Celebrities stand with the people of Vietnam asking for freedom for the final bile bears
Judi Dench, Priscilla Presley, Stephen Fry, Alan Cumming, Chris Packham and rock legend Slash are joining more than 30 stars to sign an open letter to the new Prime Minister of Vietnam today.
The letter appeals for the release of the last bears of the bile industry – to make Vietnam the first country in the world to end bear bile farming. With powerful celebrity support shining a spotlight on this plight of the last 150 desperate bears, Animals Asia is calling on animal lovers around the world to join the celebrities and write to the PM now.
9 out of 10 Vietnamese people support the end of bear farming
With a new poll released today revealing that 9 out of 10 (87%) Vietnamese people want the immediate release of former bile bears from their farm cages, the celebrities are backing their call. The poll, commissioned by Animals Asia, reveals that there is very little demand for bear bile in traditional medicine now, with just 13% of respondents having purchased or consumed bear bile products, compared to 22% in 2010.
The letter states: “As animal lovers with a deep commitment to compassionate animal welfare, we join the people of Vietnam in their concern for the 150 bears trapped in tiny metal cages, sick, suffering and alone on former bear bile farms across the country
Time is running out for Vietnam’s final bile bears
With approximately four bears dying every month, rescuing the remaining bears has become increasingly urgent. Despite bile extraction from bears being made illegal in Vietnam in 2005, keep the bears is permitted. The Vietnamese government signed an agreement with Animals Asia in 2017, committing to ending bear bile farming in Vietnam for good – a goal Animals Asia is determined to achieve with freedom for the final bears.
The letter goes on to say: “That’s why we are calling on you, your Excellency, to take the crucial and caring step of urgently mandating the release of the last surviving bears, allowing Animals Asia to take them into their care, before it’s too late. Securing the freedom of these last victims of the brutal trade of bear bile will reflect the Vietnamese public’s own support for an end to the cruelty.”
"The Vietnamese government is an incredible beacon for animal welfare across Asia. They have done more to end bear bile farming than any other country in the world. Now we ask for one final act of compassion for Vietnam’s very last bile bears still trapped and suffering in cages. We have everything ready to rescue these broken bears but just need the government to help secure their release. Only then can we celebrate the end of bear bile farming forever in Vietnam. We desperately hope that these last survivors can finally see sunshine and can live out their remaining years in the peace and safety of our sanctuary."
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