unnecessary – plentiful and inexpensive synthetic and herbal alternatives to bear bile are readily available.

The bear bile industry causes intense, unjustified suffering to bears across Asia – and you help us put a stop to it

Needless cruelty to bears

Bear bile is extracted in intolerably cruel and inhumane ways, often by people with no veterinary qualifications and little concern for animal protection. Some bears face this cruelty throughout their lives. That can mean 20 years of torture – unless the bears succumb to infection, tumors or self-inflicted wounds. Bears in the bear bile industry often moan and rock due to extreme anxiety. Many have broken teeth from biting on the bars of their cages.

Together, we can create lasting change to prevent the severe pain and psychological distress suffered by bears in the bear bile industry

Bear bile: our work

We are committed to ending the exploitation of bears in the bear bile industry, and to protect wild bears from a lifetime of suffering in captivity. Our work includes:

Joining with partners, including governments, global bodies, local partners and individuals, to stop bears being exploited and to create lasting change
Promoting better welfare for captive bears, while we move to end the bear bile industry for good
Seeking laws, policies, monitoring and enforcement to ensure that captive bears are given space to move, provided with richer environments and are protected from all forms of bile extraction and exploitation
Raising awareness of alternatives to bear bile, including herbal and synthetic products, which are readily available, affordable and effective
Working with local organizations to urge governments to live up to their international commitments to protect bears and other wild animals.
Click to expand...
 
Moonbears.org are trying to stop bearbilefarms in Korea.
It´s illegal to take bear fromlive bears so the animals are killed för their gallbladders- and other parts.
The bears have to be 10 years before they are killed ,it means 10years in cages similar to bears
http://moonbears.org/index.html

I´mglad too see a link to page where they ask people to help Animals Asia when there was a huge earthquake that struck the region there.

I like this
At extraordinary times like these, it is important that the global community of animal lovers come together to offer whatever monetary and practical assistance they can.

We need to work together more and help each other when we can

Here is apetition to stop bearfarms in Korea
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/save-bears-in-korea.html

http://photopeach.com/album/lkadr9
 
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Ti Map’s troubled past is proving hard to forget
03 September 2015
Ti Map, the moon bear who famously smiled in wonder following his rescue from a bile farm, is slowly putting his past behind him but it’s proving to be a long road to recovery.
Ti Map spent 14 years of his life in a tiny cage on his own in the south of Vietnam where he faced regular bile extractions.
Rescued in 2014 by AnBear Manager Sarah Dempsey has looked after Ti Map since he arrived. She said:
“Every bear is an individual. Ti Map has already given flashes of his incredibly warm, gentle personality but there is no doubt that his past has left him troubled. Fundamental to giving the right care for animals is recognising that they are all individuals who progress at their own pace.
“Ti Map isn’t quick to adapt to changes or quick to learn, so we have taken great care in encouraging him to settle but not to rush him or push him too much. It’s a very delicate balance.”
In May 2014, shortly after his arrival, Ti Map was moved to a den where he made a friend in moon bear Joe. This friendship and the fact that he was eating well were taken as good signs he was settling, and led to a move to a larger enclosure - House 2 - in October.imals Asia, his smile as he first tasted his new diet, saw his new home and even stepped out into his own den with a pool and toys, broke hearts across the world. But the mental scars he carries means making the step from cage life to joining an outdoor community of bears is proving to be a challenge.

Bear Manager Sarah Dempsey has looked after Ti Map since he arrived. She said:
“Every bear is an individual. Ti Map has already given flashes of his incredibly warm, gentle personality but there is no doubt that his past has left him troubled. Fundamental to giving the right care for animals is recognising that they are all individuals who progress at their own pace.
“Ti Map isn’t quick to adapt to changes or quick to learn, so we have taken great care in encouraging him to settle but not to rush him or push him too much. It’s a very delicate balance.”
In May 2014, shortly after his arrival, Ti Map was moved to a den where he made a friend in moon bear Joe. This friendship and the fact that he was eating well were taken as good signs he was settling, and led to a move to a larger enclosure - House 2 - in October.

