In countries across Asia, thousands of bears live a life of torture on bear farms, so that their bile can be extracted and used in traditional medicine to cure ailments. Bears are confined in cages which vary from agonisingly tiny “crush” cages to larger pens, all of which cause terrible physical and mental suffering. The Animals Asia Foundation has created a wonderful sanctuary where bears rescued from a life of unmitigated misery can enjoy everything they were denied on the farms. The Pollyanna Pickering Foundatio are proud to have funded the rescue of ‘Polly’ from a bile farm in Vietnam, and his transfer to the Animals Asia sactuary.
Polly was one of 19 moon bears rescued from years of torture and transferred to the Vietnam Moon
Bear Rescue Centre in Tam Dao. To date, this is the largest number of bears rescued in Vietnam in one operation. Discovered cramped in 40ft cargo containers on an illegal bile farm in the southern
province of Binh Duong, near Ho Chi Minh City, this group of bears underwent a gruelling, three-day road-trip to safety.
Tuan, the director of the Vietnam sanctuary said all the bears from the farm were wild-caught. Tuan and the rescue team were disturbed to see the living conditions of the bears – locked in isolation in small prison-like cells, with inadequate food and water and only the cold, metal floor, often dirty and wet, to lie on. In his opinion, the rescue came just in time for the 19 bears.
Pollyanna commented “We are delighted to have been able to give this beautiful bear the opportunity to enjoy the rest of his life in the lovely surroundings of the Animals Asia sanctuary. Of all the many cruelties humans inflict on animals, I think bear farming is the worst. The animals are kept in such unspeakably cruel conditions, and are in constant pain sometimes for as long as twenty years. I would like to say a huge thank you to all the supporters of our foundation for helping us to give at least one bear a chance for a better life.”
We now want to commit to continue supporting Polly, and to fund his care at the sanctuary for the rest of his life. It costs £1100.00 to feed and care for a bear each year, and with your help, we want to be able to provide at least this amount annually.
We are offering Foundation supporters the chance to Become a Friend of Polly Bear, and help pay for his ongoing care, including food, medical care and just as importantly his ongoing enrichment programme, which will provide Polly with special treats to keep him happy and occupied – treats like fruit ice blocks, honey, raisins and tofu-filled bamboo shoots – all of which will keep him stimulated and occupied for hours!
For a minimum donation of £35.00 you can befriend Polly Bear for one year. As a thankyou you will receive a personalised friendship certificate including a photo of Polly and twice yearly updates on his progress, along with a bookmark and a set of four greetings cards featuring different bears of the world painted by Pollyanna. Most excitingly everyone who befriends Polly bear will be entered into a prize draw to win a signed limited edition of Pollyanna’s sketch of a moonbear (above). This print is strictly limited to just 100 copies. Every time just ten friendship packages have been bought, one lucky winner will be drawn, and will receive their picture.
Please allow 14 days for delivery of your certificate and cards.
