Story of Dawn: One lovely little bear survives cruel, evil bile farm

_{Dawn after months of care by Animals Asia staff}

More than 10,000 bears are trapped today in cages so small they cannot move as bile is extracted painfully from them with invasive techniques, according to Hong Kong’s greatest homegrown animal charity, Animals Asia. This is a scandal. Any sensitive person will feel rising anger along with tears in their eyes when they imagine what these bears, most moon bears, but also sun bears and brown bears, are suffering.

Animals Asia says it has rescued nearly 700 bears from cruel evil bile farms. The survivors now live free and when they’ve recovered, happily in AA’s three sanctuaries in China and Vietnam.

Some bears are trapped in cages when they are cubs and never released. For a normal person this is unimaginable cruelty. To boost bile production, they are often starved. The bears suffer multiple and malignant diseases. Despite the harsh conditions, bears can survive trapped in a cage too small for them for more than 30 years.

Animals Asia, founded by Jill Robinson and her late husband Cathay pilot John Warham, campaigns in China and Vietnam for closure and banning of bear bile farms with some success. It runs educational programmes showing there are herbal alternatives to bile, which is used as an anti-inflammatory medicine.

_{Dawn just after her rescue}

In a blog Jill tells the story of Dawn. This little moon bear arrived at an AA sanctuary in Vietnam last year. A bile farm victim, Dawn showed signs, vets said, of “learned helplessness”. For 20 years Dawn had been trapped in a cage with catheters in her side. She had endured 7300 days in appalling conditions. “When Dawn arrived at the sanctuary she looked out from her safe new home with hollow helpless eyes. She didn’t dare to dream that everything bad she had suffered was all behind her now.” Dawn was almost hairless with a naked chest, the lemony crescent of fur characteristic of moon bears missing.

After months of care by some of AA’s 250 employees Dawn slowly allowed herself to trust. “Our staff offered her toys and introduced her to new friends, Midnight and Twilight.” Dawn became increasingly reassured that when she awoke the day before her would have choices and fun. “Every time I visited,” Jill wrote, “I looked into those trusting brown eyes and watched the crescent moon fur grow back. Dawn is proudly a moon bear today.”

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