However this step, that gave him the chance to step outside for the first time in 14 years, proved to be too big a challenge, Sarah explained:
“He looked quite comfortable at first but became spooked early on. He obviously needed more time on his own to adjust to the change in surroundings. He mainly ate inside his den and when he did venture outside he would stand on the concrete, fearful of going onto the grass.”
Since the beginning of 2015 his carers have moved Ti Map back and forth between House 2, with its larger enclosure, and House 1 with its relatively smaller outdoor area. This was Sarah added:
“Imagine it - 14 years trapped inside a cage, barely able to stretch out fully or feel the ground beneath his paws, or forage for food as he would in the wild. He’s a big and tall bear as well, so it must have been horrendous for him. He is taking a little longer to adapt but we shouldn’t compare one bear with another too much. Ti Map is Ti Map and we’ll do everything we can to ensure he makes that next step to being a happy, contented bear. One can only imagine what unbearable pain and cruelty he has endured to make him feel so nervous of his new environment. It’s a pain that obviously even now continues inside his head.”
Ti Map is one of the bears available to sponsor via our website. Each rescue means making a commitment to a bear that we will care for them and provide the best possible environment to ensure their future happiness. Bears can live for more than 30 years so this is a huge promise and the costs involve raise year-by-year with more bear rescues. To carry on this work we need people to make this commitment with us. Please join us in granting these bears a better life. For more info click here.to encourage his development but both times he appeared to be ready for a bigger area with more bears, he soon became introverted.
Currently Ti Map lives in House 1 along with his old friend Joe, which seems to give him a confidence boost. In July, newly-rescued Bern joined them. It’s a combination that is working well, as they take turns to play and wrestle together. This allows Ti Map the space he sometimes needs, knowing that when he wants time out, Jo and Bern will play along without him.

Sarah added:
“Imagine it - 14 years trapped inside a cage, barely able to stretch out fully or feel the ground beneath his paws, or forage for food as he would in the wild. He’s a big and tall bear as well, so it must have been horrendous for him. He is taking a little longer to adapt but we shouldn’t compare one bear with another too much. Ti Map is Ti Map and we’ll do everything we can to ensure he makes that next step to being a happy, contented bear. One can only imagine what unbearable pain and cruelty he has endured to make him feel so nervous of his new environment. It’s a pain that obviously even now continues inside his head.”
Ti Map is one of the bears available to sponsor via our website. Each rescue means making a commitment to a bear that we will care for them and provide the best possible environment to ensure their future happiness. Bears can live for more than 30 years so this is a huge promise and the costs involve raise year-by-year with more bear rescues. To carry on this work we need people to make this commitment with us. Please join us in granting these bears a better life. For more info click here.

https://www.animalsasia.org/intl/me...-troubled-past-is-proving-hard-to-forget.html
 
Rescuers who refused to give up finally bring Honey bear home

Rescuers, turned away on a first attempt to save a moon bear, returned to finish the job and finally bring beautiful Honey home.
Following the rescue, 16-year-old moon bear Honey is recovering in quarantine at Animals Asia’s Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre where she will live out her days in a large grassy enclosure in a community of other bears.

Animals Asia Bear and Vet Team Director Annemarie Weegenaar said:
“Honey is recovering nicely in quarantine. She’s eating well and beginning to get used to the new surroundings. In the next few weeks we’ll be able to perform a full health check which will allow us to know more about any underlying health conditions.”

Attempts to rescue the bear in June as part of the #Halong2Home rescue operation hit a snag when the legal owner failed to appear to sign off the final paperwork. Animals Asia’s rescue team and Quang Ninh Forest Protection Department officials were left with no choice but to return another day.
During the rescue the team released 13 bears and took them back to the sanctuary – closing six bear bile farms along the way. But celebrations were muted as legal complications meant 14th bear Honey had to be left behind.
But Honey's day finally arrived this weekend with rescuers being informed on Friday of a window of opportunity to finally free the bear from 16 years of confinement and bile extraction.

