Animals Asia Foundation

We've been fund raising for this charity since 2003. 

Animals Asia is devoted to ending the barbaric practice of bear bile farming and improving the welfare of animals in China & Vietnam.  They promote compassion and respect for all animals and work to bring about long term change. 

More than 10,000 bears – mainly moon bears, but also sun bears and brown bears – are kept on bile farms in China, and around 2,400 in Vietnam. The bears are milked regularly for their bile, which is used in traditional medicine.

Bile is extracted using various painful, invasive techniques, all of which cause massive infection in the bears. This cruel practice continues despite the availability of a large number of effective and affordable herbal and synthetic alternatives.

Most farmed bears are kept in tiny cages. In China, the cages are sometimes so small that the bears are unable to turn around or stand on all fours. Some bears are put into cages as cubs and never released. Bears may be kept caged like this for up to 30 years. Most farmed bears are starved, dehydrated and suffer from multiple diseases and malignant tumours that ultimately kill them.

One of the ways in which Animals Asia focuses their work in in the operation of bear sanctuaries in China and Vietnam where bears are rehabilitated and cared for and where their bear teams gather vital evidence of the effects of bile extraction. Their world-class bear rescue centres in Chengdu, China and Tam Dao, Vietnam provide the bears with comfortable dens and semi-natural enclosures where they are able to recover in safety and spend the remaining years of their lives in the company of other bears. To date, 400 farmed bears have been received into their care.

Launched in 2015 was Peace by Piece - Animals Asia’s landmark campaign to help rescue and rehabilitate over 130 moon bears in Nanning, China. These bears have been kept in horrendous conditions – many trapped in tiny cages from birth - and farmed for their bile.

The farmer had bred the bears and extracted their bile for years, but had a change of heart when his daughter convinced him of the horrible cruelty of the trade. Animals Asia is taking over custody and care of the bears, leasing the land and facilities.
This will be the largest rescue of its kind in the world.

Cat and dog welfare: Animals Asia works to improve the welfare of companion animals in China and to end dog and cat eating.  Cats and dogs in China are often abandoned and left to subsist on the streets, with many dying due to illness or accidents.  Government authorities organise brutal dog killing campaigns to try to reduce stray dog populations.  As well as stray dogs and cats, those that belong to people as beloved family members, are often snatched from streets and homes where they are taken to horrific meat markets, where they are sold for human consumption and often suffer a slow, violent death.

Zoos and safari parks: Animals Asia is working to improve conditions for animals in China's zoos and safari parks.  In many places , terrified cows, pigs and chickens are fed to lions and tigers as live prey for entertainment.  Captive live animals are often cruelly mutilated with their teeth and claws cut back.  They may also be chained and used as photographicv props or forced to entertain the crowds with unnatural, degrading and stressful circus-style performances.  

If you would like to know more about Animals Asia's work, visit their website at https://www.animalsasia.org.