Introduction from Kathleen:
I am honored to share the words and experiences of Jill Robinson and Marc Bekoff regarding the plight of Moon Bears in Asia. These precious and beautiful creatures have truly touched my heart, as I'm sure they will yours. Please offer your help to these amazing bears through Reiki energy, and/or monetary donations if you are so moved. For more information, visit The China Moon Bear Rescue, www.animalsasia.org.

Photos courtesy of Marc Bekoff. Marc Bekoff, PhD, University of
Colorado, Boulder, has dedicated his latest book, The Emotional Lives of Animals: A Leading Scientist Explores Animal Joy, Sorrow, and Empathy - and Why They Matter, to Moon Bear Jasper, who spent 15 years suffering at a bear bile farm. Jaspar now enjoys his life at the Moon Bear Sanctuary in China.

A Brief Introduction to the Plight of Moon Bears in China (from
http://www.aasiankarhutarhat.com/adressi/adressi.php)

Thousands of Moon Bears across China and Vietnam are imprisoned in cages no bigger than their own bodies enduring the agony of different bile extraction methods. Their suffering may continue for 20 years. Bear bile used in traditional Chinese medicine can easily be replaced by herbal or synthetic alternatives, which are cheaper and equally effective.

How the China Bear Rescue Began: In the words of Founder Jill Robinson
(from www.animalsasia.org)

Sometimes we receive a message in life which is hard to ignore. For
me, that message came in 1993 when I walked onto a bear farm in China for the very first time. Nothing prepared me for that moment and it was with utter disbelief that I witnessed a scene which would
subsequently change my life and which would start the dream of the
China Bear Rescue.

Bear farming was virtually unknown in the West and it was only when I heard rumours of a bear farm operation across the border in southern China, that I joined a tour group from Hong Kong to witness the practice at first hand.

While the bear farmer and his wife proudly demonstrated their bile
preparations, I stole away from the group and found some stairs
leading to a room below. As my eyes became accustomed to the darkness, it was as if a horror story was unfolding itself frame by frame. Row after row of tiny wire cages held living, breathing bears as prisoners - bears, I was later to discover, which had spent 13 years of their life behind bars. Resembling victims of medieval torture, these
pitiful animals turned around to reveal infected, gaping wounds in
their stomachs, from which protruded rusting, metal catheters.

At one point I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder and turned around to
see a female moon bear reaching out through the cage. Without
thinking, I took her paw and, whilst gazing into sad, dark, unblinking
eyes, made a pledge that one day I'd be back to set her free.

From that moment, negotiations with the Chinese government began and I found myself in the middle of a complex, emotional issue which, not only concerned the welfare of the bears but, surprisingly that of the people who raised them. As meetings with officials and practitioners and consumers of Traditional Medicine took place, a greater understanding was evolving on both sides, with growing recognition that, although bear bile had held a significant place in Chinese medicine, there was no doubt that it could now easily, and cheaply, be replaced with herbs.

For many of the bears, this conclusion came too late, but for those who are finally seeing their freedom, the original pledge made in 1993 has now become a reality.

Please join us as the China Bear Rescue unfolds and rejoice with us
that animals who were destined to die, caged and alone, are at last
living a life close to that for which they were born.

Excerpts from Marc Bekoff's diary from his September 2007 visit to the Moon Bear Rescue in China:

9/8/07
this afternoon i met jasper to whom i dedicated my book, The emotional lives of animals, and i got to feed him fresh peaches - he's a handsome guy who was hanging out with his buddy, ozzie - as you know jasper and i had exchanged emails but meeting him 'in bear/person' was amazing - i have tons of unbelievable pictures of unbelievable bear beings i'll send when the connection gets stronger ... they are all unbelievably lucky to be here at the moon bear rescue center after enduring up to 20 years in cages in which they couldn't even stand .... more to come ... all the best - marc

9/10/07
Saskia died today as I held her right hind paw ... she came to the moon bear rescue centre on 19 january 2005 after living in hell for years on a bear farm ... you go on rapid 180s here - younger bears playing, some suffering immeasureably with metastatic liver cancer like Saskia, and some hanging out and enjoying life right now ... saskia lost about 1/2 her body weight and became lethargic and there was no option other than to operate and discover what was wrong, although, heather, an awesome vet who has worked with gorillas in rwanda, and jill and others knew what was wrong from the start ....

and today one of the most powerful industrialists in china came to
visit - he gave 1 million dollars (usa) to jill at the start - and he's
someone with a lot of power with government officials so let's hope he
can have some influence to stop bear farming forever ... we chatted for a while and he is an amazing man with a huge huge heart ....

tonight i give a public lecture and will put it out there pure and
simple ... i feel pretty safe doing this and am assured it'll be ok -
wish me luck ... being with frolicking bears, peacemakers like jasper
who breaks up fights and welcomes newcoming bears as if they're old
friends, and shy, injured and 3 blind bears is rather leveling ... i'll
dedicate my talk to saskia and all the other bears .....

amazing human beings work here with amazing bear beings ... wish them luck too - tomorrow saskia will be cremated and her ashes buried in the cemetery - where there are also dogs who have been rescued here ... i feel lucky to have been here to see all the cycles if you will ... and there is so much more work to be done ... blessings to you all this experience is life-changing ... more later - marc