Animals Asia’s Vietnam Director Tuan Bendixsen said:
“This farmer has done everything in his power to obstruct the transfer of the bear, but the inevitable finally caught up with him this weekend. It was bitterly disappointing to be turned away at the gates of the farm a few months ago, but we knew it would only be a matter of time till we’d be back. We just had to be patient and be ready for when the opportunity came round again.
“The situation is the same for the other 16 bears still on farms in Quang Ninh province. The farmers don't want to let them go and are attempting to defy the order from the Prime Minister’s Office. We know that’s not going to be allowed to happen and are constantly ready to save any number of these bears at a moment’s notice.”

Animals Asia founder and CEO, Jill Robinson MBE said:
“The rescue team deserve massive credit for bringing Honey safely home. They had already tried to rescue her once only to be turned away. They promised then that they'd be back and they were true to their word. They never give up.
“Credit too must go to the authorities who have kept pushing for the transfer of this bear – despite the farmer’s best attempts to keep her. The team received word the night before that the rescue was on and were advised to move fast in case the situation changed. It was a very small window of opportunity and we could not afford for anything to go wrong
“Honey’s rescue means Quang Ninh province is one bear closer to being bear bile farm free. We urge the authorities to complete this process as soon as possible and complete the transfer of the remaining 16 bears to our nearby sanctuary.”
Over 1,200 bears still remain in cages on bear bile farms across Vietnam.

https://www.animalsasia.org/intl/me...to-give-up-finally-bring-honey-bear-home.html
 
Seven bears rescued as Vietnam “gets serious” about ending bile trade
23 September 2015

Seven more bears have been rescued by Animals Asia from Vietnam’s Quang Ninh province – just 24 hours after Vietnam’s Traditional Medical Association agreed to phase out bile use.
The agreement to end all use by 2020 has given animal welfare charity Animals Asia hope that bear bile farming can be eradicated entirely in Vietnam within five years, as government and local authorities increasingly offer their support.

Yesterday, bears Kay, Emmy, Rose, Long, Hoa, Quang Yen and Tuffy were rescued from two farms. Originally Animals Asia had been allowed to rescue only two bears from the first farm in June this year, after the bear owner refused to give up his least sick bears. But continued local authority pressure paid off and the the team were allowed to rescue the remaining bears at those sites.

Earlier a Prime Ministerial decree had requested that all bears in Quang Ninh province should be made available for rescue by Animals Asia before the end of September. Nine bears now remain, and Animals Asia expects to rescue them within the next few weeks.

While bear bile farming has long been illegal in Vietnam, the combination of poor enforcement and farmers utilising legal loopholes has meant the trade has continued. However last year the number of bears caged in farms dropped by 700 to 1,245 – a sure sign that the market is dwindling and the campaign to end bear bile farming is increasingly effective.
Yesterday Animals Asia Vietnam Director Tuan Bendixsen was joined by Animals Asia CEO and founder Dr Jill Robinson on the rescue, as well as Pham Van Phat, Director of Quang Ninh Forestry Protection Department and his officers.

Jill Robinson said:
“It feels like Vietnam is making giant strides towards ending bear bile farming. Just two or three years ago this would have been unimaginable, but now we have both government and traditional medicine practitioners showing their support.
“Tonight, seven bears will sleep peacefully at our sanctuary in Tam Dao, and in time they will be rehabilitated and able to enjoy the sunshine and camaraderie of other rescued bears. What a difference from the cruel farms where they have languished for so long. Vietnam knows this must end and they’re getting serious about ending it as soon as they reasonably can.”
Animals Asia has rescued more than 550 bears from the bear bile trade in China and Vietnam. In China, where bear bile use remains legal, more than 10,000 bears remain in small cages facing daily bile extractions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8-IwdC6UpU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlRvCdffZmI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHuC_k06y04
 
Eight bears, seven farms – follow the rescue live

Animals Asia is rescuing eight more moon bears from bile farms around Vietnam’s Quang Ninh province this week.

