(CN) 8 of 28 bears rescued by AAF now dead

[Guest guest]

South China Morning Post

 

Bears' deaths raise bile concerns

Kelly Chan

Apr 08, 2008

 

Eight of 28 bears rescued last month from a bile farm in Sichuan had

cancer and were dead within a week of being moved, a sign the animals

had been tortured and that their bile could be dangerous to

consumers, an animal welfare group says.

 

The farm handed the bears over to the Animals Asia Foundation on

March 31 and shut the bile operation in return for money. Six had to

be put down to end their suffering.

 

The group's founder and chairwoman, Jill Robinson, said the bears had

died of liver cancer or gall bladder tumours, raising concerns about

the risk their bile posed. Bear bile is regarded as a remedy in some

Asian countries for ailments associated with the eastern concept of

" heat " , such as fever, acne and liver disease.

 

" I seriously question the quality of the bile and the health of the

population that would take the bile, " Ms Robinson said. " I want the

government to take our concern seriously. "

 

She said the bears arrived at the foundation's Chengdu

 

enclosure in extremely poor health.

 

" Some of them were semi-conscious, some had ulcerated gums and their

paws were cut off. One of them even had an abscess the size of a

football on its rump. "

 

Bile farms have been under fire for their cruel treatment, which

involves creating a permanent hole in the bears' abdomens to extract

bile, a process that farmers claim to be painless and " more humane " .

 

" I am afraid people are laughing at [the idea that the process is

painless], " Ms Robinson said. " It's just simple science, something a

10-year-old child would understand ... The farmers and those who

believe them should be ashamed. "

 

The foundation says it has taken in 247 bears from farms, but Ms

Robinson will not say how much money was paid so as to avoid farms

trying to bargain with the group.