Page 9 - Animals Asia Review 2017

End Bear Bile Farming

A week in paradise
We used
Our Vietnam vet team 140
completed
70
Martina Schreiner from germany and Carla Marani from sticks of bamboo and
Italy were among the dedicated supporters who joined our 60
dental
two “paying volunteer” weeks in Chengdu.
procedures, ensuring logs to make toys for the

From early morning to night, they helped care for the bears – the bears can chomp Chengdu bears, and gave them 450
away in comfort.
hessian sacks for some extra fun.
observing them sleeping in their houses, placing enrichment
items like fruit and straw around their enclosures, making
their meals, observing health checks and preparing their
Grateful thanks to Dr Marc Bekoff, Professor Emeritus
medications. They also heard talks from our staff.
of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of
Martina wrote moving daily reports about her experiences for Colorado, USA. Marc is a long-term friend of Animals
Asia and he’s named two rescued bears – BeaRtrice after
our Facebook page and her local newspaper picked up the
story. For Carla the best moment was meeting the bear she his mother and Oscar after his father. “I get teary thinking
sponsors – handsome Mandela. Thank you Martina, Carla and about BeaRtrice ... her life of suffering and her will to live.
all you amazing volunteers!
Oscar is doing well and likes hanging out with his bear
friend, Apollo.”

Martina wrote daily posts about her time at the sanctuary. Amazing supporters like Carla are why Animals Asia is the
“This week has changed my life.”
organisation it is today.

Why bear bile?
To the moon and back

Bear bile is used in traditional medicine and, if used An inspiring new documentary, “Jill Robinson: To the Moon

properly, it does have medicinal properties. It contains and Back” premiered in London in 2016.
ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), which is also used in Western
medicine. In the West it’s taken from the gall bladders of Created by Orange Planet Pictures, the ilm shows the shocking

slaughtered cows or artiicially synthesised. It’s commonly scale of the suffering caused by the bile industry and the work
used to dissolve gall stones.
of our founder and CEO, Jill Robinson, to end it.

‘
I felt it was so important to reveal how
A very special thank you to Marchig Animal Welfare
Jill, with nothing more than her resolve, Trust for walking side by side with us through three

created change from the inside out very important years, giving support, friendship, faith
while working passionately, intelligently and encouragement. Your funding provides nutrition,
enrichment and veterinary care, ensuring our bears in
’and peacefully.
Vietnam and China are happy, healthy and care free.

Before bear farming began
Andrew Telling in the 1980s, bears were
Film-maker
killed
A big bear hug for Denise kirchen-Lorang of
Luxembourg, our loyal and hard-working supporter for for their gall-

15 years who has organised countless events. Denise bladders, which stores the bile.
sponsors two lovely moon bears, Vicki and Prince.

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