Bear bile farming company’s stock exchange plans cancelled
Animals Asia has welcomed news that industrial-scale bear bile farming company Guizhentang has ended its application for a stock market launch after the Chinese Securities Regulatory Commission announced its application review had been terminated.
It’s the end of Guizhentang’s three-year long attempt to float, which has consistently been critised by animal welfare activitsts and the Chinese public. Guizhentang had previously announced in 2011 that it would raise funds through a public listing, increasing its number of bears from 400 to 1,200.
Animals Asia Director of External Affairs in China Toby Zhang said, ‘This encouraging victory belongs to all those who have been saying no to cruelty. They have listened to their own conscience and have responded by continuing to campaign and working towards an end to bear bile farming.’
There is no humane method to extract bile from bears, we also know the bear bile produced potentially threatens the health of its consumers. Bear bile products are promoted by producers who often overstate their worth while ignoring the welfare of consumers.
In response to the news, Animals Asia has outlined a bold plan to finally bring an end to bear bile farming. The strategy focuses on:
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Building coalitions – bringing together government, vets, NGOs and traditional medicine experts to agree a clear timetable for ending the industry.
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Halting breeding and capture – ensuring no new bears are added to farms, whether through breeding or being taken from the wild.
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Closing farms responsibly – inspecting every facility, counting the bears, and scheduling closures with full transparency.
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Reducing demand – phasing out bear bile drugs, stopping new approvals, and prioritising herbal and synthetic alternatives.
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Tackling the illegal trade – making smuggling of bear bile and parts a serious offence with strong penalties.
Through breeding, the number of bears on farms has increased rapidly and with little transparency. The longer this goes on the harder it becomes to stop. The time to end this is now.
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