The rescue will be over two days, starting tomorrow (Wednesday), and it cannot come soon enough for these long abused animals. These eight bears are on seven separate farms, and all except one will need to be anaesthetised for the trip back to our sanctuary near Hanoi.

We’re calling the rescue #MilkFlower because trees throughout northern Vietnam are awash with the fragrant blossom at this time of year.

Timeline starts tomorrow
https://www.animalsasia.org/intl/media/news/news-archive/milkflower-rescue-live-timeline.html

This week’s rescue means just one bear will remain caged on a farm in the whole of Quang Ninh province. The provincial authorities agreed to free all its bile bears earlier this year. We will rescue this last bear from Uong Bi District later in the month.

This rescue brings to 32 the total number of bears rescued from the province so far this year – all thanks to your support.

Please join these bears on their journey to freedom! For our live coverage, go to our website – and please share on Facebook.

Your support is crucial at this time. This latest rescue will bring to 147 the total number of bears living at our Vietnam sanctuary. That’s a lot of bear food and a lot of medical care. We can’t do it without you. Please give what you can.

Thank you for your ongoing help and generosity.
 
Final bear rescue sees bile farming ended in Vietnam province

Today bear bile farming ends in Quang Ninh, Vietnam – as animal welfare charity Animals Asia rescues the last bear in the province and closes the last bile farm.
The rescue will mark the end of a series of rescues carried out over the past six months, with a total of 33 bears rescued. Quang Ninh had previously been a hotspot for bile farming – welcoming domestic and international tourists to its farms.
Today the final bear – nicknamed Hercules by the team – will be picked up by Animals Asia from the Forestry Protection Department (FPD) in Quang Ninh. The team will then drive the 200km back to Animals Asia’s sanctuary in Tam Dao National Park, where Hercules will join the previously rescued bears in quarantine ahead of their rehabilitation.

This rescue is the culmination of more than eight years of campaigning in the province by Animals Asia.
Vietnam still has over 1,200 bears caged and facing regular bile extraction.
The bears – mostly moon bears – suffer from tiny cages, inadequate diets, little or no veterinary care and painful bile extractions. The bile is used in traditional medicine.


The rescues followed a decree from Vietnam’s Prime Minister that the province must end bear bile farming.
The Quang Ninh FPD was also instrumental in the rescues, working with bile farmers and clearing the way for Animals Asia’s rescue teams.
The decree followed an international campaign by Animals Asia that saw nearly 120,000 signatures from animal lovers across the globe added to an open letter to the Prime Minister.
They were joined by 12 diplomats – and celebrities Ricky Gervais, Judi Dench, Stephen Fry, Olivia Newton John and Ali MacGraw.
The fact that the last bear is to be picked up from the FPD – rather than from the bile farm itself – is indicative of the fight it has taken to ensure all bears were handed over.
Months of pressure has meant this owner eventually giving up the bear – but refusing to allow Animals Asia to pick him or her up from his property.
The 33 bears rescued from the province have been relocated to Animals Asia’s Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre in Tam Dao National Park, where they’ve joined 115 other moon and sun bears being rehabilitated and cared for by Animals Asia’s expert bear and vet teams.

Animals Asia’s Vietnam Director Tuan Bendixsen said:
“That we could help bring an end to bile farming in a place previously known as the worst bear bile farming province in Vietnam is something to celebrate, and also a reason to look to the future with optimism.
Vietnam has shown that it wants this situation to end, and that it’s capable of taking the steps to put an end to it once and for all.
“Now that we’ve helped put an end to bear bile farming in Quang Ninh, we have a template to apply to the rest of the country. Together with the cooperation of the Traditional Medicine Association – who wants to eliminate the usage of bear bile in traditional medicine in Vietnam – we now have a realistic plan for eliminating bear bile farming in Vietnam by the target year of 2020. And now, we know that it will work – as long as our supporters continue to help us in keeping the pressure on.”

https://www.animalsasia.org/intl/me...s-bile-farming-ended-in-vietnam-province.html
 
Most animals won’t be saved – but rescues show the world an alternative

By Dave Neale, Animals Asia Animal Welfare Director
Trapped inside a cage barely bigger than your body. Standing, sitting and lying in your own excrement. Having to fight for a share of what little food and water there is.
These are the conditions faced by millions of animals across the world. From the emotive – dog farms in South Korea and bear farms in China – to the too often overlooked – millions of hens forced to live in tiny cages on intensive factory farms – animals are the great forgotten tragedy of our world.

