Heartbreaking pictures show a caged bear who was rescued from a farm where she is feared to have been exploited for her bile.

The 20-year-old animal, named Tu Do, suffers from liver disease and gallstones, and was being kept as a "pet" alongside chickens, dogs and pigs.

Animal rights groups say bears like Tu Do endure horrific treatment in Vietnam, where their bile is used for traditional medicine.

She was kept in a narrow cage where she struggled to move, and had little sunlight.

During her lengthy ordeal, she was fed the same food as pigs and dogs by her "owners", who were in their 80s by the time she was brought to safety.

It is now hoped that she can enjoy a better life and make friends with other bears.

Rescuers described her as "calm, friendly, and curious" after she was taken to her new home, the Four Paws rescue Center in Ninh Binh.

Rescuers voiced their relief after Tu Do was finally taken to safety
Rescuers voiced their relief after Tu Do was finally taken to safety ( 
Image: 
world animal protection.org.uk)

Maya Pastakia, campaign manager for World Animal Protection, said: “Bear bile farming is illegal in Vietnam, but this hasn’t stopped the suffering of hundreds of bears who still live a torturous life in captivity in Vietnam for their bile, which is used in traditional Asian medicine.


"Tu Do, the bear, was living in a tiny cage on a farm and will have had her bile extracted at some point which involves a painful process of extracting bile from the gallbladders of living bears for use in some traditional Asian medicine.

“Bile bears suffer extreme psychological and physical distress and are caged in cramped and inhumane conditions, in cages not much larger than a telephone booth and without natural sunlight."

Although the process of extracting bile is illegal, a loophole means bears can be kept as pets, which activists say means the exploitation continues.

World Animal Protection estimates that up to 24,000 bears are exploited for their bile across Asia.

She was fed the same diet as pigs and dogs at the farm where she was caged
She was fed the same diet as pigs and dogs at the farm where she was caged ( 
Image: 
world animal protection.org.uk)

In a statement sent to The Mirror, the British-based charity said: "The bile bears suffer severe pain and psychological distress and are caged in unnatural and inhumane conditions.

"They are confined in small cages – often for 24 hours a day – and deprived of their natural lives and behaviours.

"The bears become so distressed they start self-harming, and some even break their teeth on cage bars, in a vain attempt to escape.

"And as if this isn’t bad enough, poor diet and lack of exercise causes them to become emaciated, to develop osteoporosis and bone deformities as well as painful skin sores."

Tu Do is now the last bear to be rescued from Son La province in Vietnam and will now make the province bear bile free.

Working with local organisations, the charity has been helping to microchip and register all bears living on farms across the country and monitor them.

Animal rights groups have called for laws to be tightened
Animal rights groups have called for laws to be tightened ( 
Image: 
world animal protection.org.uk)

Phuong Le Duy, World Animal Protection International Vietnam Consultant, said: “This bear belonged to an old man and I think he kept the bear as a pet, because he also has many dogs, chickens, and pigs in his garden.

"I spoke with him three times about the bear’s welfare, and the bear sanctuary. Two weeks ago, on a monitoring trip, I told him again about what we can do for his bear.

"How his bear can live the rest of her life in a sanctuary. He listened, seemed to think a lot, but said nothing. After only a few days, he called the local ranger and said he wants his bear to come to the sanctuary."

Tu Do is the 50th bear rescued by the Four Paws animal charity in Vietnam.

Barbara van Genne, who was responsible for the rescue, said: "With her rescue we also ended bear farming in Son La province.

She was kept in a narrow cage with little sunlight
She was kept in a narrow cage with little sunlight ( 
Image: 
world animal protection.org.uk)

"The rescue went well and Tu Do arrived safely at our bear sanctuary Ninh Binh. She was calm, friendly, and curious.

"The health check revealed she has gallstones, liver and dental disease, which our expert team will now treat accordingly as her rehabilitation to a better life begins."

https://www.bearsanctuary-ninhbinh.org/our-bears


Enyou the bear sanctuary and therescued bears