In 20 years, Animals Asia has rescued over 600 bears, reached an agreement with the Vietnamese government to end bile farming and led the campaign in China.

When Animals Asia was founded in 1998, bear bile farming was a multi-million pound industry based on the most obscene animal cruelty – and very few people had any idea it even existed.

But in the last two decades, the fight against bear bile farming has spread from China to the whole world.

Working with the authorities, Animals Asia has rescued more than 600 bears and revealed the systemic abuses of bears on farms.

Mutilation, cancer, blindness, infection, misuse of antibiotics and decades of the strictest confinement and isolation have been exposed at farms across the region.

Animals Asia Founder and CEO, Jill Robinson said: 

“Many people today can’t conceive of a time when bear bile farming was little known, and thinking back myself it seems like a lifetime ago. The first time I uncovered a bile farm, it hit me like a train. I could never have imagined that sentient beings could be so brutally mistreated. The discovery will stay with me forever and I think for many people in Asia and around the world, it is the same.”

Today, millions of people have learned about bear bile farming and agree the cruel practice must end.

In Vietnam, the government signed a legally binding contract with Animals Asia in 2017 that will see the industry completely eradicated by 2022.

Not only will every farm be closed and every cage emptied, but the approximately 900 bears currently in captivity will be sent to sanctuary, too.

Animals Asia’s official partnership with the Vietnam government was the direct result of decades of hard work, relationship-building and leading by example. Animals Asia showed the government we could not only be trusted to rescue bears, but relied upon to walk the walk and work hand-in-hand with all stakeholders to make bear bile farming a thing of the past.

In China, Animals Asia’s work has closed down farms and given pain-free lives to hundreds of bears.

In 2012, our publicity campaign prevented a bear bile farm from becoming the first to be publicly listed and set a precedent of discouraging others from following suit. To this day, no bile farm has been able to sell shares on the Chinese stock exchange.  

Despite the fact that bear bile farming in China is considered a legal industry, politicians continue to oppose the practice, with a member of the National People’s Congress proposing legislation to outlaw the industry just a few months ago.

Jill said:

“I couldn’t be more proud of everything Animals Asia has achieved over the past two decades. To rescue over 600 bears and provide them with the state-of-the-art healthcare, proper nutrition and lives of enrichment they so richly deserve is more difficult than most people will ever know.

“From raising funds, to finding the land for sanctuaries, to gaining the necessary permits, to actually caring for the bears and being part of their beautiful lives – no function of this job is ever easy – but it is a labour of love for the entire team and we have never once considered giving up.”

Today, Animals Asia’s China Bear Rescue Centre remains the only sanctuary for bears in all of China.

Jill said:

“Every bear I see out playing on the grass is a reminder of what is possible. Every bear sleeping without fear or pain strengthens my personal resolve to keep fighting for those bears still held on farms.

“Today we are proud to introduce our 20^th anniversary logo celebrating 20 years, one mission and countless lives saved. The bear’s paw print on the design is a reminder of our promise to all the bears still holding on for rescue. We will never stop working to free each individual from the lifetime of suffering they endure. We will never turn our backs on them and will keep on fighting, until the cruelty ends.”

Animals Asia’s work is made possible by thousands of people around the world chipping in what they can to make a difference. Now’s your chance to double your impact for bears recovering from a decade or more of abuse and cruelty. Because give by June 30, and your donation will be DOUBLED! Double your donation now.

BACK