The majority of these animals have no hope of rescue. The majority of these animals face these dire conditions until the day arrives when the one person that could prevent their misery actually causes them further suffering, as they are dragged out and sent on their final journeys to slaughter.

But what if the hands that lift them from their prison belong to people that offer only love and kindness? These rescuers are motivated by the sorrow that comes from wishing animals had not had to suffer at all. Even the rescue is tainted by the knowledge that these rescued animals are the “lucky” ones, and millions more continue to live in abhorrent conditions.
But to be in a position to rescue animals means you have already had to face several battles.These people have overcome obstacles designed to prevent these acts of kindness from ever taking place. There are the lies told by industries that these abusive practices are anything but abusive, that they are necessary as they provide essential foods, clothing and medicines for the people. There are also the cultural rationalisations – which hold that anyone in disagreement “cannot possibly understand”.

In the short term, the abusive industries and the lies told by the perpetrators of abuse continue to win – as they stack up far more kills and far more suffering than the hands of kindness can ever compete with. But the hands of kindness show the world that there is an alternative. This alternative is one in which we show respect for all of the individuals with whom we share our planet, and ensure none have to suffer for us ever again.
I know which hands I am holding onto.
https://www.animalsasia.org/intl/me...ut-rescues-show-the-world-an-alternative.html
 
Rescued from bile farms – every day is special for these ageing bears
18 December 2015
Like any community, Animals Asia’s bear sanctuaries have elders – bears getting on in years, who need a little bit more care and consideration but are well-respected amongst their peers.
These sanctuary elders are some of our most-loved bears – and the extra care they require is a pleasure to provide for their carers.
As some of our best-known and best-loved bears – bears like Jasper, Barri, Bronwyn and Xie Sheung, the bear on our logo – reach their “golden age”, Animals Asia is even more committed to making every day special.
These years should be their retirement – but first they need a pension plan.


In China, a significant amount of the overall workload targets these elder bears, assessing the health and needs of each bear individually. Whether this means modified enrichment plans, low beds and baskets for easy access or just plenty of TLC, Animals Asia is keeping these senior bears in mind.
This Christmas, our UK Patron Virginia McKenna OBE – star of the film “Born Free”, which inspired Animals Asia founder Jill Robinson’s earliest dreams of wanting to help animals – is partnering with Animals Asia to raise awareness of the needs of these “retired” bears, who have all been rescued from bile farms.
Together, they want to make this Christmas special for all our bears in their twilight years.

Jill said:
“Bears like Barri, Xie Sheung, Blue, Pippin, Charly, BeBe, Hong and all the rest are the reason why we do the work we do. Some of them have been with us since our early days, others we’ve rescued from a hellish lifetime of bile farm imprisonment – but all of them are part of the Animals Asia family.
“We know that one day they won’t be with us, and that’s why we’re doubly committed to treasuring each day they have left.”

Virginia said:
“Animals Asia’s moon bears have never known about Christmas.
Until they were mercifully rescued from their terrible caged years they knew no kindness, no joy – only pain and fear.
“But we know about Christmas and the spirit of generosity and kindness that fills our hearts.
I hope that this year we can include these sweet-natured creatures on our ‘giving list’.
“We need and expect nothing in return. It is enough to know that thanks to Animals Asia the bears are cared for, cherished and loved. And to know we have helped, even a little, is all that matters.”
There remain over 10,000 bears on bile farms in China – facing painful daily extractions, with their bile being used for traditional medicine.
Animals Asia has rescued over 570 bears from the bile industry and continues to care for almost 400 bears in sanctuaries in China and Vietnam.

https://www.animalsasia.org/intl/me...ry-day-is-special-for-these-ageing-bears.html
 
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