|
China’s ‘moon’
bears are kept in cages and farmed for their bile.
Photo: Animals
Asia director Jill Robinson with rescued bear Jasper. (Animals Asia)
“I stole away from the group and found some stairs leading
to a room below. As my eyes became accustomed to the darkness, it was as if a
horror story was unfolding itself frame by frame. Row after row of tiny wire
cages held living, breathing bears as prisoners – bears I was later to
discover, which had spent 13 years of their life behind bars. Resembling
victims of medieval torture, these pitiful animals turned around to reveal
infected, gaping wounds in their stomachs, from which protruded rusting, metal
catheters.”
 So wrote Jill Robinson, director of Animals Asia, in
describing how the organisation’s China Bear Rescue began in 1993. “At one
point I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder and turned around to see a female moon
bear reaching out through the cage. Without thinking, I took her paw and,
whilst gazing into sad, dark, unblinking eyes, made a pledge that one day I'd
be back to set her free.”
Her experiences at this bear farm led to the beginning of
negotiations with the Chinese government. “As meetings with officials and
practitioners and consumers of Traditional Medicine took place, a greater
understanding was evolving on both sides, with growing recognition that,
although bear bile had held a significant place in Chinese medicine, there was
no doubt that it could now easily, and cheaply, be replaced with herbs,”
Robinson says.
To date, around 200 bears have been rescued from this
terrible fate and are living happy, healthy lives with other bears at a
spacious sanctuary – the China Bear Rescue Centre in Chengdu. But the work has only just begun.
Not only does the organisation need funds to feed and care for the bears, it’s
also crucial to end the cruel practice of bear farming altogether. Supporters
such as Olivia Newton-John are helping to spread the word and Animals Asia is
currently gathering thousands of signatures to present to the Chinese
government to show the strength of public feeling on the practice.
In addition the organisation is working tirelessly to help
other animals in the Asia regions, such as
trying to ban the eating of dogs and cats who are slowly and agonisingly
bludgeoned to death, only to end up on a dinner plate – so give them a helping
hand!
Visit
www.animalsasia.org to make a donation, sign the petition and find out what
else you can do to save the moon bears and other animals.
 |
Show/Hide comments
Show/Hide comment form
