JESSICA GREEN: ‘Freedom has finally been given to three brown bears in Armenia who spent their lives living in tiny cages, with minimal sunlight and no room to move. One ten-year-old female bear had been kept as an attraction – used to entertain diners at a restaurant in Armenia’s capital Yerevan. Her teeth were so badly damaged when rescued that she had barely any left and her poor diet had led to her being severely overweight…
The golden grizzly was one of three bears rescued by local group FPWC (Federation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets) – which joined with International Animal Rescue (IAR) to launch the Great Bear Rescue campaign… The former Soviet country has long had a tradition of capturing and keeping bears, and despite progress in many other areas, animal rights are behind the times in Armenia.
It is not uncommon to spot a bear in a tiny cage at a restaurant, bus depot, shopping centre or a factory. They are often caught as cubs and spend their lives in captivity in order to attract tourists or simply entertain its owners… Alan Knight, CEO of International Animal Rescue, said: ‘It’s a huge relief to see three more bears rescued from lives of misery and neglect and safely in our care. The support we’ve received from around the world for the Great Bear Rescue campaign has been absolutely heart-warming’. SOURCE…
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