Animals Asia Foundation
Animals Asia now rescuing beautiful Moon Bears in China AND Sun Bears in Vietnam
Animals Asia Foundation (AAF) has rescued almost 200 beautiful Moon Bears in China that had lived virtually their whole lives in cramped, rusting cages. The majority are missing at least one limb, while their gall bladders are severely damaged from being jabbed with un-sterile needles to extract their bile. Coupled with the mental stress from years of imprisonment, their lives had seemed hopeless… until now.
I visited the bears at the AAF Sanctuary in Chengdu last year and witnessed first hand the amazing job the passionate Animals Asia crew is doing, literally transforming the lives of these beautiful creatures.
I watched as great lumbering animals with a gorgeous crescent ‘V’ on their chests searched for fruit and honey, ‘hidden’ by AAF staff in order to re-train the animals in their natural behaviour. I laughed as they wrestled with each other in mock battles that always ended with both protagonists rolling round on their backs. And Iwas thrilled to see them regather their feet and pad softly across a stretch of green grass before sliding down an embankment to their swimming pool for a well earned cooling off. These bears hadn’t felt grass beneath their feet for 10 years or more!
The China Bear Rescue is testament to the wonderful work that people can do to redress the cruelty of other humans to animals… providing we have the will to act. Jill Robinson is so single minded in her mission to save all 7,000 bears being held on farms across China that I have no doubt she will achieve her goal and end the horrible practice of bear farming completely before much longer.
Her fame has spread throughout the world and the Vietnamese Government has now invited her to replicate the China Bear rescue in their country, where bear farming has just been outlawed. With support from animal lovers all over the world, AAF will soon start building a brand new sanctuary for rescued bears, this one in Vietnam. And they’ll be introducing both Moon Bears and Sun Bears to a new way of life, free from endless pain.
To find out more about the incredible work of Animals Asia Foundation, or to make a donation that will help rescue more beautiful bears click here.
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