Guest guest Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 http://www.wspa-usa.org/pages/391_bear_baiting.cfm Bear Baiting The cruel practice of bear baiting Bear baiting is possibly the world‘s most savage blood sport. Teeth and claws removed, bears are tied to a post and set-upon by trained fighting dogs. All in the name of entertainment. What is bear baiting?Usually held at local fairs in Pakistan, this cruel practice pits dogs against bears that have had their claws and teeth removed. The extraction of teeth and claws in itself is a cruel and agonizing practice. Before the fight, the bears are tied to a post which renders them defenseless to the dogs‘ frenzied attack. Where does it take place?Only in Pakistan. Is it illegal?Yes, under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1890 and under the Pakistan Wildlife Act. It is also illegal under Islamic Law to bait animals. What type of injuries occur?Bears sustain more injuries than dogs and usually suffer ripped noses and mouths. Most bears are permanently scarred, but the killing of either animal is avoided, as they are too valuable. How many animals are involved?Up to 300 bears, and around 1,000 dogs were involved when WSPA first undertook investigations. Today the number of fighting bears has been reduced to around 50. How many people attend?Most fights attract a crowd of up to 2,000 spectators. How much money is made?Admission costs the equivalent of 50 cents. A bear owner receives up to $150 per event and a fully trained bear or dog can be worth more than $2,000. What is the long term chance of stopping this practice?With the full commitment of the Pakistani government, the chances of ending bear baiting is very high. WSPA is pleased to report increased efforts by the Pakistani Government and wildlife officials, but more action is still needed. WSPA is seeking to form a Memorandum of Understanding to ensure that all leads are followed and acted upon, confiscations are made and that any confiscated bear is released into the WSPA-built Kund Park sanctuary. WSPA‘s work has helped to reduce the number of bear baiting events held; opposition to the fights is increasing, but there is still much work to be done.Other WSPA Bear Projects 1. CARE FOR ORPHANS: WSPA funds the Idaho Black Bear Rehab Center in Boise, Idaho where cubs who lost their mothers during the hunting season, get a second chance in life. Director Sally Maughan is a surrogate mom to the cubs and provides them with tender care until they are old enough to return to the wild. State Fish & Wildlife officers assist in returning the bears to safe forest areas. 2. DANCING BEARS: In Turkey and Greece, we took aim at the brutal practice of "dancing bears" in which bear cubs are stolen from the forest and trained to dance on their hind paws through extreme cruelty. They are beaten and burned and have chains pierced into their muzzles. After a long battle, we have been able to extinguish this cruelty here and have now turned our focus to India where approximately 1,200 bears suffer a similar fate. 3. SANCTUARIES: We've built gorgeous, forest sanctuaries for bears who had been victims of extreme abuse (such as dancing bears) and now can live out their lives in a protected safe haven. In the past decade, we've created sanctuaries in Turkey, Greece, India, Thailand, Pakistan, India and the United States. The bears here will never again be harmed by man. But there's so much more work to be done. We need your help. Support WSPA's campaigns to end animal cruelty >> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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