Dec 23 2017
- One bear had been kept as an attraction – used to entertain diners at a restaurant
- Her teeth were so badly damaged when rescued that she had barely any left
- Dozens of bears are being kept in cages as entertainment charity warns
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 in October this year.
Since being rescued she has been fed entirely on soft food and chopped fruit and vegetables.
The first bear set free was a young male, only around three years old, who was discovered hidden away in a dark corner of a warehouse in Aparan.
Freedom has finally been given to three brown bears (pictured) in Armenia who spent their lives living in tiny cages, with minimal sunlight and no room to move
After MailOnline highlighted the plight suffered by the animals, readers donated thousands of pounds to the IAR's mission, aimed at freeing dozens of caged bears in Armenia
Rescuers said it was a miracle that the bear hadn't injured himself on the jagged metal and rusted floor.
After MailOnline highlighted the plight suffered by the animals, readers donated thousands of pounds to the IAR's mission, aimed at freeing dozens of caged bears in Armenia.
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.
<img id="i-44af8acdc33ca3fc" src=”"http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/12/23/17/478A5BB100000578-5208707-image-m-22_1514051219589.jpg" height="371" width="634" alt="One ten-year-old female bear had been kept as an attraction – used to entertain diners at a restaurant in Armenia's capital Yerevan" class="blkBorder img-share"/>
One ten-year-old female bear had been kept as an attraction – used to entertain diners at a restaurant in Armenia's capital Yerevan
As heavy snow fell, the rescue team came to the aid of a third bear being kept at Golden Hill restaurant in Gyumri.
As the vet prepared to sedate her, she could be seen pacing frantically around her small cage, desperate for freedom.
All the bears are now safely settled in the quarantine quarters at Yerevan zoo and receiving expert attention and care from a veterinary team.
<img id="i-d49de16bf0ea6f9" src=”"http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/12/23/17/478A5B9700000578-5208707-image-a-23_1514051302110.jpg" height="359" width="634" alt="The three bears were 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 in October this year" class="blkBorder img-share"/>
The three bears were 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 in October this year
<img id="i-56e989a0a9cfe0c7" src=”"http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/12/23/17/478A5BA400000578-5208707-image-a-28_1514051406624.jpg" height="360" width="306" alt="The three bears were safely moved (pictured) by the rescuers and are now safely settled in the quarantine quarters at Yerevan zoo and receiving expert attention and care from a veterinary team" class="blkBorder img-share"/>
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<img id="i-64f3787bd2873efd" src=”"http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/12/23/17/478A5B8800000578-5208707-image-a-29_1514051406778.jpg" height="360" width="306" alt="Alan Knight OBE, 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"" class="blkBorder img-share"/>
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The three bears were safely moved (pictured) by the rescuers and are now safely settled in the quarantine quarters at Yerevan zoo and receiving expert attention and care from a veterinary team
Alan Knight OBE, 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.
'It has enabled us to work with FPWC to end the suffering of these bears behind bars. At long last we can give them the attention and the care they deserve. And with the help of the public we're determined to rescue the dozens more that are still waiting for an end to their torment.'
<img id="i-dc33c8a00eb6eb7a" src=”"http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/12/23/17/478A5BB800000578-5208707-image-a-26_1514051385361.jpg" height="360" width="306" alt="The rescue operations are being carried out with the support of the Armenian government, in particular the Environment Ministry" class="blkBorder img-share"/>
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<img id="i-d181dacd935b5b11" src=”"http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/12/23/17/478A5B9E00000578-5208707-image-a-25_1514051385289.jpg" height="360" width="306" alt="Anyone wanting to make a special seasonal gift towards the ongoing Great Bear Rescue campaign can do so here: www.greatbearrescue.org" class="blkBorder img-share"/>
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The rescue operations are being carried out with the support of the Armenian government, in particular the Environment Ministry. Anyone wanting to make a special seasonal gift towards the ongoing Great Bear Rescue campaign can do so here: www.greatbearrescue.org
Ruben Khachatryan of FPWC added: 'There are many other bears in urgent need of our attention. We are keeping focused on the job in hand and trying to reach as many caged bears as possible, as fast as we possibly can.
'With all these sad cases we have now, I hope people realise that it's not fun to see a bear kept in a cage in a restaurant or a resort. This is just not the place where they belong.'
The rescue operations are being carried out with the support of the Armenian government, in particular the Environment Ministry.
Anyone wanting to make a special seasonal gift towards the ongoing Great Bear Rescue campaign can do so here: www.greatbearrescue.org