Rescued!
Two bears were successfully saved in an emergency last-minute effort after nearly a decade in cages.
The previous owner of the Ukrainian brown bears “Julia” and “Zoya” is an animal trainer for the circus. When he was no longer able to care for them, he planned to sell them both to an illegal bear-baiting operation.
Luckily, the Ukrainian Minister of Environment heard about the plans and immediately contacted Four Paws International, who stepped in to help.
In a rush to keep the bears from being transferred to the bear-baiting operation, the staff members at Four Paws were able to coordinate a rescue in just a few days!
The bears have since been moved to the Bear Rescue Centre in nearby Zhytomyr. They are being carefully monitored and have plenty of room to stretch and roam. The girls have facial scars and suffer from behavioral disorders as a result of years of confinement, but the Centre is working diligently to provide them with comfort and enrichment.
Watch this short but moving video of their rescue and recovery:
Your support will help keep this much-needed center open for bears. You can follow Four Paws on Facebook or submit a small donation on their website.
